Subsoil mixed with topsoil

rodge123

Hi

Our builder messed up our site when clearing for new build. Be mixed subsoil with topsoil when roughly putting back.

House is done and it's now time for him to grade and seed garden. About half an acre.

There has been a lot of water logging/ponding of water since he put mixed soil back.

I had a local guy that knows a good bit about soil/grass take a look.
He said there is a good bit of sub soil obvious on top and that's it's very doby/tightly packed.
He mentioned that simply rotavating it is not enough as it will result in very poor and patchy grass growth.

His suggested solution was that:
- spray to kill all wild grass on it currently
- get in digger to fully Break it up and grade it to required slopes
- spread about and inch or so of compost all over it
- use a power harrow to level and blend compost into it (instead of a rotovater)
- seed and mark sure to confirm what seeds builder will use.

He warned that there is no guarantee that this will prevent further Ponding. It's possible water will simply flow through first few inches that were done with power hower and meet the compacted sub soil layer and begin to pond again.

Any thoughts suggestions on this solution or another?

I'm just trying to get possible options together so I have some research done before I ask builder what he proposes to do to fix the problem.

Thanks

looksee

Builders are not, as a general rule, gardeners. Regardless of what you agree there is not much likelyhood of the builder doing a decent job on the garden (or he would not have mixed the topsoil). On the other hand I don't much see the point of bringing in a digger to further compact the soil (this does depend on the circumstances of the site).

Get some advice on whether it needs some proper drainage before you go any further and possibly negotiate with the builder to put this in, then get someone else to sort the garden for you.