Location = Northern Michigan.
Zone = zone 6a
To began with, I am new to both the blog thing and landscaping. If you see something that can be improved PLEASE tell me. I can take criticism & could use sound advise.
The plan: Landscape this sand pit to resemble an inhabitable residence.
There are five things up here that I can get as many tons of as I need for free Sand, Wood chips, Rocks, Manure & Trees.
I started landscaping the land a little on weekends four years ago but have not got much done except cut down some 400 trees. I’m single & work way too many hours so it is slow. I did get a few rock walls started. I planted a few things to get going as I figured they would fill in and be nice by the time I got time to really go at it. (well it was more than a few things. $2,100 worth). The deer ate everything down to the ground. I gave up on it and let it sit for four years. Now I’m back in full force. I’m not quitting till I get this place in order and all the deer are either dead or trained to stay off of my property.
I am starting with 5 acres of solid wooded land. I have removed 420 trees to date to make space for a front & back yard. All I have left to start with from my previous endeavors is a stripped bed of soil, one nasty looking row of boxwood shrubs stuck in sand and a couple of partial rock walls that I started. I have nothing but sand up here. I hauled in tons of sand to make a front and back yard in the space I clearcut for both. The front yard is a mix of sugar sand and weeds. The backyard is the same. I know your going to say I am nuts for bringing in more sand but hear me out on this one.
The plan is to get close to the grade I want with the sand. On top of that I have brought in tons upon tons of wood chips along with the chipping from clear cutting the property. The chips are 1 1/2 foot deep. As the chips decay & settle (I have four years on them now) I will bring in topsoil and cover the chips with 7 inches of topsoil to hydro seed a lawn.
My thoughts are to use the sand as natural drainage and get the grade. Use the foot and a half of wood chips (duel purpose) to slow down the straight through drainage from the top soil and to turn into a thick compost underneath the topsoil. The topsoil will be 7 inches as a friend of mine told me he put 4 inches of topsoil in his backyard and 7 in the front yard. He constantly has to water the backyard with 4 inches and rarely waters on the 7 inch front yard. He told me it retains the water better so I figure a foot and a half of wood chips underneath that will hold it even better.
This is my game plan and don't know if it is a good one or not. If you see a reason why this will not work feel free to post a comment.
I wish I had taken before pics but it is not hard to imagine five acres of woods with a hole cut out in the center and filled with sand then covered with a foot and a half of wood chips.
I have a few random pics I found that show the sandpit that I'm starting with.
After clearing some trees..
Bring on the wood chips....
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