Poor soil

[Believeitornot]

We recently had a new patio laid with beds. The landscaper added the cheapest soil which is full of weeds as they’ve been sprouting. The soil is so nutrient poor that even the weeds are struggling (!)

I put some plants in not realising - and they’re not doing anything despite the great weather and I’ve been watering. So I’ve given up hope but will need to start again and improve the soil.

Has anyone got any tips that have worked? I was thinking green manure and digging in leaf compost etc....

For now buy some bags of compost and spread it over the soil. Buy half the bags as the enriched compost and the rest just multipurpose. The worms will take it into the soil. In the Autumn mulch with Composted Bark. Spread something like Fish blood and bone or soil improved before you lay down the compost.

I buy all of my compost from a Company called Compost Direct. They are excellent and will give you advice on what compost to buy, depending on what you want to grow.

Thank you. I hadn’t actually realised I could buy enriched compost, so will look out for that. I’m so disappointed in the existing soil - I’ve been spoilt before with our clay which we improved but most things would grow really well in it!

Depends on what is wrong with the soil. Is it the structure or nutrients that are poor? Or both? It sounds like a structure problem because the weeds are struggling.

Has the builder bulked out the top soil with inert sub soil....this is the most common problem. If so take out the soil and mix in loads of compost. 1:1 garden soil to compost. Top dressing with compost will take years to break down the sub soil. As you mix break up any lumps and remove the stones, glass, plastic and bricks.
You will also need to decide if it is clayey, sandy or you have loam. If it is really clayey add additional sand and organic matter (straw or wood chips) to open up the soil structure and keep it open - compost rots down too quickly to keep it open for more than a season. If it is sandy add organic matter with a high nitrogen content - Manure or compost work best. Or you could try a green manure.

Will green manure help with structure? I think it is structure - it’s not like soil I’ve seen - cracks so easily, filled with stones/rubble and dries rock hard. (We’ve got clay which isn’t like this).

It’s going to be a huge job to fix 😕

Yes it will...the roots will aerate it and the organic matter will improve the nutrient levels. The first thing to do is dig through compost. Then grow the green manure.

It sounds like it is a clayey subsoil mixed with top soil. Do you get clumps of soil which are lighter in colour when it rains or you water? Almost like the soil is splitting? You are right I is a big job but worth getting right. I am half way doing ours....

Do you get clumps of soil which are lighter in colour when it rains or you water

Yes! It looks awful.

Ok well thank you for your advice. Hopefully this time next year we will make progress.