[Coillte]

Hi there,

I joined this site recently as the garden is in a bad way. I like the concept of gardening but never seem to get around to it on a regular enough basis to make a difference. So I have to keep re-doing bits I did a couple of months ago...naturally enough

Anyho, I thought if I joined a site, I might be better motivated and I could ask a few of you experts some important questions

Like, when you dig up old clay with grass roots and stones in it, what do you do with it... do you put it in your brown bin (kitchen and grass clippings etc) or do you put it in your black bin as rubbish? Or where? Am stumped before I start but at least the sun is shining today.

If anyone can tell me, I'd be very grateful

Hope to talk you all soon, Coillte

[Belfast]

Why do you want to throw away the soil in your garden ?

[James Kilkelly]

[Sean Ph'lib]

Coillte, the way to do it is: clear the grass off first ( I'd cut it first, then lever up the top layer with a garden fork). Stack all the sods you lift, upside down, on top of one another, and they'll eventually rot down into marvellous loam which you can use on your garden. Then, get hold of some well-rotted manure, or compost, and dig it into your clay. Also, don't put your kitchen and grass clippings into a brown bin - they're too valuable; start up a compost heap!

[Coillte]

Hi there,

thanks for all the replies

@ Belfast... well the soil in some cases is not good quality, I think! It's full of stones of various sizes and is almost grey in colour. We'd rather put down some fresh compost instead. I have no inclination or sieve big enough to root out all those stones but I don't want to put this stuff in the brown bin either as I'm not sure that's what Fingal Co Council had in mind. Do we just chunk it in the black bin?

@ GPI I had a look at that link, thank you. But the grass I'm talking about is wild grass. It's growing around a large shrub or bush (I'm not sure what it is) and it's not supposed to be growing there! It's in the flower bed ...or the proposed flower bed

We're thinking of taking up most of this soil as it has grass roots throughout. Then putting down fresh compost, planting and covering with bark bits to slow down weeds and grass coming back. That's the plan anyway...for now.

@ Sean Ph'lib We probably could put our veggie waste to better use, but we are new to this gardening thing and have to clear all the weeds out of the garden before we could even choose a corner for a compost heap. But I hear what you're saying...

Thanks for all the replies folks...
So can I chunk out the grey soil and stones in the black bin? Is soil with grass roots re-usable?

Think I'll have to get me a copy of Gardening for Dummies!

[Belfast]

[Coillte]

Thanks Belfast I talked to my husband about a compost heap and he's not convinced! My dad had one years ago and my husband used stuff out of it to plant things and all he got was mushrooms

I'd be afraid of attracting vermin... am I wrong?

[Sive]

I've been making compost for 30 years...in three different gardens, both urban and rural, and I have never had any trouble with vermin....( unless you count mice as vermin....they occasionally will nest in a compost heap ) and I would have to admit I have always added cooked non-meat scraps ( eg bread, rice, pasta etc) which some people say attracts vermin, but have had no problems.
Get some old pallets and get started....you'll soon be converted!

[Coillte]

Hi Sive,

am not sure but I'll have a wee think about it! Eh, we had a mouse a year or two ago, despite also having a cat and it took us awhile to get rid of him. We had a humane trap and he kept sneaking in, robbing bait and sneaking out. Cheeky bugger!

I think I would need a much bigger garden to feel safe with a compost heap but we'll see. I'll read up a bit more before I judge Cheers !

[Belfast]

[Coillte]

Wow, thank you very much for that! That's very informative. I think you may have convinced me to give it a go. It doesn't look like I can go wrong. Thank you very much and thanks for all the other replies too. You're all very good.

Compost corner, here I come!

[John H]

Hi Coillte

I built my own compost with 8x1 timber and at the bottom of it i put on a inch wire mesh this stops any vermin burrowing in and lets the worms in. On top a bit of plywood.

This is working well for me now. No sign of any unwanted visitors

I had a plastic shop bought one before a the rats had a feild day in it.

[Coillte]

Cheers John, I'll keep that in mind. I know the wire mesh stuff. We had to put some around our drains to stop mice breaking into the kitchen!

thanks again!

Coillte