Quote:
Originally Posted by z_willus_d
Antoniette, it's funny you mention the question of soil. I was just thinking the same thing, but then I'm not exactly sure what constitutes soil as opposed to all these other things. I've heard that topsoil's not much more than than crushed rock residual and sand and the like. I will say one thing. This grow medium I'm putting together looks, feels and smells nothing like the the soil from my old beds. To that point, I've decided to mix in a small amount of that soil, which I brought from the old house/beds. I'm hoping the microorganisms in that rich old stuff will have a positive effect on the very sterile new stuff. Of course, I'm also risking bringing over old nematodes/diseases and badness too.
-naysen
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Well that's exactly what I was thinking....all the microorganisms from soil would really help the new beds along, as well as the minerals, etc.
I just thought topsoil was screened out soil that had been taken from point A (as in foundations dug up , new construction, etc) to point B.
In my town, I found out the leaf collection is now given over to a contractor who does topsoil, etc. I stopped at the DPW last week and saw big mountains of steamy piles of compost!!! I am begging for it. The DPW guys told me they can ask for a pile to be left for residents before they shut down for winter. I want to build 3 - 12' x 3' beds on my lawn in the side yard for more tomatoes since my garden is not very big and it's a nice sunny spot. Rather than try to figure out all the things that need to go there, I was going to do a lasagna type arrangement with some bags of leaves that I have and if I c an get my hands on that compost, I'd love to have some of that in there too.
Can you find out, maybe your town has something similar? Would be great to add that as an amendment. Of course, if you are like me, I've only got a jeep, no pickup truck so I'd be over there shoveling the stuff into contractor bags and hauling it home. Or else I could hope my 18 year old would do it FOR me.
(one of the benefits of having boys I think!).