Getting rid of soil

MORPH3US

I am about to redesign the back garden and because of the slight slope, I want to have a (whats the opposite of raised?) submerged(?) deck at the bottom of the garden.

That will mean digging out a small skips worth of not particularly brilliant quality soil.

It seems silly to pay £80 odd for a small skip to fill it with soil, so I was wnodering if there is any other way I can get rid of it easily and on the cheap (and legally!!!)

Thanks

M

Sallys_Savings

I know you say the soil isn't brilliant...but someone might need it for levelling their garden etc so you could try FREECYCLE still.

We didn't think anyone would want our soil (when we dug for a drive) but this person needed to level their garden for putting a patio down. They just turned up with a pick up they borrowed and loaded straight up from the driveway we were digging out.

ericthekidstoner

freecycle never ceases to amaze me what you might think is junk and useless, can be very handy for someone else

throughly recommend it

failing that, check your council under "bulky waste collections". my council doesn't collect soil. but who knows, yours might!

odowdchr

You could build a few raised planters around the deck with environment-friendly softwood garden sleepers, then mix the soil in with some compost?

£20 each at Jewsons.

billy_bulldog

Put an ad in your local free paper 'Garden soil free to collector' - you won't believe how quick it will shift (I know I got rid of several tonnes this way, and I also brought back quite a bit of rubble/hardcore using the same method).

People are on the lookout for odd stuff at different times, but if its free even more so. My kids thought I was mad doing this, and I remember saying to them at the time that if you advertised a broken bike with one wheel someone would want it!!:rotfl:

katieowl_2

How about fillling your trouser legs with it and strolling around the park shaking it down POW style? :rotfl: Sorry - couldn't resist!

If it's nice top soil offer it to some local gardeners who might be doing a 'raised bed' or down at the local allotments.

Regards

Kate

lynzpower

Your not local to me are you Morpheus, I could do with some myself

MORPH3US

Where are you based? I'm in south Staffordshire.

M

lynzpower

Me east london - not that local then :rotfl:

MORPH3US

Just to update everyone....

It really is true what people say about Freecycle and that on there you will find someone to take virtually anything off your hands.

I finally got around to putting the soil on freecycle last night and have had 3 responses already.

Even offers to help dig it out too!!!

BTW, whats the freecycle etiquette on who gets the goods?

No one has said that they def want it yet, the first person asked where abouts we were and when we were digging it out, then one person said they "provisionally wanted it" based on sorting transport and then someone else asked where we were based because might get DH to pick it up?

I have e-mailed them all back to say we have had interest and to let me know asap! Is that the fairest way?

M

martinpike

In your case, I'd say first come first served, with preference given to those who come armed with a spade!