Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 May 06, 2009 5:16 pm Hi All, Its my first post so go easy on me. We just recently built a house in Woodend. We have been dug down 600mm and sitting on clay. I have a local guy coming next weekend with his bobcat to level out and do some other work. All up, I need to bring in around 60m3 of soil. I know the right thing to do is rotary hoe gypsum or some organic product through it all to help breakup the clay but it is too big of a job. Also, I dont plan on planting everywhere.. so spending lots of money on some really good quality eco soil to later have it topped with mulch seems like a waste of money. So my question is, should i use top soil to level out my yard and garden beds. Then, when I plant I can a mix a garden soil with the clay dug out? Or, do I spend the money now and use an eco soil / garden soil ???? Re: Soil or fill??? 2May 06, 2009 5:20 pm Hi, I can't help you with your question, but welcome to the fourm. I'm sure one of the garden gurus will be along soon enough to help you out. Woodend is a beautiful place. Congratulations on your build. I leave you to fend for yourself, figure things out yourself. Terrence Malick Re: Soil or fill??? 6May 06, 2009 9:04 pm Yes, it is the Denver with a slight variation. We took the butlers pantry from another plan and had our place extended. I wanted the alfresco.. the missus wanted the pantry. I gave in when she agreed to the 12x6m shed. The roof is colorbond.. not sure what you mean by monument. The brick colour is Hawthorn. I need to look through my contract to give you the make/model. The tricky task we had was to find something that looked good in a rural environment. The block is 1/2 acre. We like modern - so we thought this would work... and it has. we get a lot of people from the macedon area drive past to look - i think m3tricon is giving out our address. Re: Soil or fill??? 8May 06, 2009 11:54 pm I'd just get clean fill and even better would be sand but not sure where you are going to find that there? Clean fill will do. It sure will with 60m3 to fill Remember that you will need to have good soil (certified organic if possible) where ever the garden will be, to a depth of around 400mm deeper if to 500mm if you can. (mix it through with the clean fill) The roots of your plants are going to be much bigger under the ground than you may care to think. Just workout your garden beds and have organic soil there only. Make use of green mulches from tree lopping mobs. This will return much needed nutrients back to the soil among other things. The combination of regular thick mulching and the certified organic soil will help break down the clay a little deeper down when the fulvic and humic acids get to work Re: Soil or fill??? 9May 07, 2009 11:29 am Thanks. I rang up the bobcat guy who happens to have some fill in his backyard. He isnt too sure how "clean" it is... might have some rock in it. If its good.. he will have enough to do the area in the pics. Wont charge me except for cartage. And, for my garden beds, I can order some decent compost mix and try dig it through by hand. Re: Soil or fill??? 10May 07, 2009 9:25 pm Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Quote: TM 9-243 USING THE MATTOCK - Continued 2 When practising using the mattock, swing with either the right or the left hand leading. When your position becomes tiring, reverse your hands on the handle of the mattock. 3 With the right hand leading, the left foot should be brought slightly toward the work. To start the swing, hold the handle at the end with the left hand and near the centre with the right hand. Raise the mat- tock over the right shoulder. Swing the mattock down toward the work, allowing the right hand to slide back along the handle toward the left hand so that at the finish of the swing, the hands are close together. 4 With the left hand in the centre of the handle, the mattock is swung in the same manner, except that the positions are reversed. 5 Light swings are accomplished with wrist motion only, allowing the head of the mattock to do the work. 6 Use the wrists, forearms, and shoulders for heavy swings. CAUTION Slight prying may be done with the mat- tock. However, this must be done cautiously to prevent breaking the wood handle Get to work then Re: Soil or fill??? 11May 14, 2009 1:59 pm I'm not an expert gardener by any means but anyway....... Our place is on clay fill. We had no topsoil. I put all my garden beds on top. I sprinkle gypsum around and then layer whatever I have. Usually a lot of decomposed stable manure (with shavings), with short lucerne hay and bought soil layered through it. I planted the plants straight into it. I didnt bother to dig the top layers into the clay and everything grows. Our vegetable gardens are done the same, just built on top of the clay Re: Soil or fill??? 12May 14, 2009 11:54 pm What a combo! Gypsum, mmm I guess it is arguable but then you get the big guns out and bung in lots of organic material. The plants just love all of it and you can't go wrong 2 4384 yeah i couldnt picture it issue either, but i could clearly picture what they were doing wrong haha 2 5341 If you're in a flood zone, not only are you dealing with the importation of fill and laying it down in 150 lifts to achieve compaction, you're going to have to consider… 4 5571 |