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york , pa

Hi, I would like to know what kind of sand to add in the garden? I'm looking to make a sandy loam soil. Any helpful ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

1/20/2002 6:54:32 PM

porterville, calif.

buzz , hi
What kind of soil do you have now? Is it clay? Be careful adding sand to clay you can turn it into almost like cement. I would use alot of ogganic materials like leaves, grasss clippings , maybe some peatmoss , some type of manure. Go light on the sand. Just because you add sand it is not going to make it sandy loam soil that way. Greg

1/20/2002 7:50:59 PM

Roanoke Il

Buzz add organtic matter to your patch compost is the best thing for it. Cow manure in the fall and as many leaves as you can mostly maple,
Mark..P

1/20/2002 8:07:14 PM

Deer Park WA

Hi Buzz, I have a clay based soil. I added tons of manure, compost, leaves, and several seasons of cover crops. I still wound up with a clay/loam soil in the fall. I added 10 yards of "course sand" or "masons sand" after last season, and the resulting soil structure is phenominal.
My big question now is what CROSS from the "fabulous five" (801.5, 723,705,845,940 all mothers) do I want to make with my strain!

1/21/2002 1:12:49 AM

york , pa

I have Clay loam soil. I have heard that sandy loam soil have had the best results for growing BIG PUMPKINS.

1/21/2002 5:27:39 PM

Utah

Buzz-

that's very debatable

gordon

1/21/2002 6:19:44 PM

Deer Park WA

Oh Crap, thanks for the heads up TomMan. I dont have seeds from the "fab five" only from their offspring 1153 Eaton, 1262 Emmons, 1167 Handy, 1230 Delatas, etc, etc.....
Phew I almost pulled a Pumpkinboy!

1/21/2002 6:39:52 PM

Cornwall UK.(50N 5W)300ft.

I put a little sea sand on my patch not long ago,all those shells are made of Calcium and its been used for centuries instead of Lime,its not a magic ingredient just easy for me to get and its free.
The builders sand round here comes from China Clay quarries and is slightly acid so if you're going to put on a lot of sand its a good idea to find out what the pH is first.

1/22/2002 12:52:09 AM

Chester Co., PA

AXC,
There is fine sea sand available here on the Pacific coast, but I worry about using it because don't know if it contains salt. Anyone know?

1/22/2002 12:23:05 PM

Liverpool , England

Yo wes,
If you let the rain get at the sand for a few weeks then all salt will be washed out.

Alun

1/22/2002 7:04:32 PM

walton n.y.

one thing to remember sand plus clay equals brick so i think that you would want to add enough to screw up that equasion what is called masons sand here is a very fine sand that by itself packs down quite hard i would think a corse sand would be better because it should allow air and water to flow better

1/22/2002 8:51:24 PM

Okla

If you have a clay problem, (compacted soil), you might try gypsum. It is suppossed to loosen the clay and make it easier to work, plus it adds calcium.

1/22/2002 11:02:27 PM