Okay, so where do I get dirt?

[DunDunDuuun]

Is there a place to buy dirt for raised beds - like, a lot of dirt - instead of having to buy it in bags?

Also, am I looking for something called top soil, or what?

[bbkaren]

Check with your county; ours sells aged beautiful compost for under $200 per 10 Cubic Yard truckload. (and this is a LARGE truckload. It provided compost for us, which is about half the soil in our raised beds, for 12 raised beds, about 100 feet of 2' wide perimeter garden, two "flower beds", plus a heap of extra for miscellany.)

It's part of the recycling program; they recycle all the wood chips, etc. into compost.

[bbkaren]

I had a terrible experience getting topsoil. The stuff they brought me was full of glass chips, and nothing grew in it.

I found out later that just because it's topsoil, doesn't mean it's worth a @#$% to grow in.

[Summerthyme]

Karen has it right... unfortunately, what gets sold as "topsoil" often is REALLY crappy stuff. Worse, I've known at least three cases where it grew NOTHING... it was loaded with residual herbicides. In one case, it took FOUR YEARS of sitting in a pile before it would grow weeds!

The best thing to do is find some compost if at all possible, and start making your own... as I've said in previous posts, start making friends and offering to take leaves and yard waste off people's hands.

If you do find that "topsoil" is all you can get, see if you can get a small (a few gallons worth) sample, even if you have to pay a couple bucks for it. (that would be more for the seller's "time and trouble" than the value of the soil). Then, bring it home and plant a few seeds, including some broadleaf plants and at least a few kernels of corn. That should cover the common herbicides and give you a chance to judge the cleanness and quality of the soil. Don't expect it to be nice, rich, deep brown stuff... that's what you may end up with after years of composting and care, but they don't sell that much!

Summerthyme

[DunDunDuuun]

Oh wow. I felt like such a ninny asking, but boy I'm glad I did. Thank you both very much.

[bbkaren]

Please don't - we've all been there! It's a LOT to learn.

[Cyclonemom]

Dun,

If you know of any small time landscapers, they can often get you a better deal.

Nurseries can also help you out. But can be super costly (For me, anyway) But sometimes they do have the highest quality material.

And yes, ST is right as always. What some people sell for topsoil I would only use as fill. Go see it first if at all possible. And ask if you can dig a bit in the pile. . . ...

[maddymae]

ask specifically for "garden soil for vegetables". around here it sells for $30 a scoop (1yd) at the landscape or nursery stores and we haul in the pickup truck. top soil can include a lot of ground up bark/trees (that has not composted) and not a lot of soil which makes it hard to hold moisture. MM

[Cyclonemom]

Another tip is to get slightly more topsoil than you need, as there can be some settling. And it is darn useful to have around if you have the space to dump it. Especially if your own soil is poor.

Unless someone can disprove me, 1 yard should cover a 6in tall x 4 foot wide x 12 foot long bed. (1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet, right?)

How big and how many beds did you make, Dun?