New beds, do I need to dig in soil?

[Diggersandunicorns]

I’m putting some beds in but our soil is awful. We’ve had building work which has ruined the garden and there was no top soil at all, just chunky chalk and dust. I’ve just put a load of top soil on top but do I need to dig it in? I think the answer is yes but if I do that then I’ll be bringing up big lumps of chalk which will then ruin the lovely top soil I’ve put down! I can’t just take out the big lumps of chalk as they come up as there will be too many. The top soil is about 5cm deep just laid on top of the chalk. Will that do?!

1. Break up the chalk to a depth of 75cm (30in) so that plant roots can spread out and establish.
2. Whether bringing in new soil or improving existing soil, add plenty of well-rotted organic matter such as garden compost, composted green waste or farmyard manure.

https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/for-places/chalky-soils

Plant roots won’t be able to do much in just 5cm of soil really.

@TomatoSoupIsLikeVampiresBlood thanks. Obviously not the answer I wanted but not unexpected!

Having gardened on soil like that, I really can't imagine what digging up to a depth of 75 cm would look like, in my last garden you'd have needed a digger to do that!

I would consider raised beds or at least piling on as much organic matter as you can get hold of (I'm talking a good 40cm+, it will sink) and then planting into that. Use well rotted horse manure, leaf mould, whatever you can get your hands on and then top it up with another 5cm of topsoil.

Look up Charles dowding and no-dig - he does exactly what you want to do if a thin layer of compost and plants in to it straight away with good results

@CatherinedeBourgh no you’re right. It’s rock hard. I’m just going to stick my fancy spade in and give it a wiggle in a few places.

I’m def going to need more soil though which is frustrating. I’ve just been through two bulk bags which took 3 hours to wheelbarrow in to the back garden. Never mind how expensive it all is. Starting to feel like I’m going to miss autumn planting.

@FamilyStrifeIsHard2Bear he had a feature in a magazine last month. I tried to get hold of some cardboard before I went away on holiday so I could follow his method but couldn’t get hold of enough. I’ll explore some more, thanks

Charles Dowding is fab.

if you can imagine your plants thriving in the layer you put on top, that’s great. I’d be inclined to put more on and not dig!

The cardboard is mainly to stifle weeds, if it's not weedy you can just lay the compost down directly with no issues and no digging 😎

I've never gardened on chalk, but I don't think it would be helpful to mix your new soil in with the chalk. As a previous poster said I'd try to get as much organic material as possible and just add it on top. Worms will help to mix it in over time.

You might be able to find green waste compost from a local waste/recycling centre. Either collect it yourself from there or they could arrange delivery for a larger amount.

I think riding schools sometimes give away old bedding and manure, though I doubt it'll be well rotted.

Can you plant something that will break it up for you? I've heard of people planting sugar beet for this purpose

Worms by post.

John Seymour recommended Jerusalem artichokes followed by pigs to root out the tubers and break up the soil

No point. Worms are native and breed fast. If you have created the right conditions,the worms will come. If you haven’t, your bought worms will die

I’ve turned the new soil in to the chalk to the depth of my spade and watered it all. I can’t go any deeper without something mechanical which I’m not doing! Just waiting for it to dry out and then I’ll rake it all flat.

Then on Tuesday I’ve got two more 850l bags of soil coming. The supplier says I don’t need compost this year as it’s enriched already. I’m just going to lay that on top, no digging. Realistically I should probably add some compost but the cost is rising with all this soil I’m ordering so I’m going to make do and I’ll compost in spring.

Really tempted to order some worms in but I have a robin stalking me as I work so I’d probably lose 50% to it!

Was really hoping to plant this weekend but better to do it half right at least.

Regard worms as an indicator of how successful your bed building is. If there is food for them, they will appear. If you don’t have enough humus for them, they won’t appear, and any worms you brought in would simply starve, and not breed.

worms are an indicator of a good soil, and a maintainer of good soil. They are not a creator of good soil out of bad.

My plants are in and I’ve got lots of worms. Then I moved some bags of old compost and found lots more worms under them so in they’ve gone too. Now just fingers crossed the plants take. Thanks all for the advice

This is the perfect time of year to set up leaf mould. Collect as many leaves as you can and bag them up with holes in the bags and let nature do the work. Leaves are free, plentiful and light weight. You might want to order in compost bins for next year too. Making compost and adding organic matter is the best for cruddy soil. If you know anyone with small animals, rabbits, guinea pigs etc then ask for their bedding, it really gets a compost heap going. I throw all mine in a compost bin over winter, then use it with fresh greens in the spring, it composts fast and is lovely stuff.