Topic: Topsoil

[wetandcold]

Hi,

I Plan to lift some of the nasty concrete slabs (and subsequent hardcore) on my driveway but I need some soil to replace the holes.

I've contacted a few companies local to me (near Glasgow) but the soil seems very expensive - does anybody in the area know of a good, reasonably priced supplier? (I need about 2 or 3 tons I think :-\)

Trevor.

[sandersj89]

No idea of supplier I am afraid but once you locate some at the right price go and look at it before buying, some of the stuff sold as soil leaves a lot to be desired.

HTH

Jerry

[amphibian]

No idea of supplier I am afraid but once you locate some at the right price go and look at it before buying, some of the stuff sold as soil leaves a lot to be desired.

HTH

Jerry

Absolutely, what builders and gardeners call topsoil is very different.

[adam04]

IM wondering why you are using top soil if its a drive? are you making the drive into a garden or just relaying the drive?

if your not going to be using the actual holes for planting then just throw as much rubbish in them as you can find.

for top-soil expect to pay around £30 a ton. well thats manchester prices. When it comes check it before they drop it for stones etc, if it doesnt look or feel like good stuff then it sint and tell them you dont want it :)

[daisymay]

It is def. worth spending money on getting good stuff. Wish we had. We bought 2 tonnes for £70 from a number in the back of the local paper. It is more like builders rubble than top soil, really regret it. Have had to get loads of manure etc.. to enrich the soil and it has made our garden very alkali.

This site is good for working out how much you need:

http://www.topsoil.co.uk

[wetandcold]

Thanks for all the advice!

Adam, I plan to replace parts of the driveway with soil for planting flowers etc. The previous owners of the house paved half the garden pretty heftily with huge concrete slabs and about a foot of compacted hardcore! I would love to rip up most of it but I would be left with a sunken garden and an enourmous pile of hardcore to get rid of! Maybe a large pond would be an option... ;)

Has anybody tried replacing soil with 100% compost (i.e. B+Q multipurpose) or does the soild need to have more stones and 'soily stuff' etc. in it?

[sandersj89]

100% compost would not work I am afraid. Compost does not have a structure that soil has and shrubs wont do as well.

It will also be harder to keep moist in summer and in winter it may get far to boggy.

HTH

Jerry

[daisymay]

would not have thought replacing it with compost would be very cost effective either! it doesn't go as far as you think it will.