[ember]

Hi folks - new to this site and in great need of advice.

Took on a plot in  March, docks - you could have berthed the QE2!!! The docks covered 1/2 the plot, 1/4 is grass with a bit of weed and 1/4 is only the heavens know at this point but it did have a willow tree in it. There is general debris of glass and stone all over.
We have sprayed docks and covered 1/4, kept the grass mown and just about cleared a 1/4. As I've come onto the end of the cleared 1/4 and upto the 'heaven knows what area I've started to hit heavy glass contamination plus on digging down to the second spit what looks like builders sand. There are also great big stones and pot shards plus a variety of other rubbish. The volume of soil dug out is about 3 foot x 5 foot with a depth of 15", the second spit is below this. I'm now deciding which way to dig to assess the whole contaminated area - feels like Time Team.

My view is that the sand and its associated debris needs to be dug out and bagged but to leave anything below the second spit level i.e 2' to 2'6" and to continue double digging in this manner. The alternative would be clear the stone and sand and to see what an hefty addition of compost would do. Any suggestions, ideas, views on the subject?

Many thanks.
M

PS maybe I should ask the council for a rent refund 

[Bigfatsi]

Not experienced enough to offer any real advice.

However I can wish you the best of luck, and at least you can come here for moral support! 

Simon

[Wild Pony]

For safety to clear the glass is pretty obvious and heave it off to the bottle banks or similar.

You don't say what type of soil you have. If its a clay type, leave the sand in to help drainage and maybe hire or treat yourself to a rotorvator. Then do a soil test, you local agricultural store should be doing them about now, then you can see what your ground needs. If not most garden centers sell kits. But all ground that has been laid to waste and the vagaries of fly tipping could do with an ample amount of well rotted manure, a good combo is a half/half mix of cow and horse ( cow muck is a cold manure, like a ford fiesta (slow release), whereas horse is hot and vroomy like a Subaru Imprezza WRX,( rapid effects) does that make sense?)

Try to get what stones,rubble you can out and get rid, smaller stuff can stay. As you have so much growth its unlikely to have chemical contamination.

Laying of thick plastic will help kill off weeds, but if you know a farmer well maybe he could do your plot off with a spray called Dockstar at least this year to give you a head start, if not just use good old Glyphosate aka Round Up, this you should be able to get at a Farming shop if you were born before '65 as you'd get grandads licence on it.

I think I've bored you enough now, lololol

Good luck....and may the forks be with you!! lololol