What to do with garden flints

Leif

I've been digging and improving some flower beds, and the soil has a lot of clay, and flints, ranging in size from 1" to 6" which I am removing. So I have a large pile of flints. Any ideas what I can do with them?

About the only use I can think of is to crush them using a sledge/club hammer (and eye protection) to create a grit that can be used on the beds to help drainage. Not sure if this is a good idea. I imagine they could be crushed under a sheet to avoid shards flying everywhere. As it is I have added 60L of compost per square meter to help improve the workability and drainage of the clay rich soil.

Sambucus_Nigra

Can you not have left them in the soil? Could you use them as a mulch?

Leif

Sambucus_Nigra wrote: »

Can you not have left them in the soil? Could you use them as a mulch?

I removed them as they make digging a pain, they add nothing to the soil and if they get onto the grass while I am digging they damage the mower blade. My neighbour across the road removes them too for the same reasons.

I'm not sure they would look good as mulch, especially since many are huge, except perhaps around the base of the newly planted privet hedge at the front of the house, given that it will be in place for a long time, or even for the to be planted hedge at the end of the back garden.

I have considered dumping them on the verges along the local lanes, where the soil is very stony, so they would blend in, but it does not seem right although I know it isn't exactly the same as dumping builders rubble.

mrbadexample

If you try to crush them under a sheet you will just make holes in the sheet where you hit it. I think it would be a Sisyphean task.

Itismehonest

Need a wall for a raised bed, bbq, tree seat ..........?
Flint (cut side out) can look very effective.

poppysarah

Freecycle.

cheeswright

having lived somewhere with a similar problem I can sympathise about the digging
but they do add something to the soil - as they heat and cool at a different rate than the softer earth they cause moisture pockets
which your plants will appreciate if it gets any drier...
they dont need breaking up - bigger is better..
but you can bury them deeper -

Kyrae

I agree with poppysarah, freecycle them! Sounds like the smaller ones would be good to put in the bottom of patio containers for drainage, and maybe the bigger ones could be heaped up under a bush as a rockery for bugs to hide in! Nice and wildlife friendly

Leif

Thanks everyone.

Kyrae wrote: »

I agree with poppysarah, freecycle them! Sounds like the smaller ones would be good to put in the bottom of patio containers for drainage, and maybe the bigger ones could be heaped up under a bush as a rockery for bugs to hide in! Nice and wildlife friendly

Keeping small ones for use in pots is a nice idea. And perhaps I could make some sort of feature from the large ones, or as you say, bug houses!

Otherwise freecycle ... :T

emiff6

I don't think you'd want flint chippings as a mulch - you'd be forever slicing your fingers open - broken flint is sharp!

If you collect enough., you could use them to build a path or make them into stepping stones, or pile them up in a half barrel to make a water feature with a fountain perhaps....

Or just take a couple with you every day and abandon them somewhere inconspicuous....

Leif

emiff6 wrote: »

I don't think you'd want flint chippings as a mulch - you'd be forever slicing your fingers open - broken flint is sharp!

Good point (no pun intended), stone age people were not stupid.

emiff6 wrote: »

If you collect enough., you could use them to build a path or make them into stepping stones, or pile them up in a half barrel to make a water feature with a fountain perhaps....

Or just take a couple with you every day and abandon them somewhere inconspicuous....

Sort of like The Great Escape you mean? Just wander round a country lane, and every now and again, shake a leg, and then move on.