Soil Amendment Part II - ROCKS

manfarr1974

17 years ago

Hi again-

So I got out and really started digging trying to turn in some compost and realize that the area I am working in has really rocky soil...I started out picking rocks (15x15 garden for next year) but it is pretty crazy, I can't even put a pitchfork into the soil without hitting rocks...

Anyone ever delt with this? I am not sure the best thing to do, it is really the only spot to extend my garden to. I thought of bringing in some loam, putting that on top and then enriching that with compost and other organic materials, using that as a base instead of what I have..

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Comments (6)

maineman
17 years ago
I seem to have an unlimited supply of rocks myself. One tool that is pretty handy is a Rock Rake. I also have a wide galvanized steel "rock bucket" that I toss the rocks into for transport elsewhere. I used to use cheap plastic buckets, but the rocks frequently broke them. They just dent the metal rock bucket.

MM
veilchen
17 years ago
I dug a small garden for a friend and encountered tons of rocks like you described. I wore the tip off my shovel trying to dig. I got rid of all the rocks I could see, and removed about half of the rocky "soil" and replaced it with compost. Yes, a lot of work. Made me feel very lucky my own yard is a nice, soft loam.
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aprilwhirlwind
17 years ago
Yes indeed, rocks don't rock. Rocky Maine soil was a big incentive for 19th century Mainers to head West. They just wanted to get away from the danged rocks.
You have to dig them out. Much of my landscaping in some areas of my yard was dictated by how hard the rocks were to remove in that particular spot. There's rock hard rocks you have to probe around and finally dig out. Then there's the ones you can break up into pieces by smashing them repeatedly with a large heavy iron bar called a ree-bar (or something like that)used for posthole digging.
If you must have a garden in that rocky area, I suggest you remove as much as you can, then plan a raised garden bed. How high the side walls have to be will be dictated by how far down you go dig out the rocks, or in other words, til you hurl your pitchfork, shovel or iron bar across the yard and declare you will mine no more!
manfarr1974
Original Author
17 years ago
Thanks guys,

I have bent 2 pitchforks so far...I was thinking of all those rock walls throughout Maine and have a much greater appreciation for the farmers/gardeners of the past...I guess I will keep digging, I have looked around and that is really the least rocky spot. I will go the raised bed route I think, seems like the best option...

Thanks again - anyone have any dynomite? ha

Mandy in Caratunk
veilchen
17 years ago
Good luck, Mandy!
MaineDad
17 years ago
Mandy,

Remember that the frost will bring more rocks up each spring. I've been pulling rocks out of my 50 x 70 garden for years.

MaineDad