ᐅ Tips for Landscaping a New Garden in a Newly Developed Residential Area
Created on: 27 Apr 2023 08:05
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Gooosee159G
Gooosee15927 Apr 2023 08:05Hello,
We have purchased a newly built semi-detached house in a new development.
The soil here is very clay-heavy. My question is, how should we start preparing the soil so that we can later sow grass and plant shrubs?
The soil in the garden was dumped by the builder’s team and has become heavily compacted due to frequent driving of machinery over it. Water does not drain properly, and large puddles form quickly in the garden.
There are also many stones mixed in the soil.
What would be the best approach for us?
Should we start by loosening the soil? What would be the best way to do that?
Then remove the stones?
And finally, add sand to the soil?
Thank you very much for your advice.
We have purchased a newly built semi-detached house in a new development.
The soil here is very clay-heavy. My question is, how should we start preparing the soil so that we can later sow grass and plant shrubs?
The soil in the garden was dumped by the builder’s team and has become heavily compacted due to frequent driving of machinery over it. Water does not drain properly, and large puddles form quickly in the garden.
There are also many stones mixed in the soil.
What would be the best approach for us?
Should we start by loosening the soil? What would be the best way to do that?
Then remove the stones?
And finally, add sand to the soil?
Thank you very much for your advice.
You can loosen the soil using certain plants, such as lupines. They develop taproots. Later, the plants are simply cleared, left on the ground, and thereby fertilize the soil.
The only solution for stones is to collect them. However, stones also rise during frost. That said, stones are actually beneficial in clay soil because they help with drainage.
The only solution for stones is to collect them. However, stones also rise during frost. That said, stones are actually beneficial in clay soil because they help with drainage.
B
Benutzer 100127 Apr 2023 11:29I am an “afflicted” homeowner dealing with clay soil and lots of stones. Our plot used to be forest land.
Digging with a shovel—oh boy, that builds muscles. It took me a whole day to dig a 40–50m (130–165 ft) trench for the drainage pipe. You definitely need to consider this, otherwise you’ll have puddles all over the garden and lawn because clay doesn’t let water through.
Make sure to do as much as possible with an excavator if you have one available.
To partly avoid the problem, we added about 20cm (8 inches) of topsoil substrate.
We also have a 10m by 10m (33 ft by 33 ft) garden where we grow vegetables. It feels like the carrots don’t grow deeply because the clay interferes. The same goes for the potatoes. I plan to add another 20cm (8 inches) of soil there soon.
Digging with a shovel—oh boy, that builds muscles. It took me a whole day to dig a 40–50m (130–165 ft) trench for the drainage pipe. You definitely need to consider this, otherwise you’ll have puddles all over the garden and lawn because clay doesn’t let water through.
Make sure to do as much as possible with an excavator if you have one available.
To partly avoid the problem, we added about 20cm (8 inches) of topsoil substrate.
We also have a 10m by 10m (33 ft by 33 ft) garden where we grow vegetables. It feels like the carrots don’t grow deeply because the clay interferes. The same goes for the potatoes. I plan to add another 20cm (8 inches) of soil there soon.
G
Gooosee15927 Apr 2023 13:35Thank you for the messages.
Our garden is about 10 x 23 m (33 x 75 ft) in size.
How long is that supposed to take?
Yes, you have to collect the stones. What tool would help to loosen the soil a bit and bring the stones to the surface?
Unfortunately, we don’t have one, so we have to do all of this manually.
Our soil has a very high clay content, and everything drains very poorly and slowly.
I’ve also read that you should mix sand into clay soil and loosen the soil.
What is the best and easiest way to mix sand into the soil?
Our garden is about 10 x 23 m (33 x 75 ft) in size.
ypg schrieb:
You could loosen the soil using certain plants, for example lupines. They develop taproots. Later the plants are simply removed and left on the ground, which fertilizes the soil.
How long is that supposed to take?
ypg schrieb:
You could loosen the soil using certain plants, for example lupines. They develop taproots. Later the plants are simply removed and left on the ground, which fertilizes the soil.
When it comes to stones, the only solution is collecting them. But they also come up during frost. However, stones in clay soil are actually good because they help with drainage.
Yes, you have to collect the stones. What tool would help to loosen the soil a bit and bring the stones to the surface?
Offtopic schrieb:
Make sure to do as much as possible with an excavator when one is available.
Unfortunately, we don’t have one, so we have to do all of this manually.
Our soil has a very high clay content, and everything drains very poorly and slowly.
I’ve also read that you should mix sand into clay soil and loosen the soil.
What is the best and easiest way to mix sand into the soil?
If you have time, I would recommend applying green manure now, digging it in about 20-30cm (8-12 inches) deep in autumn, spreading coarse washed sand (not the fine stuff from a sandbox), and letting the frost do its work. Green manure provides plenty of nutrients for soil organisms. Earthworms and others will help loosen the soil.
Plant in spring.
I assume you want faster results. In that case, dig about 20-30cm (8-12 inches) deep now, incorporate coarse washed sand and/or gravel and/or manure, break up the large clods of earth, level the surface, and then start planting. Remove only stones that bother you on the surface. Currently, digging should work quite well. Once the soil is dry, it becomes as hard as concrete. Rent a garden tiller that can work deep enough.
Once soil compaction is gone and soil organisms have settled in, puddles will reduce or disappear completely. If you have plants that don’t tolerate waterlogging, dig a larger planting hole and mix in coarse sand or fine gravel. Clay soil retains moisture much better than sandy soils, with all the associated advantages and disadvantages.
Plant in spring.
I assume you want faster results. In that case, dig about 20-30cm (8-12 inches) deep now, incorporate coarse washed sand and/or gravel and/or manure, break up the large clods of earth, level the surface, and then start planting. Remove only stones that bother you on the surface. Currently, digging should work quite well. Once the soil is dry, it becomes as hard as concrete. Rent a garden tiller that can work deep enough.
Once soil compaction is gone and soil organisms have settled in, puddles will reduce or disappear completely. If you have plants that don’t tolerate waterlogging, dig a larger planting hole and mix in coarse sand or fine gravel. Clay soil retains moisture much better than sandy soils, with all the associated advantages and disadvantages.
If you have heavily compacted soil, check if the plant "Huflattich" (coltsfoot) has already spread in your area. It is an ecologically valuable plant, but it spreads through runners and seeds (similar to dandelions). Before digging or tilling, it is advisable to pull out the roots and remove the seed heads.
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