Nursewhen Digs It Up

Employ a gardener. :D

 

I've calmed down a bit now and can admit that in my heart of hearts, I know what I need to do. Skim off the topsoil, dig out the sand and get more topsoil delivered.

*Sigh*

I was hoping to get it all cut, composted and covered this weekend and then look forward to a gentle winter plotting my planting.

It looks like I have another spate of quarrying ahead of me (and my long-suffering neighbour).

Well at least it'll sort my heavy clay problem

 

Just out of interest, what is the sand like? I mean if you can make sandcastels out of it then you need to remove it as you say. If it cuts your hand when you rub your fingers through it and falls to pieces when you try to make a sandcastle, then you do not need to do anything other than get as much humus into it as possible. We used to garden on a south facing sand dune and I mean SAND. We dug down once looking for the sewers and were going through beautiful sharp sand for over 3 metres! Never did find the sewer either. We actually used some of the sand when we built an extension to the house.
Anyway, if yours is SHARP sand (listen to it when you rub it between your fingers, you can hear the sharpness, honest!), then , as I said get compost in it and grow things which like a well drained soil. The builders rubble is more of a problem than sand, that you would be better getting out, especially if there is any asphalt in it. That stuff kills plants.
Just to make you feel better, we have removed over 30 tons of builder type stuff from this garden over the years.

 

Thanks Palustris. No, it's definitely builders' sand. Perfect sandcastle stuff. I've used sharp sand before on my clay round the back and it's completely different.

I just hope there's not 30 tonnes of it

 

NW it sounds as if you`ve found the spot where the mixer was. Stick with it girl you are doing a brilliant job. David.

 

Another question. What happens when you pour a lot of water on to it?

 

Nursey you only need to have 2 spits(2spade depths)of compost to grow most things, if you are planting a tree or large shrub then dig deeper and add more compost, looking at your garden before your assault it didn't look as though you had a drainage problem so I wouldn't try to dig it all the sand out, I live on an area that was many years ago an estuary when I dig down after 2feet it is pure sand, never had a problem growing anything

 

The tree wasn't so bad, I was expecting the crater and root rip-up. The sand was a different thing altogether. I was seeing the light at the end of the tunnel but it turned out to be another, bigger tunnel

I hope you feel better soon.
xx

 

Thanks for the advice all. I'm not at home at the moment. I'm digging my parents' allotment now. (I think I must have been a mole in a former life) I'll pour some water onto the sand and report back tomorrow.

 

Chapter 4 - The Adventures of Nursewhen - Nursewhen dictates a letter.
(Ref:- Monty Python - Biggles Dictates a letter)

Right, I feel the need to vent. My special brand of 'perfectly polite' letters sometimes bear surprising fruit. Let's see what Bryant make of this one. :rolleyes:

First draft. I'll tidy it up and then release it into the wild.

*Nursewhen affixes the antlers and dictates*


Dear (Somebody high up at Bryant homes)

I have had the pleasure of living on one of your lovely homes for a number of years. Just recently, I decided to create a flower garden to replace my front lawn. Unfortunately, after removing the turf, I found that my soil, to quite a considerable depth consisted of nothing but hardcore and builders sand.

I know that an award winning and professional building company can be relied upon to be fastidious and rigorous in their disposal of waste. Therefore I find it impossible to imagine that a quality builder of homes such as yourselves would do anything so underhand (not to mention unlawful) as to fly tip your commercial waste into somebody's front garden and disguise it with a thin layer of topsoil. I can only imagine that it must have been an unfortunate oversight and you are as shocked by this discovery as I was when I found myself up to my knees in sand.

Of course, I am certain, after this appalling revelation, that you will be eager to rectify this unfortunate lapse. Although the area at fault is only about 10 foot by 25. I am sure you will appreciate that for a sole lady gardener such as myself, emendment of this state of affairs may require months of elapsed time, not to mention the cost of hiring a skip and purchasing topsoil.

I am aware that Bryant are building another estate of beautiful homes within walking distance of mine. I therefore feel that it would have little impact on your working day for a small team to be despatched to my home, remove the sand and deliver the topsoil which should have been in place when my home first went up for sale.

I look forward to your immediate reply and speedy mobilisation of a workforce.

Yours faithfully

Nursewhen

*chortles*

 

Bet you 20p you get a reply similar to the following:

Dear Sir or Madam,

We are very distressed to hear about your problems with your drains/garden/driveway or lavatory.

We endeavour to give a service that is second to none and have referred your comments to our area manager to look into the matter. Unfortunately he is on a business conference in the Seychelles at the moment but I am sure he will look into the matter the moment he returns in July 2010.

Please be assured that we do take problems like this very seriously and to demonstrate our concern we enclose a voucher for 'Buy one get one free' at our sister company, Pizzas are us.

If you wish to discuss the matter further please call us on 0907-555666 and speak to one of our trained counsellors. I suggest you phone in the middle of the night to allow for the time difference between Delhi and the UK. Calls are charged at �£3.00 a minute.

Yours sincerely

Noel Noel.
Customer rip-off dept.

 

Good luck Nursewhen.Hopefully they`ll send a wagon load of plants with the labourers.

 

Great letter Sarraceniac.

I don't expect to get anything out of them, I just want to see how somebody is going to squirm their way out of the accusation of underhand fly tipping.

 

Hi Palustris, I poured a pint of water into the sandy hole and this is what happened.

Full


Draining


Drained


Cat


Does that happen every time one pours water on sand?

 

Hi Walnut. I have to say that I was pleased when I dug up the first circle because the soil looked completely different from the clay of the back garden. It was much easier to dig and much better draining.

However the soil of the second circle is completely different from the first. The sand that I found in the first one was very deep down, which is why I was happy to compost and cover it ready for the sping. In the second circle, the sand is almost directly under the turf.

I've made a start on the third circle now and I dread to think what's under that one because I can't get the fork in more than 1cm. :(

[ 06. November 2007, 01:33 PM: Message edited by: NurseWhen ]