What is best for filling in low spots?

Bozwth · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 14 Location: Flower Mound,TEXAS

I've heard Doc say to use only native soil in your garden or yard. Where can I buy native soil to fill in a low spot in my yard? I also need to build up the area around a portion of my foundation that has eroded away a little. The low side of the hill that my house sits on is showing a little too much of the foundation. Any Idea as to what I should use and where I can get it?

Thanks...

Dchall_San_Antonio · Joined: 18 Mar 2003 Posts: 2001 Location: San Antonio,TEXAS

Look in the yellow pages for "materials."

For the eroded areas lots of farmers use tall fescue to retain soil on their tank spillways. Deep roots and dense tall turf will hold the soil down.

Nadine · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 1194 Location: Carrollton,TEXAS

Bozwth wrote: I've heard Doc say to use only native soil in your garden or yard. Where can I buy native soil to fill in a low spot in my yard? I also need to build up the area around a portion of my foundation that has eroded away a little. The low side of the hill that my house sits on is showing a little too much of the foundation. Any Idea as to what I should use and where I can get it?

Thanks...

How much of your foundation is showing? Is it really that noticeable? You could take away from this by distracting the eye with bushes...

I have seen an 8 to 12 inch rock border around the foundation of a house. The homeowners had it installed because they were tired of the water run off from the roof eroding the soil in this area. The house was built in the 40's of 50's and the design was such that gutters were not an option.

If you do not like this idea, is there an area of your yard that you could get enough of the same soil? One thing to remember is to never bury anything green. It will become a mucky mess and eventually will lead to a situation where water will be unable to penetrate the ground.

Bozwth · Joined: 05 Apr 2005 Posts: 14 Location: Flower Mound,TEXAS

The foundation is showing approx 18" in spots on the low side of the hill that I'm on. Water runoff from the roof has played a part in mine aswell. Even if I used a rock border as you mentioned, I would still need to build the soil level back up to the proper level around my foundation before I could. I'm concerned about the integrity of my foundation.

There is not an area in my small yard to get soil. I seem to only have low spots and nothing that is too high. I was hoping that Dchall's idea of getting soil from a local place that sold materials might work just as long as the soil they sold was from this part of the state.

Thanks for letting me know not to bury anything green. I had no idea.

I would also like to lay some cement squares next to my patio and up against my foundation to have a place for my BBQ pit. Is there anything I should put down before I lay the bricks? (gravel?) It needs to be raised a little as well. It was a flower bed before.

Thanks, Robert