I just dug up a bunch of clay soil/rock to get to all of the sprinkler value piping underneath the anti siphon values and it took way too long and tiring. Any recommendations on what type of soil I should replace it with so that I can easily dig up the same area for any future repairs?
Znott wrote in :
Sand
Mix leaves or clippings with the clay and it will turn to good dirt, mix clay and sand and get cement, maybe thats what you have now, a clay sand.
Add Gypsum (a lot of Gypsum) to the clay. It'll help keep it manageable.
Consider widening the hole enough to put in a valve box with cover, instead of re-burying the valves, with some gravel on the bottom of the valve box.
Gypsum? thats what makes drywall and compound, a plaster alternative, you are kidding right. The co USG, the G stands for Gypsum.
Use course sand or small pea gravel, and you can suck it out later with a shop-vac.
No, he is not kidding. It's the calcium in the gypsum that is providing the benefit. Adding gypsum won't create rock hard soil. There are varying views on gypsum as an additive, and it's not a complete solution - another poster mentioned adding organic material, which will also help.
Don't replace the soil. Put in valve boxes so you can take off the lid and access the valves right away.. Put 2-3" of pea gravel in the bottom of the hole first.
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