I'm in the process of clearing the garrden of my new house of a number of conifers. They (Leylandii or similar) have been there a reasonable amount of time. I'd guess from what I know about the propery about 50 years. Trees are approx 30 - 40 ft tall. Trunks up to 18"

I want to initially plant grass where the conopy of the tree was, but imagine the soil is going to need some significant conditioning first.

I've raked away alot of the old decayed leaf matter but still lots of fiberous material.

Can anyone recommend what to add and how. I was thinking of rotovating farmyard manure in, if I can get through the hidden roots?

Thanks

Nick

On 8/8/2011 4:51 PM, nfr wrote:
I'm in the process of clearing the garrden of my new house of a number
of conifers. They (Leylandii or similar) have been there a reasonable
amount of time. I'd guess from what I know about the propery about 50
years. Trees are approx 30 - 40 ft tall. Trunks up to 18"

I want to initially plant grass where the conopy of the tree was, but
imagine the soil is going to need some significant conditioning first.

I've raked away alot of the old decayed leaf matter but still lots of
fiberous material.

Can anyone recommend what to add and how. I was thinking of rotovating
farmyard manure in, if I can get through the hidden roots?

Thanks

Nick




Check with the Co Op or County Extension Agent for a soil analysis.
Use to be something like 5.00.
Probably going to need a good dose, of lime and certainly fertilizer. imo

nfr wrote the following:
I'm in the process of clearing the garrden of my new house of a number
of conifers. They (Leylandii or similar) have been there a reasonable
amount of time. I'd guess from what I know about the propery about 50
years. Trees are approx 30 - 40 ft tall. Trunks up to 18"

I want to initially plant grass where the conopy of the tree was, but
imagine the soil is going to need some significant conditioning first.

I've raked away alot of the old decayed leaf matter but still lots of
fiberous material.

Can anyone recommend what to add and how. I was thinking of rotovating
farmyard manure in, if I can get through the hidden roots?

Thanks

Nick

The area under the conifers is probably loaded with acidic soil, you'll
have to check the PH of the soil and add limestone if it is below 7 PH.
(I don't really know, but I wonder if swimming pool PH+ (plus) additives
would work?)
Wait until the end of growing season to add the limestone so it has time
to neutralize the soil before the next growing season.



--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

On Aug 8, 4:56*pm, willshak wrote:
nfr wrote the following:









I'm in the process of clearing the garrden of my new house of a number
of conifers. They (Leylandii or similar) have been there a reasonable
amount of time. I'd guess from what I know about the propery about 50
years. Trees are approx 30 - 40 ft tall. Trunks up to 18"

I want to initially plant grass where the conopy of the tree was, but
imagine the soil is going to need some significant conditioning first.

I've raked away alot of the old decayed leaf matter but still lots of
fiberous material.

Can anyone recommend what to add and how. I was thinking of rotovating
farmyard manure in, if I can get through the hidden roots?

Thanks

Nick

The area under the conifers is probably loaded with acidic soil, you'll
have to check the PH of the soil and add limestone if it is below 7 PH.
(I don't really know, but I wonder if swimming pool PH+ (plus) additives
* would work?)
Wait until the end of growing season to add the limestone so it has time
to neutralize the soil before the next growing season.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Unless you till it in, which would be hard with all the roots, lime
only percolates thru the soil about 1" per year. I've found that for
smaller areas it's faster to use 1 box of baking soda dissolved in 2-3
gallons of warm water.

On Aug 19, 12:25*pm, Red wrote:
On Aug 8, 4:56*pm, willshak wrote:





nfr wrote the following:

I'm in the process of clearing the garrden of my new house of a number
of conifers. They (Leylandii or similar) have been there a reasonable
amount of time. I'd guess from what I know about the propery about 50
years. Trees are approx 30 - 40 ft tall. Trunks up to 18"

I want to initially plant grass where the conopy of the tree was, but
imagine the soil is going to need some significant conditioning first..

I've raked away alot of the old decayed leaf matter but still lots of
fiberous material.

Can anyone recommend what to add and how. I was thinking of rotovating
farmyard manure in, if I can get through the hidden roots?

Thanks

Nick

The area under the conifers is probably loaded with acidic soil, you'll
have to check the PH of the soil and add limestone if it is below 7 PH.
(I don't really know, but I wonder if swimming pool PH+ (plus) additives
* would work?)
Wait until the end of growing season to add the limestone so it has time
to neutralize the soil before the next growing season.

--

Bill
In Hamptonburgh, NY
In the original Orange County. Est. 1683
To email, remove the double zeroes after @

Unless you till it in, which would be hard with all the roots, lime
only percolates thru the soil about 1" per year. *I've found that for
smaller areas it's faster to use 1 box of baking soda dissolved in 2-3
gallons of warm water.

You could use actual lime rather than powdered limestone which is what
most of the "lime" you see in the garden centers is. Limestone is not
very useful -- its what we make monuments out of and they are not
supposed to disolve.