Compacted soil

Zub

I just moved into my newly build house and the back garden is univen and soil so compacted that It is nealy impossible to dig. I am not shure cultivator will work here. Any suggestions?

tampopo

Beg borrow or steal, well, borrow a pick axe and break it up that way.

Alt. wait for rain and go at it with the shovel/spade

magicbastarder

Zub wrote:

I am not shure cultivator will work here.

i was using a rotovator at the weekend to get through compacted soil. it was like wrestling an angry rhino, but it did the job. the soil wasn't very stony though; i imagine if you've got big stones or lumps of rubble in the soil, it'd slow you down a hell of a lot.

hobie

tampopo wrote:

Beg borrow or steal, well, borrow a pick axe and break it up that way.

Alt. wait for rain and go at it with the shovel/spade

Pickaxe for sure ..... make sure it has a sharp end and a flat end .... see photo ....

An Irish shovel (see link) ..... just don't get an English shovel .... it will break your back ....



A good strong steel bar .... 5 or 6 feet long .... 1" dia. ..... a pointed end and a chizel end ...... you will use it lots of times in your life!!!!!! .... every house should have one

Save all the stones you dig up .... you never know when you will need some hardcore .....

add loads and loads of compost/organic material .... well rotted manure ... soil improver ..... whatever you can get .....



that's it ! .......

CJhaughey

Depending on how big an area your lawn is you can go at it in the fashion described above or hire one of these bad boys....
http://www.hss.com/g/62526/Cultivator_8hp__Petrol.html

hobie

ps. during the project you will .....

eat well ....

sleep well .....

drink well .....

and loose some weight ....

What more can you ask for ........

Markcheese

Deedsie wrote: »

I am in a similar position right now. Have picked a lot of rock out of the soil and raked the top but its very compacted in places.

Would I need to rotovate it to remove the clay/compaction?

Weirdly all the worms in the soil are dead or nearly dead. Any reason for that. Must be a bad sign?

A rotavator will only break up the top couple of inches.. And it'll do little for compaction,..
Organic matter, and a pick axe...
Dead worms is never great.. Is the soil wet or dry?

curiousb

A Mattock is what you need.

Harry Palmr

Lads this thread is 12 years old.