Transporting large amounts of soil... Easiest way?

[Tyga]

Trying to figure out the easiest way to tansport about 100 gallons of mixed soil outdoors? I'm using FFOF in 10 gallon smart pots but im going to cut the soil with some perlite (70/30) and don't mnow the easiest way to do this...
I was pondering the idea of using a dolly and loading the bags up on it. I figure you could get close to 8 bags no problem. Also debating filling up 5 gallon buckets and stacking those ontop of eachother and putting on the dolly. Just curious you guys techniques..

 

[Hammerhead]

I have seen people use those Kidie pools. They make there mix right next to the hole when ea batch is ready they just shovel and dump the pools contents into the hole

 

[moondawg]

Tyga, i go to the ag feed store and for 1$ they sell empty cattle/horse feed bags. They are nylon and really strong. I mix the contents for 1 hole here at the house and one hole at a time, i carry in my soild. In fact, i have 4 holes to fill in the next week or so and in the back of my truck is 14 gallons of good soil in one of those bags.

They allow you to put it up on your shoulder and they sortof form to your shoulder. Plus, if you come to downhill, throw the bastard and let it roll as far as it can. The bags are strong and wont tear or bust. Ive had some of the bags for 10 years.

 

[Tyga]

Tyga, i go to the ag feed store and for 1$ they sell empty cattle/horse feed bags. They are nylon and really strong. I mix the contents for 1 hole here at the house and one hole at a time, i carry in my soild. In fact, i have 4 holes to fill in the next week or so and in the back of my truck is 14 gallons of good soil in one of those bags.

They allow you to put it up on your shoulder and they sortof form to your shoulder. Plus, if you come to downhill, throw the bastard and let it roll as far as it can. The bags are strong and wont tear or bust. Ive had some of the bags for 10 years.

AG? And this sound's like a good idea... Kiddy pool i've seen done many times indoors but carrying one of those things outdoors... .eeek haha.

 

[FirstTracks]

Can't tell if you're looking for a container for your soil to move it in, or a vehicle of movement.

If you're looking for the latter, check these two options out...

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http://www.cabelas.com/game-carts-carriers.shtml

game carts-> haul in 150-200pounds of material at once.
cons: -leave two long wheel tracks (unless on very dry, firm ground)
-bulky, something extra to get into your car or truck and/or be seen with on the way out
-can't roll it through really tight trees or semi-dense brush

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gear haul/ game hauling backpacks

same deal, designed to carry larg, bulky loads and/or dead dear

http://www.mountainsports.com/msmai...&Product=Kelty+Cache+Hauler+Pack+-+Frame+only

 

[burns1n209]

just had this problem, what i did was backed my truck in garage put down a tarp in the bed, put all the material in there and mixed it up really well. then pulled in the edges to the center(use big enough tarp to overlap a bit) put a couple piece of wood on top or whatever and drove to greenhouse. best thing about this is, lay tailgate down and fill up pot right there, no bending over all day or knelling. stand up right height,saves back. i used to do kiddie pool but back would be shot, id sit in a chair and lean down and fill up. not anymore. best idea i had yet. id even do this when all i have to do is mix it up at greenhouse. i had 160gals worth in the bed with room to spare... just an idea hope it helps.

 

[Nog Onsigbare]

I assume you need to transport it into the forest.
What I used to do, I had to transport 25 litre bags of potting soil into the forest along narrow trails and cross country.
So I got some sacks like the ones mentioned by Moondawg above and put 2 bags of potting soil into it and then tied the end closed. Then I slung the sack over a bicycle with a bag of potting soil hanging down each side. You can carry six bags at once like this, but 4 is better.
Then I would push the bike along the trails into the forest and to my grow.
A bike doesn't make much of a trail, not like a motorbike does.
It's surprising how easy the bike is to push along. And when you have unloaded it you get to ride home.
The heroic Viet Cong used this method to transport ammunition and other supplies down the Ho Chi Minh trail, they would have thousands of them pushing bikes loaded with about 100 kg of supplies each down the trail.

 

[moondawg]

Agriculture Tyga. Stores that cater to farmers, growers, livestock producers sell cattle/horse feed and usually grass seed in 50 lb bags. Most provide a service to fill silo's or fill feed bins and they dump 100's of bags out into their big pump truck and then they sell the bags in the store. You usually have to ask becuase the bags are in a big pile out in the wharehouse. Theyre as tough as boot leather and will hold all the dirt you can carry.

