Clay soil ... Builder's sand

hiacedrifter

I've got a load of builder's sand left from a job, and my garden is heavy clay soil. Can I use the sand in a productive way to help soil... Grow particular plants... Help wildlife? Or shall I get rid?

Hostafan1

Adding sand to clay soil is really a bad idea. I'll just set like concrete. 
Add bulky , organic matter like well rotted garden compost, manure, bark etc to break it apart.

Palustris

Builder's sand is not much use for anything other than building work.

Cloggie

I thought the same @hiacedrifter makes sense doesn't it?  However, when I'm digging, I still find seams of it.  It just doesn't mix with the soil, it sits inertly and ineffectively doing nothing.  I threw some on a patch I wanted to bulk up and I wanted rid of the leftover sand but as hosta says, it was the later addition of home made compost and leaf mould that really made a difference.

bcpathome

No don’t put it on the garden 

hiacedrifter

Bloody stuff ... can't even give it away on freecycle! I might have to do a Great Escape style disposal each time I walk to tesco 

Dovefromabove

My best idea so far ... Save it for when the front path is icy ... you can sprinkle sand on it and it won't harm the plants like salt would.  

hiacedrifter

I've got 100kg to get rid of... Fingers crossed for a VERY cold winter 

Dovefromabove

There was a builder in the next village who used to sell sand 'by the shovelful' ... but you had to use his shovel ... which he'd had for years and was worn down to not much more than a tablespoon 🤣

raisingirl

Do you need any paths or patio slabs laid? That's what we've used sand for - as a nice firm level bed for hard landscaping

hiacedrifter

Good thinking . I've got a new patio being laid soon!