By Snowlisa
Lincolnshire, United Kingdom
How do you construct a soil bund and what could you grow on it?
- 1 Feb, 2010
Answers
We are building the bund to shield our property from some persistant heavy traffic. So far we have heaped about 3 feet of builders rubble across the front and I am now wondering what next? I have googled "constructing a bund" but so far have come up with nothing. If we put topsoil on next how will we make sure that it doesn't get washed away with rain and then what shall we plant on it? Lots of questions!! Any help appreciated.
1 Feb, 2010
Thank you for expanding on your question, Snowlisa. Firstly I would suggest that some soil should be mixed in with the rubble to prevent void spaces being formed. Otherwise, over the next few years the soil on top of the bund will filter down into the voids and the bund will sag. Draping a porous membrane over the rubble might prevent this but I always do the former.
Don't build the sides of the bund up too steeply or the soil will slide down. I think about 45 degrees is maximum but you need to check this. The shallower the slope the less likely it will be for the soil to wash off but, it will take up more space.
Build up the soil in layers and compact it as you go.
As a short term measure grass the bund as soon as it is built. This is so that you have a lot of plant roots to bind the soil and prevent it eroding. Even consider a contractor to spray a seed and fertiliser mix onto the bund. I don't know how much this will cost but it produces a quick cover.
When the grass is established then you can start cutting plots out of it for flowering plants.
These are just my ideas. I hope you find something suitable.
1 Feb, 2010
Thanks Bulbaholic I am getting a few ideas together now.
2 Feb, 2010
Soil contour bunds are ridges and ditches made of soil, dug across the slope ... Compact the soil bund well, and reinforce it with stones. Not sure of their practicle use in the UK as I suspect they could get water logged at times?
1 Feb, 2010