Grass sods suitable to use as top soil for a raised border?

greengiant

Hi there,
This is my first post and wondering if someone can help me with the following....
I have dug a plot in my new garden to accommodate a wooden shed I'll be having erected (the dig was necessary to level the plot) and am now left with several sods of grass / turf squares. As I plan to create two raised borders on each side of the garden, I wonder could I use these turf sods to help fil the borders by chopping them up with a spade?? Would the grass cause any problem by being included in this topsoil?
Photo of said sods attached (I think). Any help greatly appreciated. Smile

Liparis · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 2:25 pm Post subject:

No! Turf is far too valuable to dig into the ground etc. Stack them in a corner on top of each other, by next spring you'll have wonderful John Innes compost for seed sowing/potting, better than any you could buy in the shops, just add the required fertilizer for whatever you use it for.
Bill.

greengiant · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:03 pm Post subject:

Thanks a lot for your Bill. I'll now have to reconsider my use of the turf sods! Embarassed

greengiant · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:05 pm Post subject:

Apologies - last post should've read: "thanks a lot for your reply Bill". Embarassed

Dr. Sunny Thomson · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:41 pm Post subject:

inishindie · Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 11:42 pm Post subject: Good advice

Hi Greengiant

I like the image of your ostrich, not burying it's head in your turf I hope..

Laparis gave you some top quality advice there, the turf will be really well sieved by the worms. I dug out a few new beds this month and was left with quite a lot of turf squares too. I must confess that I put mine upside down in two raised beds made from fencing planks.

I put newspaper and cardboard down first then a layer of really well rotted horse muck (that was like John Innes number 3) and on top of that I have put the upside down sods. I planted spuds into them and covered them up with a bit of straw (not a good idea that as it takes nitrogen from the soil, but I thought I could lose a bit) It will stop the weeds.

I'll be building the soil up with some more well rotted mulch as the season progresses. I find this a better use of my turf as it puts it into production straight away and I would be a bit wary of using the soil for seed sowing as it wouldn't be sterile (unless you have a sterilising machine of course, but I find those hard work)

I've sent you a photo of some more birds........

Cheers

Ian

Liparis · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 11:08 am Post subject:

beetroot · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 8:43 pm Post subject:

hi
i ahve just dug up some turf also to put in a path and was wondering if i could put some in my compost bin, its new anyway and im trying desperately to fill it up?????????

beetroot

greengiant · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 9:11 pm Post subject:

Thanks very much all for your replies and advice, and thanks Irishindie for the pic of your chickens - very nice!
Beetroot, I was wondering the same thing myself about the compost bin. Anyone..................?

Liparis · Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:07 pm Post subject:

No! turf is far too valuable to ...
OK, I suppose you could, but it really would have more value composted on it's own, THe season is early, soon you will be saying where can I get another compost bin, quick!
Bill.

greengiant · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 8:33 am Post subject:

Thanks again Liparis.
Thing is, now I don't think I'll be able to find the space in my (pretty small) garden to compost the turf squares, so if anyone's interested in them...

Liparis · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 9:28 am Post subject:

Well, if you have no room in your garden to compost them, then you go to your next option, go ahead and put them in your bin. I would chop them up into small pieces first, and don't ram them in, but just drop them in, you're already closing off the air supply in a bin, so make sure there is air through it. They will soon break down and make some more room. If they're dry, them moisten (not soak) them first.
Bill.

walltoall · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 10:22 am Post subject:

Beetroot and greengiant,
Listen to the advice that's coming across to you. A sod is worth at least a euro in garden nutrition and at least a pound if you're a Scot. Do NOT chop em up into a compost bin. You will ruin their built-in eco-system. Pile them upside down on top of each other and just leave them. There is no such thing as "no space in my garden". I have about 120 square metres in total with little postage stamps of it all over the place. look at my home website to get an idea. The previous garden was 400 sq metres. But the garden I left behind in Doon was 1/4 acre. There is no such concept as too little room in gardening. Come on lads, look on every challenge as an opportunity and please don't squander those sods.

greengiant · Posted: Thu Apr 02, 2009 11:49 am Post subject:

Thanks a lot Liparis / Bill and Walltoall
120 sq metres?! Lucky you Walltoall Smile

but I get your meaning.
I'll get my garden shed site sorted first and then worry about the sodding sods. The preparation of the site is head-wrecking enough on its own - I way underestimated the amount of leftover soil after levelling (which is grand as now I don't have to buy top soil for raised borders) and how tricky it is to get the ground acceptably level. A learning curve indeed...

beetroot · Posted: Fri Apr 03, 2009 6:31 pm Post subject: thank you all for your advice

ill pile my sods up in some quiet corner for sure ...

thanks again
beetroot