A master gardener from Virginia Tech made a very good point this week as we launched our plans for the Weather Garden. We incorrectly called the stuff we put in our garden to grow things, dirt. However, she pointed out it is NOT dirt, rather soil that we are looking for. Did you know there's a difference? There's is. Dirt is what you play in. "Wash your hands! They're dirty!" Soil is a living, breathing thing.
SOIL: is the combination of mineral particles, roots, bacteria, viruses, and dead plants and animals that develops in one place after years of weathering and rotting.
Here's a couple answers to the questions that we had about soil and raised bed gardens.
HOW MUCH SOIL WILL FILL A RAISED BED?
A rule of thumb is to fill the raised planting bed with one half organic matter such as compost and one half soil. Filling a raised bed requires a surprisingly large volume of material. Figure the cubic measurement of the bed to determine how much you need: width x length x depth. Soil and compost are sold in bags, by the tractor scoop, or by the cubic yard. A cubic yard is three by three by three feet or 27 cubic feet. Accessibility may determine whether you use bagged soil or purchase the soil in bulk.
WHAT TYPE OF SOIL IS BEST FOR A RAISED BED GARDEN?
If you have access to decent garden soil, you can certainly use that. But most gardeners find they need to bring in additional soil when building a raised planting bed or planter. Importing top soil to fill the raised bed can have mixed results. Top soil is not a regulated material, so all kinds of soil can be sold as top soil. A reputable supplier should be able to give you soil test results and provide samples to reassure you about the quality of their product. A good local nursery or your county extension should be able to recommend a source.
COMING UP: The dirt....um...soil arrives Monday. We'll take you through the steps. Details in the next entry on Monday 26.
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