Big Box Raised Bed Mix

[Eephus Swift]

Okay y'all,

Due to financial considerations, and a hell of a great no-finance charge deal at HD, I'm about to start a new raised bed in the back yard.

What I want to know is what I should grab from them in regard to soil mix.

My intent was to snag Black Kow manure, and then I'm lost. I don't want to use peat, and would prefer to stay as organic as possible. Mulch on top I can handle.

How much Black Kow is too much?

I simply cannot amend the soil below. It's about 1-2 inches of 'good dirt' (and even that is questionable) and then solid rock.

So I've got to get 8 inches deep of whatever I can get from HD.

Help me in my quest!

[nullzero66]

I would go with a primary sand mix with peat moss and manure thrown in. I use like a 60% sand 20% peat moss 20% manure blend and it works out great for everything I have planted. I have the top 1/2 mulched as well.

Buy a bunch of bags of the river wash sand. The only thing about this mix is the plants like tomatoes and eggplant should have a little extra support with tomato cages and poles (since the soil is not the greatest anchor).

[Eephus Swift]

Thanks, nz!

I'm off. We'll see how it goes...

[Blanesgarden]

Why wouldnt you want to use Peat?
Are you afraid to raise your soil PH too much on the Acidic side?
IMO with doing raised beds, this peatmoss should be used, mixed in slightly.
Look...we use it, to start seedlings right?
And Ive always used it, every year in my RB.
Just dont over do it.
Unlike strawberrys, and Blueberrys would need.
It helps to hold in moisture, for the dry months.
As for Black Cow mix......
That stuff has Way Too much sand in it for me, and its Heavy....roots dont like heavy!
You cant find any Baccto?
You need to try this, Please!
Its a product out of Houston, but keep in mind, it has slow release fertilizers in it.
So Organic?
Not quite.
Question...Do you Compost?:cool:

[lorna-organic]

Peat moss is very helpful in seed sprouting because it retains moisture. I buy Canadian peat, because they do sustainable harvesting. I think the rule of thumb for using manure is one pound per square foot. Don't buy that bagged top soil, it is worthless. That stuff repels water, doesn't hold moisture at all. I'd put compost into the mix, and avoid anything called potting soil.

[older than dirt]

You can get a truck load of massonary sand from a ready mix cement plant a heck of a lot cheaper than messing with bags . If you have a pickup they might have some that got to dirty to use in massonrty work that they would sell some what cheaper.

[Eephus Swift]

I ended up with a lot of local 'topsoil', quite a bit of compost, a little manure (questionable content on that one) and what I had laying 'round. We'll see how it goes.

I'm bypassing peat till I find out more about how sustainable (or not) that it is from my particular sources.

I am composting at home, but it's BSF larvae aided, so my compost rate is *very* high and very fast, but my volume of compost is limited.

I'll be using some of that as well.

otd, I bought everything in house at HD because of the financing deal. We'll see how it grows, and how much more I have to supplement things.

Wish me luck! I think I've found a great place in the yard with mottled sunlight for brutal Summers, but where deciduous trees on the east side of the yard will allow for more sunlight in the short winter days. We'll see...

[lorna-organic]

Good luck! :)

[Eephus Swift]

Good luck! :)

Ha! I sense y'all think I may need it.

Am I doomed?

[lorna-organic]

You asked us to wish you good luck, so I did. :) We all need some element of luck, no matter our expertise in gardening!!

[Eephus Swift]

Ah, I'm just goofin' off. Slow afternoon at work. Thank you for the well-wishes.

[lorna-organic]

You're welcome. :)

[Train]

