Offer for free soil

[sleuth]

A guy on CL is offering free clean fill dirt, as much as we want, just for the cost of delivery. We are needing some in our new raised beds, roughly 15-18 cubic yards. Everywhere I've called has quoted $12-$20 per cubic yard, so this would be a pretty good score if it works out.

I asked him if it appeared to be rich fertile soil or if it was unsuitable for growing vegetables. He says it is good rich soil, but I'm going to go look at it later. What should I look for? What questions should I ask? The location is in a residential but urban area, so what do I look for to judge whether it's polluted?

 

[Wannabefree]

There is really nothing you can SEE that would be a positive identification of all potential soil borne disease and or weed seed etc. etc. Honestly, I would not personally take the chance on losing all my veggies. There is really no telling whats in there. You can take him at his word, but unfortunately a lot of times if people are wanting to just unload something unwanted they are often vague and or flat out lie for their own purposes. It is a gamble either way you slice it. I'd say you have a 50/50 chance of getting actual good garden soil, and a 50/50 chance of introducing some funky soil cooties onto your place. Free isn't always best. I guess you could have it tested, but I think the tests would be expensive if you want it tested for different kinds of contamination. That's just my opinion though. Others will chime in.

 

[FarmerJamie]

"good rich soil" as free fill dirt? My cents - it flunks my "this smells okay" test, but that's just me. I'd pass

 

[animalfarm]

Clean fill is clearly understood to be dirt/gravel/clay/rocks which is only good for filling swamps and low ground so buildings and parking lots can be built in those areas. It is the stuff they dig out from below the top soil when digging basements in subdivisions. It is NOT suitable for gardening. The reason that it is free is that they would have to pay to dispose of it if no one gives them a free dumping ground. This guy sees you coming and is only thinking of himself. He sees you as a mark. You want top soil; not fill. You will soon be advertising clean fill yourself if you take this stuff and paying to get rid of it. You will also see adds for clean fill wanted. They need to fill a whole with crappy stuff. Keep looking.

 

[Hinotori]

Yes, fill dirt is rocky subsoil usually. Not the stuff you want for a garden. Get the soil for your plants from a reputable place.

 

[sleuth]

Well, the group consensus is exactly what I figured. I was hoping my gut was wrong, though.

 

[baymule]

Rural Ohio......hmmmmm........could you find a farmer/rancher with excess manure to get rid of? Compost makes the garden grow!

 

[frustratedearthmother]

Me - I'd go look. Granted you can't see toxins, but you can see if it is actually clean. You can even get a prety good feel for it being 'rich.' But definitely keep your blinders OFF. Hope for the best, but expect the worst....

 

[Emerald]

for my gardens I have big areas that I encouraged the neighbors to pile their leaves in (I am highly sensitive to leaf smoke and get super sick if the neighbors burn their leaves) so I give them all a spot to dump their leaves in the back end of my yard by the field. I let it all rot down into what is called leaf mold(sounds yucky but it great for the garden) I don't turn it or anything and those piles shrink by about %75 over the winter. I've got all three of the worst offenders to change to the pick them up and bring the over..
you could do the same for your garden beds if you have the room.. pile it in your raised bed frames and let it rot down and in the spring just pull it back to plant thru.. dont' even mix it in and you will find that the earth worms will pull that leaf litter/mold right down into the soil and break it up for you. I only have problems with this form of growing with my lettuces. I usually prepare a special bed for them or if I am in the mood for cut and come again baby type lettuce we just plant it in the flower boxes on our porch rails. sounds silly but we tend to use it more if we plant it in the flower boxes.. we have about three to four going all summer.. two with lettuces and two with spinach or even beets. we love beet greens..
I do get a bit of joking my way about how I garden but the neighbors do admit that it seems to work for me.. I've had my tomato plants break the fencing down on me they have been so big before.
kind of a mix of Ruth Stout/square foot and French intensive.
This was the year the fencing broke on me.. I think it was 2008 I changed the way the fencing is now. I took this picture about two weeks before the collapse. the "weeds" in the front of the picture are my baby asparagus plants back then.. I now get a decent harvest from them..

Going up is the way to plant for me.. no more crawling around on the ground or bending over for this gal!

 

[baymule]

Sleuth, might I invite you to scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on theeasygarden.com? It is a sister site to SS and BYC and BYH, you will find a friendly bunch of dedicated gardeners.

As far as building up your soil, how much space do you have? If room allows, I like the leaves idea that Emerald suggested. I have the neighbors leaves piled up, topped with horse manure, doing that very thing right now. I also have chickens and filled their run (12'x8') about 2 feet deep in leaves. They have reduced it to a couple of inches deep, nicely shredded. Time to rake it out and give them some more! If you have chickens, they make fabulous composters! Leaves, grass clippings, spent garden plants, corn shucks and cobs, sawdust and wood shavings, anything almost, they do all the work for you! It would take time to build your soil this way, but you would have a fantastic garden spot!