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Re: Help -- Soil Prep

Square Foot Gardening List - http://www.flinet.com/~gallus/sqft.html

Patricia,

I use a modified version of Mel's formula to mix soil.  I broke it down into 
smaller quantities mathematically to get the # of parts of each ingredient 
since I usually only mix one wheelbarrow full at a time.  I use a shovel as 
my measuring tool and don't get too hung up on being exact (which is 
uncharacteristic of my normally obsessive behavior!)  So far it's worked 
great!  I use the same mixture for outdoor potting soil.  I buy vermiculite, 
lime, fertilizer and peat moss at the nearby AGWAY and make my own compost.  
I get a 1 ton of construction sand in the spring and use it throughout the 
season and I use the ashes from my fireplace.  So far so good.

9 shovels peat moss
6 shovels vermiculite
6 shovels compost  (I highly recommend sifting through 1/2" mesh)
5 shovels sand
1 shovel wood ashes
about 1 cup lime
about 1 cup all-purpose (10-10-10) fertilizer

Mix well and use freely!!!!  I also top-dress with pure compost.  It's good 
for the plants and looks great -- very dark.

Who ever thought that dirt could be so complex!!!

Best wishes!

Joe -- Zone 6b
Langhorne, PA

Feeling more and more like my grandfathers ... both came from Italy in the 
early 1900s and both had gardens well into their 90s.  I'm 37 as of today and 
hope to be as lucky!


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