# Major backyard renovation turned my soil upside down



## GreenatGardening (9 mo ago)

Last Spring we did some terracing in our hillside, adding retaining walls to gain some flat spots.

The result is our new "lawn" is a dead grass spot and our retaining wall planter is barren. We backfilled the retaining wall planter with dirt from the construction.

Retaining Wall: I did a jar soil test, see pic. When I was digging the dirt for the test there were worms in the soil which seemed like a good thing. Results show there is about 1% clay and no organic matter, 74% sand, 25% silt- so that makes loamy sand? sandy? sandy loam? I can't tell because the lines do not intersect on the soil test chart. In any case, I do not want to engage in an endless battle if neccessary. Can I use plants that would like this type of soil and be good? Russian Sage, Blackeyed susan, Lavender??, Hostas, COneflowers? Will I need to constantly emmend the soil with compost? Do I need to start a compost farm?

Sad Lawn: My landscaper insisted that after we shaved the hillside off 12-24" we would only need a 2" layer of topsoil and the grass would grow. And it did, for a second, now its like dead hay. This is a very difficult location to get access too so I am trying to avoid bring in any heavy equipment or lots of material. I read about "BIOChar", that is great for sandy and nutrient weak soil. Would it work to help improve the soil structure?? Would aerating the lawn do any good?


----------



## Grizzly Adam (May 5, 2017)

You fall into the loamy sand category.


----------



## Virginiagal (Apr 24, 2017)

What is underneath the two inches of imported topsoil? Gravel? Compacted subsoil? When it rains heavily,, do you get standing water or does it drain nicely? Have you fertilized? Was the grass planted at an appropriate time for your area? Did it have time to establish well before winter? Is the area getting sufficient water?

I doubt aeration will fix anything. You might do a soil test to see if certain nutrients are lacking, see if the pH is ok. Compost could be useful to add organic matter but grass grows even without it. The cycle of roots growing and dying back and regrowing add organic matter. Earthworms are wonderful. If they're there, they found a hospitable environment. They are good aerators.

Since you had a wall builder and a landscaper involved, ask them about this. Concrete retains heat and areas close to concrete sometimes don't do too well, need additional water.

As for the flowers, look up the ones you're interested in to see what kind of sun they like and any specific conditions they require.


----------



## littlehuman (Jun 10, 2020)

Looks like a lot of dead material in your grassy area, which means the soil is being shielded from oxygen and sunlight. The dead material also look rather long - how often did you cut this area and at what height?

If that area is truly hard to access, I'd till it up and plant some microclover there and let it be.


----------

