Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Reading on I found out that some soils are made with "biosolids"
(sewer sludge). From my reading it was pointed out that this
information is not unnecessarily reported to the consumer. Apparently
this is some "nasty" stuff to be growing food crops in, since it
contains things that are not removed at the sewer treatment plants.*


Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?

Thank You.

*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge#Biosolids

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Reading on I found out that some soils are made with "biosolids"
(sewer sludge). From my reading it was pointed out that this
information is not unnecessarily reported to the consumer. Apparently
this is some "nasty" stuff to be growing food crops in, since it
contains things that are not removed at the sewer treatment plants.*


Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?

Thank You.

*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge#Biosolids

You want to avoid biosolids for a garden, or wherever you may want a
garden in the future (heavy metals).
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/mi...ggie-nightmare
-white-house-organic-gar/19114069/

You want 18 lbs. of chicken manure (or its equivalent)/100 sq. ft..
There should be 5% to 10% organic material in the soil.
30% - 40% sand, 30% - 40% silt, 20% - 30% clay
If you scrape away the top inch or two of dirt, then dig a sample from a
hole with vertically straight sides, put it into a large glass jar with
water, and shake it hard to mix it up, then the sediment will take 24
hrs. to settle. The bottom layer is sand, the middle layer is silt, and
the top layer is clay. The thickness of the layer divided by the total
thickness of the total deposit gives the percentage of composition.
You'll want to pull out the rocks as well. Use them to build a nice
fence.

It would probably be easier to build a raised garden, or to use pots.

Good luck.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyE5wjc4XOw
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/j...acks_1-5-09.ph
p

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Reading on I found out that some soils are made with "biosolids"
(sewer sludge). From my reading it was pointed out that this
information is not unnecessarily reported to the consumer. Apparently
this is some "nasty" stuff to be growing food crops in, since it
contains things that are not removed at the sewer treatment plants.*


Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?

Thank You.

*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge#Biosolids

You want to avoid biosolids for a garden, or wherever you may want a
garden in the future (heavy metals).
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/mi...ggie-nightmare
-white-house-organic-gar/19114069/

You want 18 lbs. of chicken manure (or its equivalent)/100 sq. ft..
There should be 5% to 10% organic material in the soil.
30% - 40% sand, 30% - 40% silt, 20% - 30% clay
If you scrape away the top inch or two of dirt, then dig a sample from a
hole with vertically straight sides, put it into a large glass jar with
water, and shake it hard to mix it up, then the sediment will take 24
hrs. to settle. The bottom layer is sand, the middle layer is silt, and
the top layer is clay. The thickness of the layer divided by the total
thickness of the total deposit gives the percentage of composition.
You'll want to pull out the rocks as well. Use them to build a nice
fence.

It would probably be easier to build a raised garden, or to use pots.

Good luck.

Thanks. I'll look into this more and find what I can. Containers are
pretty much a lost cause out here in the heat. We get many days of
115F temperatures and container gardening is not really the best,
without frequent or constant checking and watering.

I have material (cinder-blocks) I can make a raised bed. That was one
thought I have already considered Irrigation is of no concern as I
removed much of my lawn turf and still have the pipes capped off, etc.
I can use it as drip lines for a raised bed. I'll speak with the
local nursery folks.

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

In article ,
Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Reading on I found out that some soils are made with "biosolids"
(sewer sludge). From my reading it was pointed out that this
information is not unnecessarily reported to the consumer. Apparently
this is some "nasty" stuff to be growing food crops in, since it
contains things that are not removed at the sewer treatment plants.*


Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?

Thank You.

