GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post

18-04-2006, 09:11 AM posted to rec.gardens

wrote:
My yard is 30 x 50 feet. Right now it is heavy clay (mixed with chunks
of brick and other crap left behind by my friendly neighbourhood
builder) and covered with a layer of extremely unhappy sod. In the
spring it is a mudhole, but seems to be drying up now (finally.)

I was thinking of putting down a thick layer of wood chip / mulch from
the recycling yard, and tilling the whole mess under (including the
sod.) If I do this, what kind of results / problems can I expect? Any
better ideas?

Wood chips decompose slowly and use soil nitrogen to do so. They are
good for mulch but do not mix them into the soil. Finished compost is
a better material and is sometimes available for cheap or free.

Is this a poor idea for the area under the hardscape? (I plan to put
in a decent gravel bed under the flags...)

There is no need to amend the soil underneath your flags. Just
excavate the area to the necessary depth, add stone and compact well.