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Soil replacement in sidewalk cutouts
If soil contains debris, is highly compacted, has a very high pH, is otherwise contaminated with salts, waste products, or oils, or if it is of poor quality, consider replacing it with a better soil. This is likely to promote better growth and could extend life span.
Due to the high cost of this procedure, this is normally considered only for small areas, such as sidewalk cutouts along streets, parking lot islands, or along foundations where building waste products may have accumulated.
Replace the soil as deep as possible if roots are not likely to expand laterally outside of the cutout. There is no point in replacing soil deeper than the water table because roots will not grow into the water table.