*
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge#Biosolids

You want to avoid biosolids for a garden, or wherever you may want a
garden in the future (heavy metals).
http://www.dailyfinance.com/story/mi...ggie-nightmare
-white-house-organic-gar/19114069/

You want 18 lbs. of chicken manure (or its equivalent)/100 sq. ft..
There should be 5% to 10% organic material in the soil.
30% - 40% sand, 30% - 40% silt, 20% - 30% clay
If you scrape away the top inch or two of dirt, then dig a sample from a
hole with vertically straight sides, put it into a large glass jar with
water, and shake it hard to mix it up, then the sediment will take 24
hrs. to settle. The bottom layer is sand, the middle layer is silt, and
the top layer is clay. The thickness of the layer divided by the total
thickness of the total deposit gives the percentage of composition.
You'll want to pull out the rocks as well. Use them to build a nice
fence.

It would probably be easier to build a raised garden, or to use pots.

Good luck.

Thanks. I'll look into this more and find what I can. Containers are
pretty much a lost cause out here in the heat. We get many days of
115F temperatures and container gardening is not really the best,
without frequent or constant checking and watering.

I have material (cinder-blocks) I can make a raised bed. That was one
thought I have already considered Irrigation is of no concern as I
removed much of my lawn turf and still have the pipes capped off, etc.
I can use it as drip lines for a raised bed. I'll speak with the
local nursery folks.

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyE5wjc4XOw
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/j...acks_1-5-09.ph
p

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Snip...

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.

Many years ago their was an episode which I do not remember. The show had
this one guy with a beautiful garden in the desert. He had a high walled
one acre yard with a small home inside the walled area. The place was
surrounded by a brown dusty town and inside the gate a beautiful garden.
The high walls blocked the wind and provided shade for the plants.

He had a massive water management system that captured very rain drop and
an automatic drip watering system. The landscape itself had stone paths
that had water to flow into a cistern. He also had patios with open roofs
of two by twelves that blocked much of the harsh sun light for the more
delicate plants.

I have a feeling soil building is not going to be your main problem, it is
water and providing shade for the plants in a harsh environment. When you
add water to your soil soil does it turn: clay like, sand like or does the
water stay in it with nice loamy texture?

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

In article ,
Nad R wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Snip...

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.

Many years ago their was an episode which I do not remember. The show had
this one guy with a beautiful garden in the desert. He had a high walled
one acre yard with a small home inside the walled area. The place was
surrounded by a brown dusty town and inside the gate a beautiful garden.
The high walls blocked the wind and provided shade for the plants.

He had a massive water management system that captured very rain drop and
an automatic drip watering system. The landscape itself had stone paths
that had water to flow into a cistern. He also had patios with open roofs
of two by twelves that blocked much of the harsh sun light for the more
delicate plants.

I have a feeling soil building is not going to be your main problem, it is
water and providing shade for the plants in a harsh environment.

That's not the question that he asked. Oren asked,
"Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?"

The first questioned was answered. As to the second question, it is a
lot like cooking: use the best ingredients and the best practices.

When you
add water to your soil soil does it turn: clay like, sand like or does the
water stay in it with nice loamy texture?

Since cool air stays closer to the ground, walls act as a container to
keep the coolness from flowing away, and offer some shade. Overhangs,
like covered porches, protect the house's walls from being heated by the
sun, permitting them be a source of coolness.

The Moorish/Spanish walled courtyard would help moderate temperatures,
see pictures below. Most probably have too many paving stones, but they
will give you an idea as to what is possible.


http://books.google.com/books?id=Pi_...ntcover&dq=Hac
ienda+walled+courtyards&source=bl&ots=opXBFB_zf0&s ig=FBynp-jHIG4XLL5UjoIX
OHTgsU0&hl=en&ei=EgEqTf7FNI74sAPo0aHFCA&sa=X&oi=bo ok_result&ct=result&res
num=2&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2795709700034323750liNrcY
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyE5wjc4XOw
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/j...acks_1-5-09.ph
p

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Nad R wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Snip...

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.

Many years ago their was an episode which I do not remember. The show had
this one guy with a beautiful garden in the desert. He had a high walled
one acre yard with a small home inside the walled area. The place was
surrounded by a brown dusty town and inside the gate a beautiful garden.
The high walls blocked the wind and provided shade for the plants.

