M1

[wardy4]

I've started digging my new plot and had discovered a caravan park about 18 inches down. is this something i need to worry about. Its a huge layer of hardcore.

[Ellen K]

That is interesting - on my plot if you dig any further than a spades depth, you hit solid red clay.  For most annual crops it doesn't seem to make any difference.  But the plot does get a bit water logged in the winter.

So I am guessing you will be OK, it is a bit like a raised bed really.

[goodlife]

well you do not need to do any double digging then...
Is there any other plots that 'suffer' with same faith?
I would question the land owner or who ever you pay your rent for about it...if they won't do nothing about it..maybe they would reduce the rate for you..
Solid layer of hardcore is not ideal....you'll see how the soil will be this winter..if things are starting to swim on surface you may have to do something drastic about it....

[goodlife]

Code:

on my plot if you dig any further than a spades depth, you hit solid red clay

I've just been digging a pond on my lottie ..I got down to 25" before the red clay came...it seems that my soil is deeper than I thought..

[GrannieAnnie]

So you have pre-paved paths except they're 18 inches down. Hmmmm.

[goodlife]

yes..now he only needs to scrape the soil off the paths and build raise beds and use the soil on those..you may get extra deep/raised bed then...

[wardy4]

So I'm guessing its not that much of a problem then 

[goodlife]

It all depends how that soil 'behave'..and that you won't know until you've grown different things and spent some time there.
Drainage may become issue when it is wet...then again it may drain well..
But in 18" you should be able to grow most of the crops....if you fancy extra long carrots or parnips, well that will be container job then
Growing fruit trees and bushes will be problem..those roots will require deeper soil and are not able to penetrate hardcore...
Is that stuff all over or only in places..?

[wardy4]

I think its all over the plot but i don't plan on growing any trees or bushes

[goodlife]

I would be tempted to question the situation from the land owner...and mention "that the top soil is not very deep"...maybe you could get some more delivered as a "good will gesture"

[kypfer]

18" of topsoil is quite a reasonable depth for most stuff, though as others have suggested, some carrots and/or parsnips may suffer a little. Using the term "hardcore", do you mean the natural gravelly stuff that is often compacted down for vehicle hard standing, or tarmac road shavings etc? If it's the former I wouldn't anticipate a problem, it's quite free draining and much less of a hindrance to root penetration than you might expect ... I dug out (salvaged) a hawthorn seedling from a car parking area at a previous accomodation that I wanted to put in a gap in the garden hedge ... it went straight down through over a foot of hardcore ... and it filled the gap in the hedge once I'd uprooted it 

Tarmac shavings, builders rubble etc. type "hardcore" may be a bit more of a problem if there's any contamination, excessive alkinity from cement etc., but again, drainage shouldn't be a problem. Indeed, I suspect your main problem may be that the drainage is too good, but that will depend to a degree on the nature/quality of the overlying topsoil.

Good luck 

[BoardStupid]

Could always dig it out and tarmac a few driveways for a £100 ?