Removing Soil and Garbage from Backyard
Hi, I need a little gardening advice! I recently purchased an 100 yr old place with a very nice sized backyard and have finally gotten around to pulling up a bunch of very tall weeds. I had high hopes of finding some good old stuff, but instead I discovered below the dirt a large amount…
Hi,
I need a little gardening advice! I recently purchased an 100 yr old place with a very nice sized backyard and have finally gotten around to pulling up a bunch of very tall weeds. I had high hopes of finding some good old stuff, but instead I discovered below the dirt a large amount of trash–there used to be a shack in the back, and I have a bad feeling that much of that shack is buried–roof tile, rotting wood, clothing, etc. I would love to plant nice things in the spring but this is more than I know what to do with.
My questions are:
–If I dig it out myself, how does one dispose of all this heavy stuff?
–Are there people who could potentially come dig a foot or 2 out for me and dispose of it (I should mention, the only way to the yard is through the house, so impossible to do big machinery).
–How many feet in depth of good soil do I need for a happy healthy garden (both edible and non).
This is my first yard experience so any advice is welcome!
Thanks in advance!!
Thank you so much for all the good advice. I guess I’ll start digging and see just how much trash is under there before calling outside help! And great ideas about the Brooklyn Botanical, and the Park’s Dep’t–neither of which I would have thought of!
Learn when your park department gives away free compost, and use a zip car to haul carloads of the stuff to your yard. Consider getting trained by them to become a Master Composter!
Wyckoff had a better answer, but just wanted to point out that the Brooklyn Botanical Garden is a great resource for not just ideas about what to plant (just go walk around their grounds!), but for their Gardener Help Line and their little books about gardening that have NYC-specific tips. Another great book/bible is the City Gardener’s Handbook. You can get basic dirt/mulch etc. from Home Depot and go somewhere like Chelsea Garden Center for more “sustainable” versions of those things, at a higher price. Have fun!
Thank you so much Wykoff for taking the time to answer. This is very very helpful!!
That’s pretty normal. Most backyards were dumping grounds for something at some point. You still may find some cool stuff once you bust out the shovel. To answer your questions:
1) Build a sieve with 2×4’s and wire mesh to filter the existing dirt. Pile all the garbage in a corner and when you are done have someone cart it away. You will also need plenty of beer and water, and hopefully some nice friends.
2) Yes, you can hire someone to do just about anything in this city, but no need to haul the dirt away. Just mix the filtered existing dirt with some manure and peat moss.
3) If you are planning a garden, you probably want to get the soil tested for lead. To be safe dig 2 feet down and replace that area with fresh topsoil, or create a raised bed. This should be plenty for seasonal crops. Anything perennial will go deeper, but generally lead isn’t taken up in fruits, so just be mindful of perennial herbs which get get pretty big (hence deep roots) like rosemary. Otherwise, just digging down a foot or so will get out 95% of the garbage. The happy healthy part comes with soil amendments. You can also buy earthworms to throw in which will help break up the lower soil and encourage bacterial growth (if they are noticeably absent when you are digging). Also, pull all the existing weeds and dispose of them. They probably contain a decent amount of lead and also may harbor diseases and fungus that your new ornamental plants won’t like.