Can my garden benefit from builders sand?

[shirlthegirl43]

Sorry about the odd thread title - and if I have posted in the wrong place.

I have some left over builders sand from when we put down a new patio. Now I am ruddy fed up of it lying on the old patio (it has been there 3 years at least) and I wondered if it would be of any benefit to the garden. I know that onions like a more sandy soil and that you can make a 'permanent' onion bed, so wondered if I could dig the sand in and create such a bed. Any reason why not to use the builder's sand? I guess there are about 100 litres or so.

[Capsid]

If you have a heavy clay soil it will help to break it up. I wouldn't apply it if your soil is already sandy.

[shirlthegirl43]

Sorry, should have said, we pretty much have nice loam.

[Nicos]

well....I think if you mix it in the soil with leaf mold and compost it would be excellent.
Builders sand- or sharp sand if I recall has grains of different sizes, so it tends not to clump together as silver sand does ( I have a small patch of that on my lottie which is peat!)
I'd certainly give it a go Shirl- my neighbour has a permanent onion bed ( 30 yrs old!) and he's won many prizes for them over the years!

[Capsid]

Have you got a lawn? Apply in the autumn with an equal mixture of cheap compost.

[shirlthegirl43]

Cheers folks. Had good success in my 'raised bed' last year with shallots and was considering making the whole bed into permanent onion as it is easy to week and keep tidy. Will dig the sand in there along with some more compost and make my onion bed.

No point looking after the lawn Capsid - the hens are busy trashing it as I type Once their new permanent run is built we are considering either turning the whole lawn area to veggies or re-seeding it.

[SarzWix]

It could be quite good for carrots too Shirley, they like sandy-ish soil?

[shirlthegirl43]

It could be quite good for carrots too Shirley, they like sandy-ish soil?

Good point Sarz - I usually grow carrots in buckets as there are only one or two spots where I have deep enough soil for them. I guess I could put some round carrot seed in the onion bed - tis supposed to be okay to grow them together.

[SarzWix]

Good point Sarz - I usually grow carrots in buckets as there are only one or two spots where I have deep enough soil for them. I guess I could put some round carrot seed in the onion bed - tis supposed to be okay to grow them together.

Snap But last year I made a really deep trough for them with a mix of sand/compost/soil which they thrived in until i forgot to put mesh back over & the dreaded carrot fly got in The onion smell is supposed to confuse them so I'll be trying that!!

[lynda66]

i chucked a bag of builders sand in my newly made herb bed, which i also grew carrots and strawberries in ........ it didn't kill them

[krazy_krok]

I think your suppose to use horicultural sand. I'm sure i read that builders sand has lime in it and may affect the soil PH.

[kitchengardner]

I think your suppose to use horicultural sand. I'm sure i read that builders sand has lime in it and may affect the soil PH.

Builder's sand does have lime and some other mineral salts in it, but the quantity varies considerably between suppliers and even between batches. Personally I would not use mixed in top soil unless the plants are good with lime (ie Brassicas). However it is fine to mix in with subsoil to improve drainage when you double dig

Regards

Kitchen Gardener

[Snadger]

For cripes sake Shirl make good use of it. Builders sand is all I use to make my John Innes type potting compost and and so what if it's got a bit lime in it (Crushed dolomite) most plants thrive on lime anyway! Naturally you wouldn't use it on acid loving plants.
Carrot beds have been mentioned but you could even make your own compost for your pots with it! 7 loam +2 sand + 3 peat makes an excellent JI basic compost which you can add whatever you like to.

btw Chooks really like scratching around in it and they also eat it to aid digestion! Just gve mine a wheeelbarrow load today in a dogs plastic bed.........I'll keep em going for about a month, when they'll get some more!

[shirlthegirl43]

Oddly enough Snadger the hens take no notice of it at all! They are more interested in the bugs hiding under the builders bag it is in

[Snadger]

Oddly enough Snadger the hens take no notice of it at all! They are more interested in the bugs hiding under the builders bag it is in

I bet if you spread a thin layer on the ground they wood scratch around in it! Especially if you chuck a handful of mixed corn in it!