Improving the soil

This is not really about compost - bet seemed most appropriate sub-forum.


I have very bad ground .... it was a site that was built up by over 20' back in 30's to become a railway sidings .... what they built it up with is steel works slag & subsoil from nearby A road they were digging through a hill.
Disused since 60's it became eventually a SelfBuild site.

For my main veg plots I built up high raised beds and imported soil ... and over a couple of years with loads of manure & sharp sand have got this to good condition and very fertile.

But for borders and ground level beds ... although I dug out the 'sub soil' to a depth of 24' and put in imported soil it is very heavy - with high clay content, gets waterlogged.

Due to established plants SWMBO won't let me rotovate it so mass addition of anything is not an option.
I have come up with a plan B

I bought a hand operated 4" diameter Auger ... and have the idea that in the very waterlogged parts - every 2' or so will bore put a 4" hole around 2' deep and fill it with sharp sand ... and top the last 2" with good loam.

Physically tried it and it bores the holes easily.

My thoughts being 2 fold ... vertical drainage will allow (by hydrostatic pressure) water to seep into the sand filled 'tubes' and help drain the ground.

and secondly over time the sand will mix in with soil by worm action etc. ,,, and improve the soil.



Anybody see any issues with this …. And maybe any improvement …. maybe something other than just sharp sand into the holes ?







[RH1]

 

Good plan

Maybe alternate the holes with grit? Would stay in place a bit longer than sand on its own

 

Not sure what you mean by grit ? sharp sand is a grit ...
what sort if mesh size do you mean?

 

Sorry, I meant 10mm gravel

 

I have a tonne bag of 10mm here ... could mix it with sharp sand

 

You could start a small landscaping business with that much

 

I just used 3 tonne of 10mm and 2 tonne of sharp sand in a land drainage job in another part of the site. Installed drainage crates and French drain herringbone collection array.