ᐅ How would you assess the soil quality based on the photo?

Hello!

Here is a picture taken during site development. It looks like clay followed by sandstone...

How much do you think needs to be removed to reach fertile soil?

Marvin

Topsoil is usually 20-30cm (8-12 inches) thick. It’s hard to tell how much is actually there from a photo, especially since the ground has been excavated.

You can see grass and topsoil at the edge, maybe 30 cm (12 inches)? That should be put back on to make good use of the garden.

Are 20-30cm (8-12 inches) enough? I'm a bit worried that during heavy rain my garden will turn into a big mud pit... 🙂

Since it's a relatively large construction area and we are in the middle of it, there should still be plenty of insects and worms, right? Or would they all be driven away? I was just joking with my wife that we should probably buy a few kilos of earthworms and release them first! 🙂

The worms return quickly if, for example, they find a good compost pile in the garden. 🙂

So, after construction, our plot was a compacted, clayey sandy wasteland full of construction debris and weeds, with a lot of corn chamomile, a plant indicating acidic soil. After just one year of gardening, there are earthworms, the proportion of chamomile is under control, and thistles are almost eradicated.

However, it doesn’t work entirely without machines. After the construction crew left, a landscaping contractor first shaped the terrain topographically. A mini excavator was used because it is lighter and doesn’t compact the soil as much as larger equipment. Then we ordered topsoil; the existing soil on the land was spread out, and soil from a nearby fresh excavation, which had excess, was added. Now we had bare earth leveled properly. It was autumn. We planted some shrubs, a hedge of hornbeam, and some herbs in pots. Nothing more.

The lawn came in spring, following the method described elsewhere. Part of the clay is very close to the surface and rose up when digging; mixing in some sand worked wonders. The soil fauna quickly became intact. Earthworms appeared. The soil is still too acidic for now, but in September it will receive a load of dolomitic lime. After that, we will have it under control too. K.