Hi /r/landscaping !
I'm trying to plant a new flower bed on the south side of my house (not much shade, sun almost all day). I ripped out all the old plants yesterday but nearly killed myself doing it. The soil is ridiculously tough and compact. I'm wondering how I can effectively break up the soil.
What I've tried so far:
-
I took out the plants, going at it all-out with a new shovel was painful. Stabbing the ground with all my strength then pushing it with my feet I could only penetrate a few inches.
-
I tried using a hoe and I can do a little damage, dig in maybe 2-3 inches each time if I'm lucky.
-
I bought this cultivator from Home Depot and tried that. It doesn't really do what I expected it to do, spins super fast and spits stuff everywhere but doesn't penetrate more than like 1-2 inches. More or less it just throws the surface stuff in every direction.
Some more info:
- Location: Columbus, OH
- Soil conditions: Ridiculously dry and compact
- Cardinal direction: South facing
- Budget: N/A
- Experience: I've done enough yardwork that I should be able to tile some Earth
- Pictures: None, sorry.
When the builders finish houses in this development, they come in with what I can only describe as a steamroller and roll everything, slope the yard away from the house, then plant the sod. I feel like I'm digging through stone here, the deliberate compactness, dry year so far and non-stop sun have made the soil basically rock hard to me.
Am I going about this the wrong way? Can I make my life easier by wetting the soil a bunch first, or by using some other strategies?
Thanks /r/landscaping !!
[link] [comments]
from Home Maintenance Decor Design Construction http://ift.tt/29A9qwX
via /u/omg_landscaping_help
No comments:
Post a Comment