New Garden: Soil Questions!

[Blue Cheese]

In my backyard I have a soil pit thats about 10 or 12 x 5 with old soil from the past years. It has a wooden block around it and I want to fix it up. I've seen a post on here about how to redo your soil but I can't find it.. Can someone help?

I heard you could dig it out a foot or so and put newspaper down and new soil ontop of that? Or should I go deeper? Let me know some ways!!!
I know theres some experts out there with some sick garden boxes like mine..
Im planning on using a mix of FF ocean forest and light warrior, its what I use indoors but havent really grown outdoors too much.. Is there a better/cheaper mix to go with? thanks homies!!!

 

[_ganja_]

What is the soil like? Clay? sand? Look up organic soil amendments (peat moss, dolomite lime, compost, sand or perlite, manures, etc.), it will cost you much less than just filling the hole with potting soil and will also give better results.

Edit: And I see this is your first post. Welcome to ICMAG, I know you will learn a lot from this site. Good luck with your grow, and remember to read up as much as possible! And keep it organic!

 

[simos]

I agree with ganja, amendments are probably a better route if you're looking to curtail costs. They also allow you to build a real living soil that won't require any additional fertilization, unlike the FF bagged stuff.

Before you decide which specific amendments to purchase, I highly recommend a soil test. They are offered by many universities as well as horticultural businesses. You send them a sample, and they send you back a detailed analysis, often replete with directions about what needs to be added to the soil.

Once you have that squared away and you have a general idea about what your soil needs, check out the products on Peaceful Valley's website as a reference (http://www.groworganic.com/fertilizers.html?cat=36) and try to source stuff locally.

As far as depth goes, you want to have about 18" of quality soil. Famous soil studies conducted at UC Berkeley in the late 70s and early 80s determined that the overwhelming majority of root activity occurs in the top foot and a half of soil.

 

[Rysam]

Im trying to fill a 25yd. trench for next season and came on a manure/compost goldmine.
craigslist..yep c-list. I placed an ad looking for free compost or compostable materials and my phone rang off the hook. in 4 days i had enough calls to keep me busy hauling. Im sitting on 10 yards of horse poo that is composting and another 5 or so yards of sheep/chicken/yardwaste. I do plan on buying some community compost and maybe a few bales of coir but i dont plan on spending much $$. less than 200$ total by a long shot for a excellent mix that will last for years with minimal maint.. oh and with the poo, im keeping some of it away from the thermal pile for the worms to have at. that equals free castings!! started with a free handfull of worms from the local college worm bins.

 

[Nickcorp187]

alot of gardening shops sell soil revitalizer, but ive been using the same soil for years I just till the soil few weeks before planting and add a mixture of bone meal and dried blood, and lime this has proven to be an excellent way of keeping costs down and still having rich soil.

 

[fisher]

you can often save alot on organic fetilizers
if you have a farm feed shop locally, they will sell
things like 40ilb bags of alfalfa or blood and bone for
just dollars rather than an arm and a leg at the nursaries..

 

[Blue Cheese]

Hellll yeah, this helps a lot I am going to see what I have to work with, and take a sample of the soil what are good things to look for in your soil sample?