Digging up the garden

lachlan.gillies84

Hello all,

So with all the goings on in the world I decided to do some work on our garden. 

If I'm honest, I don't have a clue what I'm doing.

So far I've just been digging up sections, making a muddy mountain then driving that mountain back into where I've dug out.

Just wondering how deep I should be digging? I know stones rise so I want those out but the deeper I dig the more stones I find. Is there a safe depth I can dig down that will leave the garden nice & flat after?

lachlan.gillies84

Oh also there was some pacing slabs I've pulled up, underneath was a a semi concrete base. I'm breaking it up with a drill. Theres alot of loose sand there. Should I sieve that out too & mix it with the soil it just bag it up & take it to the tip?

lachlan.gillies84

GemmaJF

Think it might help people to give answers if you let us know what the plans are after, lawn, borders, planting veg etc.

That sand is probably builders sharp sand, it is the wrong sort of sand to mix with garden soil to improve it, so yes, best remove it all. 

lachlan.gillies84

GemmaJF said:

Think it might help people to give answers if you let us know what the plans are after, lawn, borders etc.

I have absolutely no idea. Primarily I just wanted to flatten the garden out as it was very bumpy & uneven.

GemmaJF

Make a plan! It's just hard to say how far down to dig and what to do if we do not know how it will end up. For example you might want to leave the rocks deep down for drainage for a lawn, but if it was veg, I would want to get them all out. Hard to know what to advise. 

Fairygirl

Is it just a lawn you want @lachlan.gillies84?
If so, small 'gravel' is fine, but large pieces - ie bigger than a strawberry [  ] will tend to cause problems. 

lachlan.gillies84

GemmaJF said:

Make a plan! It's just hard to say how far down to dig and what to do if we do not know how it will end up.

Yes I realise that now which is why I'm seeking a bit of guidance.

It was a pretty impulsive decision tbh, I felt the digging would be great exercise, it's free, keeps the Mrs happy & should hopefully allow us to have a nice looking garden come Summer.

AnniD

I agree with @GemmaJF, before you wear yourself to a standstill doing work that might not be needed 
Rather than going in like a bull in a china shop, take breather, grab a cup of tea (or something stronger), and have a think about what you want your garden to do.
Somewhere to sit ? Where's the sunny bit ?
Somewhere for the washing line ? Somewhere for the bins and all the necessary stuff.
Do you have children/pets? 
You can get lots of advice on here, there people who are really keen gardeners and people who just want a space that looks nice with minimum effort. 

lachlan.gillies84

Shall we just say I want a flat garden for now & cross any other bridges when we come to them? 

Where I laid the patio theres maybe like, 1m x 5m strips of dirt down each side that lead onto the main garden. Mrs keeps saying she wants to put some slate down & have some potted plants on them. We do have cats & a dog so its probably better to do this so they cant keep digging it up and pooping in it.

The rest, just want a flat, mowable lawn.

lachlan.gillies84