Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

A garden is only as good as the ground that it's planted in. Discussion forum for the many ways to improve the soil where we plant our gardens.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old March 28, 2012   #1
aimeruni
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: Brooksville FL, zone 9a
Posts: 67
Default what top soil to use?

NOTE:Soil mix used isn't soil less mix (Miracle gro, etc.); isn't potting mix/soil either. All soil found is 40 lbs. per bag.

Topsoil will be used in raised beds, isn't only thing in them; is an 'ingredient' in a soil mix.

What was found yesterday, listed below:

Normal Topsoil; is this just 'black dirt' w/out anything mixed in?

Garden Magic (blend of topsoil, peat, and sand)

Mixes want to use call for peat as separate ingredient.

Should I just use normal topsoil ? Want decent quality topsoil, not something that is blended though. Supposedly packaged topsoil can have soilborne
microbes and/or weed seeds. Is this true?

Soil mixes are below for reference:

Mix one:65% screened top soil, 20% compost, 10% well aged manure, and 5% peat.

Mix two:

"I would suggest a raised bed soil would be about 70-80% mineral components as the structural base - topsoil, sand, fine Turface ... and 20-30% other organic ingredients to make up the rest. It won't matter much what the organic ingredients ARE, because at that low % they won't affect the structure much as it relates to drainage. I think that finished compost or pine bark fines are an excellent addition because neither will significantly immobilize nitrogen (even if it does, that's fixable). Reed/sedge peat is another good choice."

Last edited by aimeruni; March 28, 2012 at 12:56 PM.
aimeruni is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 28, 2012   #2
RebelRidin
Tomatovillian™
 
RebelRidin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Maryland's Eastern Shore
Posts: 993
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by aimeruni View Post
NOTE:Soil mix used isn't soil less mix (Miracle gro, etc.); isn't potting mix/soil either. All soil found is 40 lbs. per bag.

Topsoil will be used in raised beds, isn't only thing in them; is an 'ingredient' in a soil mix.

What was found yesterday, listed below:

Normal Topsoil; is this just 'black dirt' w/out anything mixed in?

Garden Magic (blend of topsoil, peat, and sand)

Mixes want to use call for peat as separate ingredient.

Should I just use normal topsoil ? Want decent quality topsoil, not something that is blended though. Supposedly packaged topsoil can have soilborne
microbes and/or weed seeds. Is this true?

Soil mixes are below for reference:

Mix one:65% screened top soil, 20% compost, 10% well aged manure, and 5% peat.

Mix two:

"I would suggest a raised bed soil would be about 70-80% mineral components as the structural base - topsoil, sand, fine Turface ... and 20-30% other organic ingredients to make up the rest. It won't matter much what the organic ingredients ARE, because at that low % they won't affect the structure much as it relates to drainage. I think that finished compost or pine bark fines are an excellent addition because neither will significantly immobilize nitrogen (even if it does, that's fixable). Reed/sedge peat is another good choice."

I filled my beds with 25% screened sandy loam topsoil, 25% mushroom compost, 25% Chicken manure compost and 25% leaf compost. This came from a commercial landscaping service. As you see it is 75% organic based. I would like to see at least 50% organic components, preferably compost.

Yes bagged soil can contain weed seed, pathogens... but so can any screened topsoil.
__________________

George
_____________________________

"The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants. It is it’s natural manure."
Thomas Jefferson, 1787
RebelRidin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old March 30, 2012   #3
Tracydr
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
Default

Be careful buying topsoil or even a landscaping mix from local companies. I bought one last fall, a full dump load. High pH, high salts ( enough to form a crust on top) and so bad nothing would grow in it until I amended it heavily. Full of noxious weed seeds.
This was marketed as a landscape mix with 25% compost. Right!
Tracydr is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 07:54 AM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★