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#1
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Peaty Garden - Help!
We have just bought a new property in Northern Ireland and the garden is causing us nightmares. The soil is very peaty and is black in colour. It also retains a lot of water, but has a tendancy to crust over in hotter weather.
At the moment the garden is a blank canvas as we have no idea what to do with it. We would like to plant a lawn and have some colour in the garden. Can anyone offer any advise on how to work with the garden and maybe any recommendations for lawn and plant types? I can email pictures of the garden and soil to anyone who may be interested in helping. Thanks in advance. |
#2
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Sorry, should have added, I was under the impression that peaty soils have very few nutrients and can remain waterlogged during critical sowing times - is this correct or am I moaning about something I shouldn't be? I'm new to gardening and am just going off what I've read.
We can't even walk on the soil without risking losing a boot. And pools of stagnant water that won't drain away can get pretty smelly! The only thing that is growing in the surrounding fields is heather, so I guess we should take a cue from nature. Still want a lawn though, can anyone suggest the best way to add drainage to the soil? |
#3
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The message
from michelestokes contains these words: Sorry, should have added, I was under the impression that peaty soils have very few nutrients and can remain waterlogged during critical sowing times - is this correct or am I moaning about something I shouldn't be? I'm new to gardening and am just going off what I've read. Generally correct, but it depends on what the subsoil is. That's why I suggested sharp sand. The chalk provides lime which grass likes. You can add sprinklings of lawn fertiliser for the grass. The beds may need a lot of work though: try double-digging and see if you bring up any subsoil. Another idea to bear in mind is that crushed rock can improve the fertility and drainage of poor soils. There's an experiment in Scotland which is getting spectacular results, and details should be easily found by googling. We can't even walk on the soil without risking losing a boot. And pools of stagnant water that won't drain away can get pretty smelly! Ah, that's not good. Sounds like you may need to drain it. Is there anywhere (like a nearby ditch) you could drain to? And, have you any willows growing nearby? (I could tell you how to construct bush drains in the east Anglian fashion.) The only thing that is growing in the surrounding fields is heather, so I guess we should take a cue from nature. Still want a lawn though, can anyone suggest the best way to add drainage to the soil? Sharp sand. Crushed stone, cow/pig/horse/rabbit/ginea-pig manure and vegetable compost, and the worms those attract will help. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
#4
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On Mon, 2 May 2005 15:14:33 +0000, michelestokes
wrote: Sorry, should have added, I was under the impression that peaty soils have very few nutrients and can remain waterlogged during critical sowing times - is this correct or am I moaning about something I shouldn't be? I'm new to gardening and am just going off what I've read. We can't even walk on the soil without risking losing a boot. And pools of stagnant water that won't drain away can get pretty smelly! The only thing that is growing in the surrounding fields is heather, so I guess we should take a cue from nature. Still want a lawn though, can anyone suggest the best way to add drainage to the soil? Take Rusty's advice, then add some shade and shelter and potentially you have a garden to die for. Rhodos, Camellias, Magnolias, Acers, Embothrium, Meconopsis, Cornus, Amelanchier, Heathers, Candelabra Primulas.......................................... How long have you got? ================================================= Rod Weed my email address to reply. http://website.lineone.net/~rodcraddock/index.html |
#5
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The message
from michelestokes contains these words: We have just bought a new property in Northern Ireland and the garden is causing us nightmares. The soil is very peaty and is black in colour. It also retains a lot of water, but has a tendancy to crust over in hotter weather. At the moment the garden is a blank canvas as we have no idea what to do with it. We would like to plant a lawn and have some colour in the garden. Can anyone offer any advise on how to work with the garden and maybe any recommendations for lawn and plant types? It depends on just how much work you are prepared to do: you could drain it, and the best people to ask about that is a local(ish) agricultural contractor. In any case, I'd give the lawny bits plenty of ground chalk and sharp sand, and dig it in. The worms will take care of mixing it. The beds depend on what you intend growing, but some well-rotted manure usually goes down well, but that won't adjust the pH a lot. The traditional treatment for peaty soil is to drag the thatch from your house in the late spring - what's that? Your house isn't...... Oh well, put all your weeding and vegetable waste on a compost heap, and if you can get it, add stable or byre cleanings, and again, if you can get it, add lots of seaweed from the beach - stuff which has been washed ashore - you don't need to harvest it from its habitat. That's the traditional way crofters used to treat peaty soil, and believe me, it works. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
#6
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Thank you. You've giving us a place to start, so thanks.
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#7
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michelestokes writes
Thank you. You've giving us a place to start, so thanks. -- michelestokes Hi, I realise you are a newbie, any chance you and your colleagues on gardenbanter can see how to connect your reply to the existing dialogues and not set up new threads every time? You might not be aware this is happening :-) -- David |
#8
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The message
from Dave contains these words: I realise you are a newbie, any chance you and your colleagues on gardenbanter can see how to connect your reply to the existing dialogues and not set up new threads every time? You might not be aware this is happening :-) I think this must be a peculiarity of Turnpike - threading's perfectly normal here. -- Rusty Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar. http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/ |
#9
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