Browse Forums Landscape & Garden Design 1 Feb 11, 2013 10:21 pm My new home is nearing completion very soon and my thoughts are now turning to the backyard. My block has a slope at the back and my neighbours either side of me have "leveled" their blocks by sticking in rough metre high treated pine retaining walls at the rear and then back filling. Pretty much the whole street has done this and I'd be the odd man out if I didn't do the same. I have the chance of getting as much free fill delivered as I need to fill in my rather large backyard (nearly 350m2). I have a mate who is involved in digging trenches for the NBN. My concern is that this fill has grass/weeds etc mixed in with it (ie other people's front lawn). Is it a bad idea to use "unlean" fill to build up my yard and hen lay my lawn? Is there some sort of treatment I should do to stop weeds growing before I put a layer of Turf underlay/turf? I know zero about gardens and backyards other than what I've read in these forums (I'm an ex unit dweller!) and would appreciate the advice. Re: Fill for backyard 2Feb 11, 2013 11:33 pm Use it, its fine. Weed seeds will only germinate on the surface and they'll do that in clean fill as well. Weeds don't come from seeds that germinate deep in the soil, emerging to take over the garden like a an Austin Powers character. The seeds are tiny and can only supply energy to a tiny plant to push through a thin layer of soil. If the seed is the size of a basket ball then there may be a risk the plant will get to the surface. Re: Fill for backyard 3Feb 11, 2013 11:39 pm No there is no treatment you can use. Weed sprays are absorbed through leaves. No leaves, no work. If there was something so toxic that plants won't grow in soil sprayed with it, then can you imagine what it would do to you? Even what it would do the to the new lawn Make sure you get the right soil amendments in (i.e. zeolite, clay in sand and sand in clay, then some organic compost dug through the the top 20-30cm of existing soil) Re: Fill for backyard 4Feb 11, 2013 11:41 pm Try avoid turf underlay and use an organic compost instead. 2 4342 yeah i couldnt picture it issue either, but i could clearly picture what they were doing wrong haha 2 5265 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 5518 |