Hardcore under flower bed - options
Discussion
Hi,
our new house seems to have a layer of hard core under at least part of a large flower bed. There is about 3 or 4 inches of topsoil and then hard core. Its a big bed and I haven't investigated the whole thing but, looking at old photos suggests that the drive once went over where the bed now is. I'm keen to get a cottage garden style planting going on as it is currently a big empty patch of soil but also eventually want some structure which will mean small trees and bushes.
I could hire a digger, dig up the whole thing and then remove the hard core and fill the hole with a lot of bought earth but this sounds hard and expensive. Alternatively I could buy enough earth and some compost to make it about 8 inches deep and hope that's enough. This sounds easier but pointless if everything will die.
Would tree roots find a way through the hard core? They can mess up roads and houses! Would 8 inches be enough for everything else?
Thanks
our new house seems to have a layer of hard core under at least part of a large flower bed. There is about 3 or 4 inches of topsoil and then hard core. Its a big bed and I haven't investigated the whole thing but, looking at old photos suggests that the drive once went over where the bed now is. I'm keen to get a cottage garden style planting going on as it is currently a big empty patch of soil but also eventually want some structure which will mean small trees and bushes.
I could hire a digger, dig up the whole thing and then remove the hard core and fill the hole with a lot of bought earth but this sounds hard and expensive. Alternatively I could buy enough earth and some compost to make it about 8 inches deep and hope that's enough. This sounds easier but pointless if everything will die.
Would tree roots find a way through the hard core? They can mess up roads and houses! Would 8 inches be enough for everything else?
Thanks
Thanks for all the replies. The hard core is pretty firm - you have to dig at it with a fork first. I don't know how thick the layer is - I dug about 6 inches which was enough to plant what I was planting and was still in hard core at that point. I don't think it has very good drainage - it seems pretty impermeable - puddles form fairly easily.
Bed is about 20 m2 but I don't know if it all has hard core under it.
How much depth of soil does grass need?
It looks like I could hire a digger and driver for about £180 or a digger for £100. Plus skip and new top soil so probably get it all done for £500.
Bed is about 20 m2 but I don't know if it all has hard core under it.
How much depth of soil does grass need?
It looks like I could hire a digger and driver for about £180 or a digger for £100. Plus skip and new top soil so probably get it all done for £500.
Very busy but want to enjoy digger so will postpone. Think I'm going to scatter seeds on it and see what happens! Maybe use the tool mentioned above to bash any surface pooling and make holes if I transplant anything into the bed but not going to buy expensive anythings 'till I see what happens.
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