I built a new house at th vend of the year so now I need to start my landscaping. The problem is our ground is sand. Not sand'y'. It is sand. It is like we built it on the beach!
My husband is going to have top soil brought in so we can lay down sod, but I have no clue what to do about flowers and trees. Will I have to use raised flower beds filled with top soil or can I just dig a hole n fill it with dirt n the plant? If we just add dirt to the sand will it stay there or with all the rain and snow 'dissolve over time?
I would like to have lilac bushes and different types of lilies. And I am not sure what else to do.
Any comments n suggestions are greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Hd_babe_t
-
applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30551
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
I think first thing to do is research what grows well in your kind of sandy soil. Sure, get a few things that you really want if you are willing to go above and beyond to care for them, but don't get something that is not going to thrive without extraordinary care in soil prep and general upkeep. Lawn and sod is no exception.
If you tell us where you are located, and give us a general description of the garden area, it will be much easier to offer suggestions.
If you tell us where you are located, and give us a general description of the garden area, it will be much easier to offer suggestions.
, in the long run it is best to plant what will grow in the soil you have than try to bring in a lot of soil. If you want to grow specific plants in pots or raised beds for vegetables, you can use potting mix in the pots and mix one part of your sandy soil, one part compost, and one part topsoil in a raised bed and add fertilizer.
For sandy soil, choose a grass that is designed for it like seashore paspalum.
Are you near the ocean? Beach sand has a lot of salt in it and you will need to have salt tolerant plants.
For sandy soil, choose a grass that is designed for it like seashore paspalum.
Are you near the ocean? Beach sand has a lot of salt in it and you will need to have salt tolerant plants.
-
Hd_babe_t
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:58 pm
- Location: Indiana, midwest, zone 5
I am in Lafayette, IN. we built along side the river. And it is not sandy soil. It is sand. Just plain Sand.
I have lived it several locations around the county and have never seen just plain sand. Clay and black dirt but never just sand.
I noticed that the grass that was growing before we built had sand burs in it. So all that needs to go away and I need to start over. I tend to walk around without shoes and the burs don't feel too good!
I have lived it several locations around the county and have never seen just plain sand. Clay and black dirt but never just sand.
I noticed that the grass that was growing before we built had sand burs in it. So all that needs to go away and I need to start over. I tend to walk around without shoes and the burs don't feel too good!
-
applestar
- Mod
- Posts: 30551
- Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
- Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)
The sand might be from the builder -- there's always a skirt of sand and gravel around the foundation as well as surrounding landscape pavement and fence posts, or if your property had been used as materials depository such as a giant mound of sand for all of the construction in the development, that might explain this situation. (Too bad it wasn't the topsoil mound....)
...another thought about "alongside the river" ...could the location have been part of a bend in the river where sand and silt would naturally accumulate? The river may have changed course at some point or might been engineered away as well. Do you know the history of the location? Is there a geological survey record you could reference?
...another thought about "alongside the river" ...could the location have been part of a bend in the river where sand and silt would naturally accumulate? The river may have changed course at some point or might been engineered away as well. Do you know the history of the location? Is there a geological survey record you could reference?
-
Hd_babe_t
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Wed Mar 09, 2016 7:58 pm
- Location: Indiana, midwest, zone 5
Here are a couple pictures so you can see. Nothing was hauled in except the stone for the septic system. I took some pictures of the well and septic lines so I know when I am digging where they are at.
The location of our land is on the bend of a river, but it is out of the 100 year flood plain.
My husband had about 10 loads of dirt in before the winter, but is seems like all that is gone. We did not get a chance to do the sod before the weather turned cold. So I am hoping that if we put down about 6-10" of top soil before the sod, then we would be ok. Maybe ?
The location of our land is on the bend of a river, but it is out of the 100 year flood plain.
My husband had about 10 loads of dirt in before the winter, but is seems like all that is gone. We did not get a chance to do the sod before the weather turned cold. So I am hoping that if we put down about 6-10" of top soil before the sod, then we would be ok. Maybe ?
- Attachments
-
-
-