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Vodin
03-08-2015, 05:20 PM
I have an inquiry. Soil will be dug to create a pit. This pit soil will be used in containers for the garden this spring.

How should the soil be amended and with what for it to be a good growing soil. The ground is in Colorado and it is a dense soil. There is a portion of clay in it.

jamesneuen
03-08-2015, 05:49 PM
go to a local school 4H program. they will do a soil test for you usually.

bacpacker
03-08-2015, 07:33 PM
Soil test first thing. Add as much compost to it as you can. Nutrients as needed.

Sniper-T
03-08-2015, 07:33 PM
You'll probably want to mix some sand in to help loosen it and facilitate drainage; probably some peat moss and manure to add vitamins and minerals. You may still need to add a fertiliser.

If you have a pool or a friend that does, use a simply litmus ph tester to check the acidity of the soil. From here you can add ash or pine needles to adjust as needed.

Good luck!

bacpacker
03-08-2015, 09:02 PM
Manure and peat will help any soil. PH can also be tested with a meter. I got one a few years back, has a 4" probe, just stick it in the dirt and take a reading.
Mine has a library of various plants with the best range of settings. They can be picked up at most seed catalogs.

Daca102090
03-08-2015, 09:57 PM
Gypsum will help breakdown the clay in the soil.
Sand and clay can tend to harden like cement.
If the soil from the pit is too bad, you might be better off just getting potting or garden soil from the garden store especially in the containers.
In my area more than 6 inches deep and it is usually pretty sterile unless you have built it up with compost.

ak474u
03-08-2015, 11:15 PM
Gypsum will help breakdown the clay in the soil.
Sand and clay can tend to harden like cement.
If the soil from the pit is too bad, you might be better off just getting potting or garden soil from the garden store especially in the containers.
In my area more than 6 inches deep and it is usually pretty sterile unless you have built it up with compost.

We could make pottery with the soil 10" down in our yard.

Sniper-T
03-08-2015, 11:42 PM
I can do the same below 4". that's the main reason I do all raised gardens.

helomech
03-08-2015, 11:47 PM
I can do the same below 4". that's the main reason I do all raised gardens.

Raised beds here also. with my soil I can make a pond real easy, but can't grow crap.

realist
03-09-2015, 05:09 AM
Obviously you will need to amend the soil and the others have given you some great suggestions. You might check with the local nursery they can be a great help and may offer you classes. I have been gardening for years and I am taking a soils class at one of our nurseries in two weeks just to get a tune up.

In our state there is piles of information you can obtain either from the local junior college or the state college system.

bacpacker
03-09-2015, 12:08 PM
In Tennesse, we have a county agricultural extension office that is a great deal of help. Not sure about your area.

robsdak
03-09-2015, 02:10 PM
In Tennesse, we have a county agricultural extension office that is a great deal of help. Not sure about your area.

same here. it's $12 to have it tested. cheap price in the scope of things...

Socalman
04-25-2015, 02:52 PM
One thing you should have is a compost pile. Mine is made from 4 old pallets. Leaves, grass trimmings, egg shells and vegetable kitchen trimmings and coffee grounds go into ours. Each year I take a section of the garden and work compost into the top 10-12 inches of dirt. However sometimes there are just too many rocks to dig it in deep enough.

At one time I was able to get some loads of horse manure to add to my pile, but I no longer have a truck to haul it and I am not putting that s--t in my car! Manure from horse or cow will certainly help your pile break down faster.

realist
04-27-2015, 07:11 PM
One thing you might check is a local nursery. Around our area they will conduct general tests on you soil for free. They are looking at bringing in people and make sales. It is a nice marketing gimmick.

ak474u
04-27-2015, 09:51 PM
We didn't need a soil test, ours is red clay, brown clay, and an inch or so of sorry topsoil. All of our beds are raised and I've brought in soil by the ton in bags. Lots of manure compost, peat humus, bagged potting soil, regular compost, growers mix compost, and our compost bins. One bin is grass clippings, dirt from the yard, and last years garden plants cut up and piled in. I've got to till the big one with my cultivator attachment so I can mix it up and add some good stuff. I don't use that compost for the garden, we have a large tumbler for that, and it's getting all the good stuff.