Left over sand for bedding?

flogen

I'm coming to the end of a drawn-out facelift for my back garden, and it looks as though I'm going to have a good quantity of sand left over from the paving.

As part of the new layout I have some bedding at the back which will need to be filled in, and I'm wondering if it's a good/bad idea to put some sand in there too (I'm thinking a layer of sand and then decent soil on top)? If so, roughly how much can I get away with?

Obviously if it's a bad idea I won't do it - but the less I have to lug back through my house (I'm mid-terrace) and find a new home for the better!

looksee

It really depends on how deep the space is and what you are proposing to plant there. If it is just for summer bedding (what about the rest of the year?) then you can easily do that with about 8 inches of soil. If you have maybe 18 to 24 inches then certainly put in a layer of sand, then maybe a sand and soil mix and top it off with soil. Unless the soil is very sandy to start with it shouldn't be a problem at all, could be an advantage.

GreeBo

What state is your lawn in?
Lawns always like sand.

fiacha

Sand is always handy for breaking up and improving drainage in heavy soil.

Also worth leaving out some shallow trays of it year round for the birds to clean their feathers.

flogen

looksee wrote: »

It really depends on how deep the space is and what you are proposing to plant there. If it is just for summer bedding (what about the rest of the year?) then you can easily do that with about 8 inches of soil. If you have maybe 18 to 24 inches then certainly put in a layer of sand, then maybe a sand and soil mix and top it off with soil. Unless the soil is very sandy to start with it shouldn't be a problem at all, could be an advantage.

Not certain of the exact depth yet as I'm still finishing the garden (essentially need to take out some of a concrete platform to make way for the bedding - the hope is that there's some at least half decent ground underneath but won't know until I cut in).

The plan, though, is to plant some climbers in to eventually cover up the back wall/fence and then see what space is left to fill.

GreeBo wrote: »

What state is your lawn in?
Lawns always like sand.

Dry weather aside it's in decent enough nick - it's newly rolled turf on top of decent top-soil and was growing very well until the rain stopped.

fiacha wrote: »

Sand is always handy for breaking up and improving drainage in heavy soil.

Also worth leaving out some shallow trays of it year round for the birds to clean their feathers.

Thanks.

By the looks of things I may have the guts of a tonne left over somehow - so I'm unlikely to avoid having to lug it all back through the house... but the fewer trips I have to make the better (I can't even get a wheelbarrow through so it'll be done by the bucket-load!)

GreeBo

flogen wrote: »

Not certain of the exact depth yet as I'm still finishing the garden (essentially need to take out some of a concrete platform to make way for the bedding - the hope is that there's some at least half decent ground underneath but won't know until I cut in).

The plan, though, is to plant some climbers in to eventually cover up the back wall/fence and then see what space is left to fill.



Dry weather aside it's in decent enough nick - it's newly rolled turf on top of decent top-soil and was growing very well until the rain stopped.



Thanks.

By the looks of things I may have the guts of a tonne left over somehow - so I'm unlikely to avoid having to lug it all back through the house... but the fewer trips I have to make the better (I can't even get a wheelbarrow through so it'll be done by the bucket-load!)

I'd be firing it over the lawn so...otherwise its going to be difficult to use that volume of sand in beds!

Lumen

Some people think that adding sand to soil is a great idea. Others that it is a terrible idea.

But either way, a tonne of sand is a lot.

So it's either a really great idea, or a really terrible idea. :pac:

GreeBo

Lumen wrote: »

Some people think that adding sand to soil is a great idea. Others that it is a terrible idea.

But either way, a tonne of sand is a lot.

So it's either a really great idea, or a really terrible idea. :pac:

Based on what I see on my golf course multiple times per year, I'm going to go with adding sand to grass is a great idea!

fiacha

Make sure you prepare the lawn properly before adding the sand. The idea is to get the sand down into the soil and roots so that it improves drainage etc.

Give it a good going over with a fork or lawn aerator first then rake / brush the dry sand in. There are plenty of good guides on Youtube to give you an idea of how much to add.

If you haven't already, I'd get a cover over the sand as a pile that size is going to attract every cat in the area

magicbastarder

there are different types of sand. sand supplied for laying a patio is not necessarily the same as sand used for improving drainage.

@flogen - do you know if it's sharp sand or soft/building sand?

GreeBo

magicbastarder wrote: »

there are different types of sand. sand supplied for laying a patio is not necessarily the same as sand used for improving drainage.

@flogen - do you know if it's sharp sand or soft/building sand?

building sand can be sharp also, for your lawn you really just dont want the super fine stuff (plastering sand or sandpit sand)

But even then, I have used all sorts of sand over the years without any issues. Sand drains well, no matter what type it is!

magicbastarder

i'm guessing that if it was sand supplied for laying a patio, it's probably sharp sand, but no harm checking.

flogen

Lumen wrote: »

Some people think that adding sand to soil is a great idea. Others that it is a terrible idea.

But either way, a tonne of sand is a lot.

So it's either a really great idea, or a really terrible idea. :pac:

I know. I won't get away with using it all up - if I'm lucky a neighbour might want some and I can just chuck it over the wall!!

fiacha wrote: »

Make sure you prepare the lawn properly before adding the sand. The idea is to get the sand down into the soil and roots so that it improves drainage etc.

Give it a good going over with a fork or lawn aerator first then rake / brush the dry sand in. There are plenty of good guides on Youtube to give you an idea of how much to add.

If you haven't already, I'd get a cover over the sand as a pile that size is going to attract every cat in the area

Have done my best to cover it but still managed to attract plenty of cats. Worst of all I've not been able to have to dog out the back during the work as he's been using said sandpile as a launchpad into other people's gardens...

magicbastarder wrote: »

there are different types of sand. sand supplied for laying a patio is not necessarily the same as sand used for improving drainage.

@flogen - do you know if it's sharp sand or soft/building sand?

I think it's soft building sand - but I can't say for certain. Is there any easy way to distinguish one from the other?

magicbastarder

maybe ask the supplier?
it's not a topic i have any direct experience of, but i know there's a lot of disagreement on various gardening forums about using soft sand for drainage - a lot of people claim it has a negative effect. was looking it up for my sister a few months ago.

GreeBo

flogen wrote: »

I think it's soft building sand - but I can't say for certain. Is there any easy way to distinguish one from the other?

Basically the "sharper" the sand is the rougher it is.
Literally if you rub it or look at it closely you will see larger, more angular grains compared to say playsand which will be more like table salt.
Actually the difference is the like the difference between "sea salt" and "table salt", sea salt is like sharp sand.

magicbastarder wrote: »

maybe ask the supplier?
it's not a topic i have any direct experience of, but i know there's a lot of disagreement on various gardening forums about using soft sand for drainage - a lot of people claim it has a negative effect. was looking it up for my sister a few months ago.

Yeah, this is an ongoing debate in the gardening world. From what I have seen the concern is more if you have a clay based soil adding soft sand can potentially make it worse, but if your soil is normal then I havent had any issues (I've used all types of sand other than specific plastering sand or play sand which can have chemicals) and havent had any issues.