Do you think there’s any chance this plan will work and if you do what would you plant

[Thatwaskindoffun]

I have a border that is full of rubble, is heavy clay…currently baked solid …..and has remnants of cement the builders tipped out into it, bloody builders. Anyway I don’t have the energy to dig it over and clear it, so I’m wondering if just clearing the rubble that’s on the surface, then lightly turning over the top couple
of inches and then covering with about 4” of topsoil / compost would
be good enough to plant in.

If you think that it would be plantable what would you plant? Most of it is full some but one corner is pretty shady with limited sun.

I’d definitely clear the obvious rubble from the top and turn over and water the first few inches, then I would try the no-dig method. Cover with cardboard and pile compost on top. Lots of good YouTube videos on the approach.

Ooh I’ve not heard of the no dig method, will take a look

Anyway I don’t have the energy to dig it over and clear it
You don't have to do it in one go. Keep chipping away at it and you will get there eventually. Gardening is a long game.

If you think that it would be plantable what would you plant?
I'm not planting anything in this hot, dry weather!
Have some sort of plan: plant perennials in the pockets that you clear, annuals and biennials in the to-be-done bits. Perennials should be planted Sep/Oct (or next spring) so you have a few months to have a go at clearing those bits.

Just so I understand OP, is it heavy clay or a layer of clay over hardcore (the new build special!)?

Clear as much of it as you can and add as much organic material as you can. Then perhaps if it’s also a sunny border try Mediterranean plants that like poor soil.

Duplicate post sorry

Thanks for all the suggestions. It’s not a new build, we had some work done and the builders just chucked all the resulting rubble into the garden. Then when a retaining wall was built behind which is the border I’m referring to, the rubble and cement got mixed up into the existing soil which is heavy clay.

I don’t have time time or inclination to clear it if I don’t have to, I’ve done all of the rest of the garden myself levelling, clearing rubble, laying a lawn. I just need the easiest fix I can for this area that means I can plant it up.

In that case, a thick layer of compost on top and plant into that, repeat the mulch annually. Don't bother digging it, let soil fauna do the work. Rubble isn't end of the world

Cement is strongly alkaline, so I'd remove as much of that as humanly possible, even if you leave most of the rest of it. Otherwise it will affect the soil for years to come.

To be honest, trying to dig clay is a nightmare at the best of times, and baked hard in a drought is even worse than soaking wet.

Were the builders not supposed to take rubble away?

It will be leftovers from mixes, reacted with water, as lumps of essentially concrete rather than cement so that's not really a problem.

Builders might be supposed to do lots of things, but they often don't.....

Exactly that @Harrysmummy246 you can’t really dig it up as it crumbles into the soil as it’s the run off not actual true cement and as for the amount of rubble left, let’s just say that wasn’t the plan