Advice please
By Seabird
East Sussex,
United Kingdom 
Last year I transformed a narrow area at the side of my house by laying slabs on membrane with gravel between them, adding a small greenhouse, a narrow bed along one side, lots of pots and two raised beds for herbs and rhubarb. It looked lovely. Then my illness took over and while I was poorly the whole side of the house was repointed - thick dust all over everything!
The builders hosed down the plants as best they could, left thick dust all over the gravel and what was on the top of the soil they forked in!
My question is how do I clear all this up and how will the dust affect the edible plants? Are there nasty chemicals in it? Looking at it now is depressing and I want to get it sorted but don't know if I have the energy to lift all gravel again.
All suggestions greatly appreciated - I want an easy summer!
30 Jan, 2011
Answers
Thanks SB, hosing down I can do and I can mix in new compost too. That's a relief, I was a bit daunted by it.
30 Jan, 2011
the dust will contain lime Seabird so ok for brassicas but to be honest I would'nt worry about the soil condition as rain will be leaching stuff through it given time. PH test kit's are available from garden centre's should you be really concerned but again unless you want to plant acid loving plants like azelias etc I would'nt bother.
As for the morter dust in the gravel & paving another hosing down or two would be the easiest approach. A nuisance for you but much better than frost damage & damp in your walls if they had'nt been re-pointed.
Adding plenty of compost if convenient will also help heart-up your soil. Keep well SB.
30 Jan, 2011