 

[Amber Trich]

take it out in the winter with xcountry skis during a snowstorm ..next year.

 

[dr_sam]

Hi mate,
I use large trekking backpacks -- 85 liters ~ 21 gallons
My 70 liter ~ 18 gallon soil bag fit perfectly and is protected.
I've hauled 1400 gallons of soil using this technique this year and it works great.
Hope this helps!

 

[djonkoman]

I assume you need to transport it into the forest.
What I used to do, I had to transport 25 litre bags of potting soil into the forest along narrow trails and cross country.
So I got some sacks like the ones mentioned by Moondawg above and put 2 bags of potting soil into it and then tied the end closed. Then I slung the sack over a bicycle with a bag of potting soil hanging down each side. You can carry six bags at once like this, but 4 is better.
Then I would push the bike along the trails into the forest and to my grow.
A bike doesn't make much of a trail, not like a motorbike does.
It's surprising how easy the bike is to push along. And when you have unloaded it you get to ride home.
The heroic Viet Cong used this method to transport ammunition and other supplies down the Ho Chi Minh trail, they would have thousands of them pushing bikes loaded with about 100 kg of supplies each down the trail.

I don't know about other countries, but here in the netherlands you can buy bags for on the back of your bike, with a bag on each side. they're very common, and available at any bicycleshop.
another benefit of those bags is that the rack on the back of the bicycle gets wider, and so more stable for suporting stuff. if I want to transport a bag of soil or so(like one time when I bought a big bag, 25 kilo, of organic fertilizer at an agricultural store), I place it at the back of my bike(with the longest side of the bag from side to side of the bike), then secure it in place with elastic bands like these:

those elastic bands are realy great for ataching all kinds of various sized and shapedstuff on the back of my bike. (shovel, tents, sleeping bag, etc)

bikeracks do have weightlimits, so maybe that would be worth looking into before stacking too much bags on it. but they can usually hold a person so 2 bags should be no problem I think.
also watch out where you take your bike, I usually don't take it off trails or on very narrow trails like deertrails, once I took it only a few metres off a trail and I had a flat tire later, when I fixed it I found a blackberrythorn stuck in the outer tire. and the place where I took my bike off the trail happened top be pretty full of blackberryplants creeping on the ground, tough I looked out driving my bike not on them, but still a lost thorn made it in.
I prefer riding my bike as far as I can, then stashing it away, locking it with a chainlock preferabkle to something, a tree or so, then walking the last part

 

[Yes4Prop215]

only 100 gal just carry it lol! i gotta transport around 10,000 gallons of soil this year...gotta move it from the staging area about 50 yards down to the garden....

luckily we got a fleet of ATVs and dollys....gonna move it down trip by trip..

 

[Tyga]

only 100 gal just carry it lol! i gotta transport around 10,000 gallons of soil this year...gotta move it from the staging area about 50 yards down to the garden....

luckily we got a fleet of ATVs and dollys....gonna move it down trip by trip..

Stealth my man stealth! Trust me the physical labor is no issue... it's more of how I can do it in the least amount of trips. Not all of us are bathing under the Cali sun's with our beautiful medical gardens Don't take that as a stab... I'm jealous!

 

[Manstien]

lol @ fleet of atv's and dolly's...fuckin california eh

There is no easy way to move soil my friend.... this is a trick question

 

[.clunk]

I found an old frame pack at the thrift store for a couple dollars and retrofitted it for my purposes. I stripped everything off so I was just left with the aluminum frame and harnesses, then drilled some holes and bolted a couple of heavy duty shelving L-brackets to the bottom and screwed a small platform of plywood. I stick a bale of soil on there and use a compression strap to secure it, or stack a couple of rubbermaid totes full of clones or soil.

I can comfortably hike a 50lb bale of peat moss or up to 80 clones in beer cups at a time a long ways through the bush this way. In your case you could fill a couple of big rubbermaid bins and easily carry 60-70 gallons of soil at a time.

The most comfortable option is using a big mountaineering pack from REI or some other outfitter - lots of padded harnesses and ergonomically fitted to your back..it blows the frame pack out of the water but you can't carry odd-shaped objects like rubbermaid bins too easily.