Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I agree with the above. I don't care what other people want to use from the stores, nothing beats a gardener's own over-wintered leaf mulch and a nice big pile of well rotted horse manure together with shavings.
.
That reminds me... I'm due for a trip to the stables about 10 minutes away.
Horse manure is 'hot', so allow sufficient time for it to decompose with soil. Learned that the hard way.
Also the chicken manure we used from my neighbor was 'old' when we put it in the newer beds. 1st year didn't grow that well. Got it soil tested and it was still 'hot'. We planted brassicas and beans for several years to absorb it and mellow it out.
Another thing to be aware of (it's never ending.... ). Be wary of 'organic' manure/compost labels. If it uses biosolids (wastewater solids reclamation), there is a really good chance it contains PFAS and/or PFOS 'forever' chemicals. This came out in December, and my wife was on a Master Gardeners training session last month where it came up.
Horse manure is 'hot', so allow sufficient time for it to decompose with soil. Learned that the hard way.
Also the chicken manure we used from my neighbor was 'old' when we put it in the newer beds. 1st year didn't grow that well. Got it soil tested and it was still 'hot'. We planted brassicas and beans for several years to absorb it and mellow it out.
Yup.. The farmer there once told me get the dark stuff and explained because it was aged and not "hot".
I usually throw it in my compost pile anyway so doesn't matter for me since I let it sit in the pile for months (April-October) and then when I mix it into the garden beds in October it sits another 6 months (October-April) until I plant things in there.
[quote=oregonwoodsmoke;66508645]I went by and picked up one bag, It is really heavy which makes me wonder if it contains actual dirt.
That's the difference between "mix" and "soil." I was a container gardener and always made sure to get "mix", which was lighter for things that had to be moved around or grown indoors.
So if you need 10 bags its gonna cost over $600??? For people who don't grow to make money that's not smart.
Here you go... Black Gold.. I'm going back for more. $10 for a 50 quart bag
You can tell its real compost and not sludge from the bottom of a river like Home Cheapos stuff. Clumps up when squeezing but falls apart easy, retains moisture nicely as this was semi wet in the bag.
The biggest thing with bagged soil is the woodchips/chunks in it. That soil is still a year away from really being useful. So if you plan on using right away avoid any "soil" with obvious wood pieces.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
). Be wary of 'organic' manure/compost labels. If it uses biosolids (wastewater solids reclamation), there is a really good chance it contains PFAS and/or PFOS 'forever' chemicals. This came out in December, and my wife was on a Master Gardeners training session last month where it came up. 
So if you need 10 bags its gonna cost over $600??? For people who don't grow to make money that's not smart.