After a construction site, the ground looks like a battlefield. Gravel, remains of materials of all kinds and shaken earth offer a desolate spectacle. Courage, it is the ideal moment to create a beautiful garden!
The first steps
Start by clearing the ground of all the macro-waste present on the ground to get a general view of the possibilities it will offer you.
The soil, compacted in some places, turned over in others, seems to be devoid of life, and indeed the soil fauna has necessarily been harmed by this upheaval. You will have to rebalance the soil in a natural way, but before that, prepare a plan on paper of your future garden. Take into consideration its exposure, its shaded areas, and the possible natural ecosystems (pond, watercourse, low stone walls, embankments...). Think of drawing on your plan the future paths that will give access to the various parts of the garden. This is also the time to consider the planting of a hedge, the area dedicated to the vegetable garden and the ornamental part.
Next, lay out the fixed elements such as the paths on the garden floor and level it according to your wishes.
Once these small jobs are done, you must give the soil time to recover and rebalance itself.
How to bring back to life the upset soil?
The best solution to give life back to a soil badly damaged by the work is to sow green manures. Vetch, phacelia, buckwheat, mustard... the choice is vast. When well chosen, they will not only allow you to aerate the soil but also to reconstitute it by providing essential elements such as nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. Green manures also provide soil cover, preventing the appearance of weeds as well as the effects of erosion during the bad season. These green manures will be buried at the end of their life cycle. By decomposing in the soil, they will participate in the life of the soil, activating the action of the fauna present in the superficial layers.
While waiting for the soil to improve...
While the soil is recovering, start making compost with your household waste, dead leaves from trees and other plant debris. Once mature, you can use it to amend the garden soil.
You can now plant trees and shrubs to give structure to your garden. Remember to drain the planting holes with gravel and amend them with potting soil and ground horn powder to ensure a good recovery.
If you're really in a hurry to get your garden going, consider no-till or lasagna planting. These methods are very useful in this case because there is no need for the soil to be reconstituted to plant!