Ya!
When did peat become inorganic?
I have a trny coming up in 8 minutes
s lets see if I breeze thru this.
When building a top soil there are
certain things to consider.
One of those things is moisture
retention.
Another is drainage.
Yet another is structure.
Finding a balance and matching that balance
to our specific needs is our goal.
Usually when we build a raised bed
we do so with specific crops in mind.
Some like peppers do require more
drainage then some others,
When you take a basic mulch and
add a lot of sand you usually wind up with
a nutrient poor mixture that won't hold
moisture long enough for the plants to benefit.
The amount of pure manure required to
offset this to even a small degree is staggering.
Sure, I use sand in my mixture and yet
I never mention it.
The reason is that what is sold as "our #1 best
top soil" is nothing more than ground up
xmas trees with lots os sand and a tablespoon of
horse manure.
That would never grow anything.
I know. I tood delivery of 7 yards a few years ago
and paid an awful price.
So now when I mix a topsoil or potting soil
I mix everything into it but that.
I do have a pile of some that is 5 years old and
pretty fine by now andI use that to a small extent
in my mixes.
The other I use as you would stones in the bottom
of my containers to provide a stop for the soil and
drainage as well.
Buying anything with manure already in it is a sure
path to disappointment.
I hope you did not just dump that stuff into your
bed.
There are many soil recipes buried in the archives
here that could benefit you.
I will give you just a raw idea of one then you can
look at others and even make this one your own
with adjustments you feel you will need.
Something tell me you have no compost.
Usually when one is at a basic point in dealing with
soil mixes it's because they have little or none.
If you have the time space and inclination I would
encourage you to maintain a compost heap.
Trny started so I'll now be brief.
In a wheel barrow 3 to 4 shovels of your worst soil.
To that add 1 shovel manure.
2 shovels compost.
2 cups perlite.
About a shovel or slightly less Stringy sphagnum moss.
1 pinch bone meal.
1 pinch blood meal.
1 pinch green sand.
Now you have a basic highly nutritious well draining
top soil that retains moisture.
I would encourage you to do something like that and
if you already dumped, mix as much of what I mentioned
into it as you can.
Experiment until you find what works best for you.
That mix is easy to ajust.
Luck to you
Train

[Eephus Swift]

Thanks, Train.

When did peat become inorganic?

Not inorganic. Potentially unsustainable. Verdict is out still, but I wanna know more before I rape and pillage. Okay, before I pillage.

In a wheel barrow 3 to 4 shovels of your worst soil.
To that add 1 shovel manure.
2 shovels compost.
2 cups perlite.
About a shovel or slightly less Stringy sphagnum moss.
1 pinch bone meal.
1 pinch blood meal.
1 pinch green sand.
Now you have a basic highly nutritious well draining
top soil that retains moisture.
I would encourage you to do something like that and
if you already dumped, mix as much of what I mentioned
into it as you can.
Experiment until you find what works best for you.
That mix is easy to ajust.
Luck to you
Train

Minus the perlite and moss, I'm working on a mixture that is *close* to what you mentioned. What's the perlite for? Moisture retention?

I also found what I *think* is decent soil deeper than I thought in my plot. A LOT of juniper 'mulch' in various stages of decay, as well as about 10% live oak leaves (or so). VERY dry right now (dust bowl style - it IS the worst drought on record here right now), but it looks decent.

We'll see...

[Blanesgarden]

I replied.
Lorna replied.
Train replied.
Just use the perlite, it helps with 3 different ways.
Soil can breath.
Roots can travel.
Water can Drain.

Hey, If ya got anymore comments....
Were here...
Keep in mind...We love making Dirt! Homemade Compost!
Your thoughts....

[Eephus Swift]

Nah. I appreciate it, though. Really.

I think the damage was done by limiting my buying choices at HD. :)

I'll let y'all know how it goes...

[Blanesgarden]

Nah. I appreciate it, though. Really.

I think the damage was done by limiting my buying choices at HD. :)

I'll let y'all know how it goes...

Hummm
What damage?:confused:

[older than dirt]

Okay y'all,

Due to financial considerations, and a hell of a great no-finance charge deal at HD, I'm about to start a new raised bed in the back yard.

What I want to know is what I should grab from them in regard to soil mix.



It looks like he is limited to what HD carrys . Have no idea what HD is but assume its a store.
I bought a bag of poting soil from walmart a few years ago for some specal plants. Knew it looked like year old sawdust but refused to believe the creeps would pull so low a trick so I used it & sure enough the plants died .

[Blanesgarden]

It looks like he is limited to what HD carrys . Have no idea what HD is but assume its a store.
I bought a bag of poting soil from walmart a few years ago for some specal plants. Knew it looked like year old sawdust but refused to believe the creeps would pull so low a trick so I used it & sure enough the plants died .

HD....Home Depot.
The orange box store.

[older than dirt]

HD....Home Depot.
The orange box store.

I would say whats home depot but dont want any one to know how far out of it i am :D

[organicbaby]

ES, if they have mushroom compost that would be a nice addition. Also, the Black Kow manure is better than other bagged manures I've seen.

[Eephus Swift]

ES, if they have mushroom compost that would be a nice addition. Also, the Black Kow manure is better than other bagged manures I've seen.

That was my take on it from reading a bit, too. At least Black Kow is 100% cow manure, vs. whatever it is they cut it with in other brands.