Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Apr 10, 2011 9:46 pm Hi everyone! We're stuck between a rock/rocks and a hard place..LITERALLY!!! When we moved into our newly built home in Sunshine west, the backyard was running rampant with weeds and turned into a jungle after much neglect. After attempting to remove the weeds/trees/shrubs that grew wildly (didnt get far), we bit the bullet and got a bobcat in to scrape the entire backyard...thinking we didn't want to repeat this exercise again, we had the bobcat guy then lay roadbase to stop the weeds popping through and cover the mud so the dogs didnt dirty the house after going to the loo after a rain event!! The roadbase has now served its purpose and we are ready to start a lawn....the question is: Can we simply rake away the larger loose rocks, break up the compacted top layer and place directly ontop about 10cm depth of nice topsoil??? we want to sow seeds for the lawn...thinking buffalo...is this idea realistic and acheiveable? I understand the roadbase below the topsoil will allow for good drainage but wont hold nutrients and water in the summer months??? please correct me if im wrong! still a newbie Dont want to get the bobcat guy back and get him to scrape the roadbase away...feeling kinda stupid at the moment with our decision to lay roadbase... any help appreciated!!!!! thank you!! Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 5Apr 12, 2011 1:21 pm LuciaV, if you haven't read it already I heartily recommend the summary of Fu's turf laying summary http://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=43570 Outside of that, I personally would be ridding myself of the road base before trying to grow lawn/turf, road base really isn't what i'd consider free draining, its designed to compact down and not shift. Not sure how you would dispose of the roadbase, but would probably get quite expensive, Putting down just a layer of soil ,is in itself fraught with problems , you really want to have it all mixed through to a good 30cm or more. I'm not even sure if you'd want to try cultivating it through with some new soil, as I would think the larger stones may eventually find their way to the surface. Hate to say it but have you considered something other than lawn for the area? Perhaps a rock garden, or raised garden beds so you'd only need to remove sections of the roadbase, rather than the whole lot? Good luck. Our Build - Places Fairhaven 23+ - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28045 Our Landscaping - Belial's Backyard - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45375 Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 7Apr 12, 2011 1:29 pm B STAR you cant get much better than road base for free draining. The issue will be that the plant roots wíll have difficulty penetrating the road base.... Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 8Apr 12, 2011 1:32 pm Any chance of getting some photos of the area and the road base in question, has it compacted down in the time its been there? Do you tend to get puddles forming on it from heavy rain? Our Build - Places Fairhaven 23+ - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28045 Our Landscaping - Belial's Backyard - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45375 Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 9Apr 12, 2011 1:35 pm Deemaree B STAR you cant get much better than road base for free draining. The issue will be that the plant roots wíll have difficulty penetrating the road base.... I agree but that wasn't the point. However I wonder perhaps there might be a lawn system with shallow roots, where 100mm of top soil will be sufficient. It would be interesting to see what Fu comes up with. Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 10Apr 12, 2011 1:38 pm True BStar-we have road base as our driveway and it is currently a moat after the 95mm of rain we had in 24hrs! Not as free draining as usual! Deemaree Kyndylan Capers: viewtopic.php?f=36&t=46852 My blog: http://www.sufficientlysufficient.blogspot.com/ Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 11Apr 12, 2011 1:53 pm Thank-you all for your replies, the roadbase is in the backyard and is only subject to pet traffic...so other than the bobcat guy driving back and forth over it when he laid it...its not really very compacted (at least enough to stop the weeds popping through) During even very heavy rain events we dont get any puddles at all. I definitely agree just topsoil on top won't be enough and need to add other ingredients to the mix. Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 12Apr 12, 2011 3:56 pm Maybe you could just pave the main areas, and have raised beds for veges and herbs. No lawn to mow, or try cultivating, and if you have animals you wont have all those lovely little bare patchs where they have peed Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 13Apr 12, 2011 10:45 pm The best option will be having the bobcat back. This time with a ripper attachment. Get the operator to tear up the road base and have it turned through the soil to about 30-40cm. Deeper if possible. That stuff will help with drainage but not in it's current form. How it is now is going to be a disaster if it remains and a thin layer of "topsoil" is brought in. What further needs to be added is soil amendments like spongolite, perlite and zeolite. These are not expensive. They are permanent and will ensure a great result way off into the future as well as the week after the job is done. Then an organic compost rather than topsoil should be used. Have that brought through. rip open a few bags of the amendments and get Mr or Mrs Bobcat operator to rip it all through. Its like a big hook that tears up the soil and will loosen and turn the compost and other things through. Then you have a very good basis for a truly hassle free lawn both now and into the foreseeable future Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 14Apr 12, 2011 11:39 pm Wow thank-you everyone for your wonderful advice!! Mr.Manchu Im at your command.... okay so plan for this wknd...Melbourne weather pending: 1) Purchase soil amendments spongolite, perlite and zeolite. 2) Hire Bobcat or Dingo (i hear their alot of fun from posts on this forum...) with ripper attachment. 3) 'Tear up/mix in' the roadbase to 300-400mm with the soil underneath. Note: Just mixing only, no removal and disposal is this right?? 4) throw in the soil ammendments + organic compost evenly ontop of freshly ripped/mixed roadbase and old underneath soil mixture. 5) Rip again and mix everything together. 6) Sow seeds for lawn <--- Im sure its not just that easy and theres much more to it, and threads already exist on this topic, so we'll skip this (untill next stuff up). Q. So the organic compost+ammendments+roadbase incl rocks, cement etc.+ old soil underneath which probably is clay.....will then form the soil/medium for the new lawn to grow??? Im ready for battle!!! Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 15Apr 13, 2011 12:00 am Yep Then lay some turf according to the two turf threads Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 16Apr 13, 2011 10:49 am Oi! What have you done with the 'real Fu'?! I would have expected such a perfect opportunity to suggest something other than 'turf' would have been ceased upon. Get the converts whilst they're still green and all.... Shakes her head in dispair... Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 17Apr 13, 2011 11:25 am LuciaV 2) Hire Bobcat or Dingo (i hear their alot of fun from posts on this forum...) with ripper attachment. I can assure you it definately is We hired the vermeer with the ripping attachment , would highly recommend it, the tracks made fantastic work of all the surfuces we took it over, including the loose dirt without digging in. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ IMG_0418 by Belial669, on Flickr Our Build - Places Fairhaven 23+ - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=31&t=28045 Our Landscaping - Belial's Backyard - https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=45375 Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 18Apr 13, 2011 2:06 pm Belial - that's your favourite toy isn't it?? I can tell ..... For info on our build: viewtopic.php?f=31&t=43093 Built the McLaren by Dechellis - slab down 22 Feb - handover 30 Aug 2011 - and gardens finished 9 Dec 2012!! Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 19Apr 13, 2011 2:59 pm pending how successfull and cheap we can sort out this pickle round the back...turf is definitely considered over sowing. Belial, the pic of that unit looks the goods!!! Kennards are quoting $241 for one day for the mini-loader + extra for the ripper attachment approx $50 from memory so $291 all inclusive. Coates...want $320 for loader+attachment package. Rang around a couple of other places as well but to no avail...any suggestions in the western metro region that can do a better price?? Will post pics up of the project tomorow...the raking of the larger roadbase gravel has commenced!! ps. would a rotary hoe suffice? or am i asking for a broken back? Re: Roadbase under topsoil Dilema 20Apr 13, 2011 7:28 pm A rotary might do the job in normal circumstances but this will need some heavier work. In answer to all those questions, yes. The roadbase and bits of cement might not be ideal but this option will result in a good compromise over both your original intended method and the far more expensive option of removing it You'll end up with a fairly gravely soil that will be able to allow deep root growth as best as possible. If using seed make it Munns Emerald. It's a Kike which is hard to contain, but very tough. Ideally though you will have a great chance to lay some Empire Zoysia, Sir Walter or Palmetto. Thanks for the insights, that makes perfect sense, and yeah, I will be leaning on the experience of the excavator operator entirely. 6 16049 I want to build a bigger driveway (without a nature strip) than has been approved under my CDC. I’ve also had a DA approved to build a deck. It looks like I can do this… 0 4783 Hi All, about to commence a bathroom renovation and need some advice on subfloor works. Current subfloor is hardwood T&G floorboards on 90x45 joists, but intention is to… 0 5816 |