[HilaryG]

 Every time I dig I fill up a bucket with stones, mainly flints and small pebbles. Someone recently told me that the stones carry on coming up through the soil and I'm probably wasting my time. Is that true? Sounds a bit strange to me.  I'm on clay and probably gravel lower down. Can stones really continue to work their way to the surface or is it rain which washes the soil away, exposing more stones? Is their a geologist out their?

[Yorkie]

This is one of the things I remember from School geography!

It is indeed true and it's called frost heave.  Essentially, water fills the air gaps beneath stones etc.  It freezes in winter and forms ice - which has a greater volume than water therefore forces / heaves the stone upwards.  As the ice thaws, tiny soil particles backfill the gap behind the stone so it doesn't fall back downwards again.

And repeat.

 

[DavidT]

Stones are brought to the surface by osmosis. That is, as water goes down through the soil, the pressure created forces the stones upwards.

[hightide]

Don't you just love Hertfordshire; clay and flint.
 
I just rake them off and add to my paths.
Mind you I was told they retain heat and help to keep the soil warm later in the year, so there could be some good.
 

[stentman]

All of the above is undoubtably true but I still remove, bricks, stones and pebbles from my ground every time I dig, hoe etc. I know more will appear but each year there seems to be less of them and they do seem to get smaller. It's also makes me feel like I am achieving something and improving my plot perhaps I'm not but it's worth a go. I do have some nice pebble paths around the place these days

[HilaryG]

Thanks very much for that info. What an informative bunch you are!
I think I'll carry on destoning as they do make good little paths in places and the root crop  probably appreciates it. I quite enjoy throwing them into the bucket from some distance.........not always successfully!

[8doubles]

The stone fairies plant them at night.
They`ve been at it in my garden for many years.

[HilaryG]

Maybe that's what's known as 'pebbledashing'!!


I'll get me coat.............

[mumofstig]

I just throw them down on the bare earth paths, which are slowly getting covered with stones and bits of bricks etc....it saves me having to buy gravel I suppose

[DavidT]

Nature is a good provider.

[sunshineband]

The guy on a nearby plot has a stone mountain about 2m tall 

[SG6]

The stone fairies plant them at night.
They`ve been at it in my garden for many years.

I always thought I had a breeding patch of stones, going to wait up one evening and clout the fairy on the head with a BIG spade.

[granjan]

I have bones and bits of glass as well as stones.  Every time I go I find more.  I believe there were chicken all over that area at one time.  It looks like a grave yard behind my compost container as that's where I put the bones 

[Christine]

You're all better off than me. I've got a rusty nail mine and they are still coming out four years on.

There are supposed to have been some good gardeners on the allotment before me. Perhaps they grew nails. 

[mumofstig]

just be grateful that the wood that went with the nails is not buried there as well