Novice Gardener Needs Advice Please (Merged)

System

A couple of things, I'm sorely tempted to have another go at these pictures, they are far too big.

As for your comments, thank you. I will add that I started the transfomation, 2/3 yrs after I'd had a heart attack, and it was done VERY slowly. Equally I must add that my wife assisted me, although her role was on her hands and knees, as she lost her balance 4/5 yrs ago and needs to walk with an aid now. So this pair of old ***** are pleased with our achievements.

Poppycat

Islandman have you tried http://imageshack.us/ that will resize pictures to various monitor sizes

Like this



You just click on image

I see you have one of these

http://www.ricohzone.com/Product_RR30.html

System

Flippin eck!, thanks for your patience. Poppycat I saw your post had come through after I'd embarked on re-sizing but dare not stop. I had to take two phonecalls as it was, one from the Falklands and one UK, so my heads in a whirl.

Oh, I don't use that Ricoh any more, it's in a draw somewhere.

ianhager

Hi.
I have recently removed an area of decking and plastic membrane in my garden approx 5M by 4M and would love to grow a grass lawn in the space. When we moved in 2 years ago it was just mud really and apparently the people before us tried without luck to do the same, (apparently though the pratt poured a large amount of diesel onto it apparently to "kill something" )....more like everything.
Can somebody give me some advice as to how to go about it. at the moment everything looks dead, just dark brown mud with worms everywhere.
Thanks for your help....
Regards,
Ian

jiblets1

I'm sure someone will be along to advise soon - I just wanted to say welcome to the site!

nodwah

If it's got worms then it can't be too contaminated, but I tried to make a flower bed on a place where there had been cars parking so there was a lot of oil in the soil and I just removed it all - hard work! (All the soil that is)

[Deleted User]

I think you're being very restrained in using a word like "pratt" !! (what a STUPID thing for someone to do)

I suspect the only solution may be to remove the top layer of soil (you'll need to dig down to see how far the contamination goes) and buy in new topsoil. However, I have a horrible feeling that this may be considered "hazardous waste" so what I would strongly urge you to do is to contact your local Council and discuss with someone there. You'll have to be very careful how you dispose of it (please don't use some cowboy to do it - they'll only dump it where it becomes a hazard e.g. for, children, wildlife, etc.)

On a more optimistic note, the Council may be able to give you specialist advice about how to clean it up so you won't need to do the above.

Alternatively, think about paving instead ...

tomsolomon

Some Bleepin idiot decided to smash a green house in our garden before we moved in and bury it in the garden. I manged to bury most of it under the patio, I dug up the entire lawn area all forty square meters of it, and turned it over to get what glass was left, I then leveled it and re-seeded I then planted an apple tree in the middle :P
I'm still finding glass in the borders and probably will do for some time.
The council were not in the slight bit interested in moving what I would consider hazardous to be quite honest.
The only way to clear is to do it the hard way. You may be able to get chemicals to nutralize the oil but not sure if it would do more harm to plants.
PS. I still have about twenty square meters at the top of the garden to clear which will eventually become a veg plot.
PPS. If there are worms all over it then the chances are the oil didnt do much damage, they like live in good soil, and if it is contaminated there would be no sign of them, try turning it over and seeding it, you never know. And I would do it before the weeds have chance to set in.

Davesnave

I have just reinstated a lawn after many, many years under black heavy duty groundcover. However, it has taken DW and I about 6 weeks and at least £50 worth of sand, soil & compost to turn the clay morass into something resembling a seed bed. Not a worm in sight, but no weeds either, of course.

You may have to do something similar with your area; hopefully not so much.
As others have said, if you dig & find worms, it may well be OK. In any event, you can take a sample, put some fast germinating seed, like Rocket, on it, then see what happens. You may not need drastic action, like soil replacement.

JWF

I would just dig it over and see what happens. If the area doesnt reek of diesel its unlikely there's much there as it has a very pungent smell, even at low concentrations.

You could just try chucking a bit of grass seed on some of it when it has been dug, and see if it grows ok. It is getting a bit late to be laying a new lawn now due to the heat so you're probably better off digging it over, leaving it for the summer and laying a lawn when it gets a bit cooler towards the autumn. Thats if you dont mind having a bare patch over the summer!