Pool – Filling to Make a Garden

Q: I live in my Grandmother’s old home. She had a pool built in 1952 in the front yard. It is an eyesore! I’m thinking of converting the spot to a vegetable garden. How do I fill in the pool?

A: My friend Mary Kay Woodworth recently had the same situation. She describes the fill-in process thusly:

“Holes were drilled/sledgehammered into the deep end of the pool. Then the pool deck (which you may not have) and sides of the pool were broken up. The sides were broken about three feet down into pool. All of this cement was dumped into pool.

“The landscaper then brought in a couple of truckloads of # 57 stone (which is a mix of ½”, ¾” and 1 ¼” rock), dumped it into the pool, and drove a Bobcat over the concrete and stone mixture, back and forth, until it was very well settled. That process took a couple of days.

“From there, good fill dirt was brought in, dumped in the pool, and compacted with the Bobcat until the former pool was level with the surrounding soil. More soil was brought into to make a level lawn—and voila! You can’t tell that there was ever a swimming pool in our backyard.

“This process insures that there is excellent drainage, that sinkholes won’t form, and that there is enough soil depth for plant growth. I highly recommend going to the extra expense of having it done correctly, by a professional.”

yucky pool with supervisory cat

pool walls partially demo'ed

closeup of rubble and stone