Delivered Soil Too Hot? Help, please!

pdxwindjammer · June 15, 2013

I am concerned that my soil may be too warm and don't want to kill my plants.

I just had 1 1/2 units of Brahma 5 way soil delivered to fill a few raised beds and to sheet mulch my front yard for a landscaping project. When the soil was dumped, it was steaming! While I was working with it, I put my gloved hand in it and it is VERY warm! Is this normal?

This is the description:

5 Way Brahma Soil
Our 5-Way Brahma Soil Mix consists of fine dark barkdust, mushroom compost, sandy loam, pumice, and composted manure. It is a rich black color and very fine in texture.
Application: Your plants will love this soil! The mushroom compost adds nutrients while the sandy loam helps break up the hard clay and soil in our area.

They say that the manure is composted and a Master Gardener volunteer highly recommended this soil and said her plants are HUGE and healthy after planting in this.

I am doing this project so I can landscape my front yard and plant edibles mixed with ornamentals.

Please let me know if you think this is okay to plant in. I have never felt such warm soil but maybe the warmth is a sign it is properly composted?

ScottinAtlanta · June 15, 2013

Sounds too hot to me. I would let it cool down - which it will when you spread it out.

huntoften · June 15, 2013

Does it smell bad also? If so, it is not composted fully and should not be used for a few months. I had 10 yards of compost delivered last year that was steaming and SMOKING! It stunk like rotten garbage...killed 800+ pepper seedlings I foolishly planted. After a year (and a full refund!), the compost was fine. Better safe that sorry.

pdxwindjammer · June 15, 2013

It doesn't smell too bad. I can tell it has manure in it but the clumps that are obviously manure have the white stuff throughout that shows that it has been breaking down.

I have called and left a message with the company that delivered it so hopefully they will call me back soon. I don't want to kill my babies!

TightenUp · June 15, 2013

spread in a thin layer it should be fine. if you fill a bed 18-24 inches deep it may heat up again

pdxwindjammer · June 15, 2013

I spoke to the company I got it from and they said that once I spread it out (half way there) and give it a night of cool temps, it will be just fine. They recommended waiting a day or two to plant in it. I am using cardboard to sheet mulch and placing the soil down about 8 inches thick.

Guess where I will be planting the last of my tomato starts?

June 15, 2013	#1
pdxwindjammer Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Portland, OR Posts: 625	Delivered Soil Too Hot? Help, please! I am concerned that my soil may be too warm and don't want to kill my plants. I just had 1 1/2 units of Brahma 5 way soil delivered to fill a few raised beds and to sheet mulch my front yard for a landscaping project. When the soil was dumped, it was steaming! While I was working with it, I put my gloved hand in it and it is VERY warm! Is this normal? This is the description: 5 Way Brahma Soil Our 5-Way Brahma Soil Mix consists of fine dark barkdust, mushroom compost, sandy loam, pumice, and composted manure. It is a rich black color and very fine in texture. Application: Your plants will love this soil! The mushroom compost adds nutrients while the sandy loam helps break up the hard clay and soil in our area. They say that the manure is composted and a Master Gardener volunteer highly recommended this soil and said her plants are HUGE and healthy after planting in this. I am doing this project so I can landscape my front yard and plant edibles mixed with ornamentals. Please let me know if you think this is okay to plant in. I have never felt such warm soil but maybe the warmth is a sign it is properly composted?

June 15, 2013	#3
huntoften Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Kansas CIty Posts: 560	Does it smell bad also? If so, it is not composted fully and should not be used for a few months. I had 10 yards of compost delivered last year that was steaming and SMOKING! It stunk like rotten garbage...killed 800+ pepper seedlings I foolishly planted. After a year (and a full refund!), the compost was fine. Better safe that sorry. __________________ Kansas City, Missouri Zone 5b/6a

June 15, 2013	#5
TightenUp Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Jersey Posts: 1,183	spread in a thin layer it should be fine. if you fill a bed 18-24 inches deep it may heat up again __________________

June 15, 2013	#2
ScottinAtlanta Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Atlanta, Georgia Posts: 2,593	Sounds too hot to me. I would let it cool down - which it will when you spread it out.