Creating new flower beds - question on soil
I moved house a few months ago and am just starting to create a new flower bed in a good size south facing garden. I had thought (see other posts!) that I had been blessed with amazing soil... however once I started properly digging what I discovered is that the first 30cm is top soil, then beneath that is a layer of rocks. I don't mean "it's a bit stony" I mean there's a small amount of soil in between a layer of large gravel like rubble. I suspect that when the house was built in the 1950s that they laid a layer of hardcore before the top soil in order to level it out, as the immediate surrounding area is very hilly yet my house/garden and the neighbouring are suspiciously flat! (Although before these houses were built this area used to be called Stoneyfield Common - clue is in the title perhaps!)
(Side note: I also discovered about 50 broken bricks and two broken clay drainpipes buried under my new flower bed that the original builders had helpfully buried)
My question is - how much is this many rocks going to affect my ability to have decent plants? I've already set about the task of removing as many of the large stones as I can down to a depth of about 2 foot. It has been back breaking and arduous! Is this necessary / will it make a difference / am I wasting my time or is it worth it? My plan is also to mix in mushroom compost. If I didn't try to disturb the "below top soil earth" and get rid of all the rocks/stones, I wouldn't be able to mix much in as the top soil really is only down to about 30cm.
Any thoughts gratefully welcomed!
(Side note: I also discovered about 50 broken bricks and two broken clay drainpipes buried under my new flower bed that the original builders had helpfully buried)
My question is - how much is this many rocks going to affect my ability to have decent plants? I've already set about the task of removing as many of the large stones as I can down to a depth of about 2 foot. It has been back breaking and arduous! Is this necessary / will it make a difference / am I wasting my time or is it worth it? My plan is also to mix in mushroom compost. If I didn't try to disturb the "below top soil earth" and get rid of all the rocks/stones, I wouldn't be able to mix much in as the top soil really is only down to about 30cm.
Any thoughts gratefully welcomed!
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I feel that your options are either to build the soil up by edging your beds and filling up with topsoil or digging out stones, an area at a time. It's really hard work, as you say, but that's what I would do. Good luck!
@B3 from what I can make out, the layer of hardcore is approx 30cm deep and then underneath that it's just original soil, which is also naturally very stony - the Soilscapes website tells me I am number 7 (freely draining slightly acid but base-rich soil). I have managed to remove the gigantic pile of bricks and drainpipes that had been buried there - at least the pile that is under where my new flower bed will go, who knows how much more there is under the rest of the garden!
I feel very useless, because my ground is dense, waterlogged clay, slightly alkaline, so all my experience is about improving drainage, although I also have the depth problem in that there was very little top soil. Good luck! When I look at mine I try to remember that what doesn't kill you will make you strong!!!
There are no short cuts unfortunately. Do a bit at a time, one area at a time, and be prepared for a lot of graft.
The alternative is raised beds, using sleepers, rendered block walls, stone or similar, and that depends on your budget and/or DIY skills
Could you investigate a local handyman, to see what it would cost for some simple timber beds? [the pond too perhaps] I did all mine with fencing timber, and if you get it from a builders' merchant it's far cheaper.
Mine are all different in height and size, to work in with the fences, and they have a top edge to make them more decorative. The timber worked out at about £1 a metre at the time [7 years ago] and I used a few bits of fence posts concreted in for the corners etc.
Your bricks and drainpipes can be used for a little wildlife area - places for insects etc to hide away. The drainpipes would be very useful for cover at the pond too - frogs love a wee damp, dark place to hide in. I use bits of broken terracotta pot in various places for that
Most common problem as you've seen from other posters is the opposite one of clay soil/poor drainage. Most plants need good drainage which you've got!
You could offset the problem by a) applying generous manuring to improve water retention and nutrition in the top layer as suggested above. b) committing to frequent watering c) applying pelleted fertiliser/organics regularly. This will offset the high levels of nutrient leaching you will inevitably experience.
The soil added will gradually bed down into the hardcore below and you can add to it each season.
Maybe try out on a manageable area this season before committing to major planting schemes.
Of course, this would not apply to trees or especially deep rooting plants/veg. But then you could focus the heavy lifting on those planting areas only.