Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Chatting => Design and Construction => Topic started by: Lardman on February 23, 2010, 17:22

Title: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: Lardman on February 23, 2010, 17:22

I've cleared the site for the greenhouse base and levelled off the site. No wonder the shed was leaning its out 12" over 10ft.  :ohmy: :mad:

This has left me with a bit of a problem - my gravel boards Id put up last year (a quick fix) to edge the comfrey patch now hang 12" off the ground.   :(

I know the right way to fix it would be to sink footing down 3ft and build a proper retaining wall but at the moment I just can afford to do it.

I've got about 6" between the gravel boards and the greenhouse so theres no a lot of space to work with. Im not sure what would be the best solution to the problem. I don't fancy 2 gravel boards being stacked when all thats holding them would be wooden stakes.

Hopefully the drawing explains better.

I did think of sloping it and putting covering it with slabs but Im not sure how sharp and angle I could do. 

Its just me and my border spade - not even a wheel barrow. I don't mind a bit of hard work but I have my limitations.

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: Jamie Butterworth on February 23, 2010, 18:00

Could you lift the other side, actually no that would mean more work, mmmm, I think ypu probably be best sinking it, sorry if im just repeating what you said.

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: Lardman on February 23, 2010, 18:11

I've already levelled off for the greenhouse the problem now is the "retaining" wall needed to hold back 2ft of soil, assuming I move the soil heap else where otherwise its 3-4ft.  :(

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: plot6b on February 23, 2010, 19:11

Lardman what about using Railway sleepers, nice and solid.

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: Lardman on February 23, 2010, 20:35

Quote from: plot6b on February 23, 2010, 19:11

Lardman what about using Railway sleepers, nice and solid.

Last quote for sleepers I had the delivery alone was £170.   :(

I know it needs doing properly, and at some point in the next 3 years I might do it. At the moment I have to make like Heath Robinson, I have some flags and gravel boards handy but id don't have any concrete posts  :(

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: Rangerkris on February 24, 2010, 07:23

Its a shame your not closer i can get 2 concrete post that could be cut in half that would give you 4 that you could have had.

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: Lardman on February 24, 2010, 16:46

Quote from: Rangerkris on February 24, 2010, 07:23

Its a shame your not closer i can get 2 concrete post that could be cut in half that would give you 4 that you could have had.

Its always the way  :( I'm sorry to say I did a real cowboy job on it.

I had some 2x3 from and old partition wall, I've cut the soil back, knocked the 2x3's in at around 15 degrees off vertical and placed 2 gravelboards against them. I managed to split 2 of the 2x3s knocking them in which I was rather shocked about though.

Hopefully It will last 2-3 years, by then I should have more time/money/energy and I'll do a proper retaining wall behind it.

Now if you pass me my stetson and spurs - silver and I will ride off into the sunset  :D

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: noshed on February 24, 2010, 17:05

Looks allright to me, just make sure the rain has somewhere to go, rather than washing the whole lot down.

Title: Re: level base but need to retain some soil.
Post by: binner on February 28, 2010, 12:21

scaffold boards should be ok with a couple or long stakes knocked in well, 4 quid each off ebay