Mid-Atlantic Gardening: What is happening in your Garden Today Spring 2011, 1 by Gitagal

Gitagal wrote:
OK!!!!!!!!!!!!

Update on my raised bed. It is DONE!!!! YEAH! Looks great! Good workmanship!

Filled with "rich" soil--NOT happy about it at all.....
I called a zillion places--and the prices ranged from $28 per cy--to over $100 for the same!

Yesterday at work--I was "burning" the Yellow pages.....Seemed no one had any soil available.
I was asking for "Top Soil"-----when I should have been asking for Mixed garden Soil....
Small glitch!!!! Doing the "New Approach....GARDEN SOIL.....

There are so many places around here that deliver all kinds of soil....

I considered one--"Egypt Farms"--right here on Rt. #40. a few miles from my house....
Called them---Yadda...yadda...How great their soil was......mixed with Humus and Peat Moss....
$42/cubic yard....plus $70 for delivery.....
I couls also have the basic garden Soil they sold mixed wirh Mushroom soil--50/50--
for $41.50 C.Yard....Minimum--3 Yards....Total cost would be $215.
Sounded good--but the price was a bit high....

Called another close-by place. A c.Yard was $33--delivery included.....
Minimum purchase for delivery--$100. Sounded good--as they were going on and on
how they mix their own soil and how great it was....
This place would save me $100--so I went with this one...

They delivered it as I was getting in my car to go to my Foot Dr.'s appointment....
3 Yards! DUMP! Sign slip of sales receipt--as I paid for it over the phone.

After my foot-appointment--went right to my HD to await Ray--the man doing all
my work with this bed----to pick up the 2 panels of "Shadow Box" fencing...

Eventually--he came--we loaded up the fencing and went back to my house....

He alternated dumping wheel-barrow-fulls of soil in my raised bed with erecting
the fence panels behind it.
I helped him with aligning the fence--and getting it screwed into the 4x4's.
He "schlepped" the soil from my driveway to this bed....used up just half of it.....
NOW WHAT????? Some neighbors had expressed an interest in the extra soil.
Now I have to "bug" them about coming to get it and paying me for it.....

I am NOT--NOT happy with the texture of this "amazing"--HUGH??? soil...
It is ALL heavy, dark soil.....Nothing "airy" added to it. Like--peat moss....
There were huge clumps in all of this soil---which I tried to break up as soon as
Ray dumped it in the raised bed....Shovel...shovel....hack..hack....Rake..rake....
Still not happy!!!!! Needs a lot of more amendments to it....AAARGHH! More work....

I already added 4 bags of 2yr.old composted leaves top it. Kept digging them in as
Ray was dumping more soil...At the end--I decided that I have a couple of more days of work to do---
Digging in some Peat Moss...some Garden soil Mix---and--if I can find it-some gravel dust.

Just found out I have a "Reclamation Center: very close to me here---that grinds up and
treats all kinds of contractor waste and stone-as well as reclaimed dirt....

Might go there to see if they have any "Rock Dust". Tis soil I had delivered sure needs
something added to it for "body" and aeration. As well as organic stuff (which I have)...

As it stands right now--I plan to add to this dense, clumping soil:
--a couple of bags of Peat Moss
--About 2 bags of Vigoro Pea Gravel
--and, maybe, a couple of bags of "Organic Choice" garden soil for Veggies....

More $$$$$ and more back-breaking work for me....
Gonna do it though!!!! YES, I WILL!!!! Have to! Tomatoes are getting close to 16" high.

Will keep you all updated.....Here are a few pictures as of today....

Here is the delivered soil. Only used about 1/2 of it! Need to see if any neighbors will
share in $$ to use the rest of it.....See the texture? The clumps?????