What to do with stump grinded space near fence

4 years ago

Hi,

I am clueless to the space that is left behind after removing a old dead fig tree and was stump grind

Issue 1 (see pic) so the top end of the area sitting near pool deck and with couple of natives planted is full of clay and stones. Only the Native and a yukka plant were able to survive in that area; that little rectangle area also gets filled with water post heavy rain and the water seeps in from rainwater tanks that my opp side neighbours have installed. So no way to control that water flow.

- What can i do in this space - just fill it with mulch ?

Issue 2 - see pic below with big shovel showing with large root base of the old fig tree left behind and its massive roots going all the way down. What can i do at this area to beautify it ? is approx 3mts length x 1.5 width (fence to garden /turf boundary). Cant grow anything as its all roots. Cant even level it up to the pool boundary area as seen in above pic with all that rubble.

Issue 3 See pic below:

There is a bit of slope from that shovel head end to vege garden area, also the area where the garden boundary now extends 1mt from fence line and not 1.5mt as before.

I was thinking for this small area put another vege garden box there and fill the surround area in mulch. Dont know what else can be done.

Featured Answer

bigreader

4 years ago

It’s a small space. I would be aiming for a consistent look for the entire area. The raised garden beds are a great idea for the entire area. The simplest is probably large pots planted with some great plants and then just mulch the garden bed to keep it tidy and hopefully improve the soil for the future. And a left field suggestion is there are kids around.

Comments (9)

Kate
4 years ago
Sounds like a good plan. Should reduce watering need for veggies.
abhishek mehta
Original Author
4 years ago
thats solves my issue 3 but biggest headaches are issue 1 and 2.. lol
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oklouise
4 years ago
1. have a nice chat with your neighbour about the water from their yard as we're all required to keep our own water in our own yards ...overflow from their tanks should be able to be redirected with a simple hose into storm water..next step ask council for advice

2. anywhere that has recently had a stump ground or has matted old roots will probably eventually sink as underground roots rot away..but can take a long time so in the meantime some more raised beds could look great and cover up a lot of problems

more of the steel trough would be good or try making one long raised garden bed with edges about 10cms away from the fence ..pieces of 30cms treated pine to match your edges or scraps of corrugated iron should be OK but not against the fence ..bang steel spikes into the ground or old bricks on either side to hold them in place and then read up on "dig free garden beds" to make a raised garden bed for veges or big strappy plants...many plants will happily live in only about 30cms of soil on top of concrete footpath so forget the tangled roots and occasional flood and make new raised beds on top
abhishek mehta
Original Author
4 years ago
last modified: 4 years ago
Well that has been tried by my neighbours on either side of me as water from the back overflows to my neighbour on right the most (60%) myself 20% and neighbour on left with 20%.. So councils have come out and blah blah talks which reached no where.

Hence with that much clay and stones underneath i am thinking what other plants i can plant there and then fill it with mulch (cypress pine red color or something).

I was thinking of having more garden / vege beds but need a bit of levelling due to approx 300mm or more slope.

Another thing i was thinking - level or put some planks on top of this recently grounded stump to create a small platform over it and have a garden seat there.. however easier said then done by creating that platform.
julie herbert
4 years ago
I think you will find it difficult to grow anything in that situation and you will be disappointed when your plants don’t thrive, why not get creative and think outside the box, raised garden beds could be an answer or stretch your imagination and add some designer features to make it into a real feature or a simple water bowl could look beautiful, I would use stone mulch as it will look much better in that area
abhishek mehta thanked julie herbert
abhishek mehta
Original Author
4 years ago
Hi julie, i did like the idea of stones but i cant plant anything in middle (old stump) area. I thought to create a step like feature there, so 3 steps / boundary in essence

1. to create own box of that clay / stones area ( fill it with stone mulch).

2. own box of this middle area (but cannot grow anything here as its all roots and this area sit slightly at a elevated area).

3. Create a boundary from end of the the roots area to isolate and have a vege patch area in its own. level it, add another box and see what i can grow in here.

i say vege patch but heaps of possums in our area so nothing ever grows, they eat it all, the whole plant , had marigolds they even at whole of that.. so looking for some plants that possum proof.
julie herbert
4 years ago
Oh dear possums love everything, sounds like you have a plan, you may have to think large tubs to plant in but on saying that your possums will love you. I still think make it a real feature area, wonder how a garden sculpture on shaved root stump , some gorgeous screens on fence, spiky plants may deter the possums but they seem to enjoy everything
julie herbert
4 years ago
I think Bunnings sell a possum deterrent spray