He had a massive water management system that captured very rain drop and
an automatic drip watering system. The landscape itself had stone paths
that had water to flow into a cistern. He also had patios with open roofs
of two by twelves that blocked much of the harsh sun light for the more
delicate plants.

I have a feeling soil building is not going to be your main problem, it is
water and providing shade for the plants in a harsh environment.

That's not the question that he asked. Oren asked,
"Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?"

The first questioned was answered. As to the second question, it is a
lot like cooking: use the best ingredients and the best practices.

When you
add water to your soil soil does it turn: clay like, sand like or does the
water stay in it with nice loamy texture?

Since cool air stays closer to the ground, walls act as a container to
keep the coolness from flowing away, and offer some shade. Overhangs,
like covered porches, protect the house's walls from being heated by the
sun, permitting them be a source of coolness.

The Moorish/Spanish walled courtyard would help moderate temperatures,
see pictures below. Most probably have too many paving stones, but they
will give you an idea as to what is possible.


http://books.google.com/books?id=Pi_...ntcover&dq=Hac
ienda+walled+courtyards&source=bl&ots=opXBFB_zf0&s ig=FBynp-jHIG4XLL5UjoIX
OHTgsU0&hl=en&ei=EgEqTf7FNI74sAPo0aHFCA&sa=X&oi=bo ok_result&ct=result&res
num=2&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2795709700034323750liNrcY

When he mentioned southern Nevada, it just brought back the memories of
that tv program. After all I am no expert in that area since I still have
snow on the ground and 25 degrees outside. Soon to start indoor seed
starting and longing for spring.

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R (Garden in zone 5a Michigan)

In article ,
Nad R wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Nad R wrote:

Billy wrote:
In article ,
Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Snip...

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.

Many years ago their was an episode which I do not remember. The show had
this one guy with a beautiful garden in the desert. He had a high walled
one acre yard with a small home inside the walled area. The place was
surrounded by a brown dusty town and inside the gate a beautiful garden.
The high walls blocked the wind and provided shade for the plants.

He had a massive water management system that captured very rain drop and
an automatic drip watering system. The landscape itself had stone paths
that had water to flow into a cistern. He also had patios with open roofs
of two by twelves that blocked much of the harsh sun light for the more
delicate plants.

I have a feeling soil building is not going to be your main problem, it is
water and providing shade for the plants in a harsh environment.

That's not the question that he asked. Oren asked,
"Questions: What can I use and combine to make my own soil? Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?"

The first questioned was answered. As to the second question, it is a
lot like cooking: use the best ingredients and the best practices.

When you
add water to your soil soil does it turn: clay like, sand like or does the
water stay in it with nice loamy texture?

Since cool air stays closer to the ground, walls act as a container to
keep the coolness from flowing away, and offer some shade. Overhangs,
like covered porches, protect the house's walls from being heated by the
sun, permitting them be a source of coolness.

The Moorish/Spanish walled courtyard would help moderate temperatures,
see pictures below. Most probably have too many paving stones, but they
will give you an idea as to what is possible.


http://books.google.com/books?id=Pi_...ntcover&dq=Hac
ienda+walled+courtyards&source=bl&ots=opXBFB_zf0&s ig=FBynp-jHIG4XLL5UjoIX
OHTgsU0&hl=en&ei=EgEqTf7FNI74sAPo0aHFCA&sa=X&oi=bo ok_result&ct=result&res
num=2&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2795709700034323750liNrcY

When he mentioned southern Nevada, it just brought back the memories of
that tv program. After all I am no expert in that area since I still have
snow on the ground and 25 degrees outside. Soon to start indoor seed
starting and longing for spring.

I hope to start germinating cool weather crops in early February. I'm
just starting to get some sunshine for part of the day, as the Sun works
its way back above the tree line on top of the hill.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyE5wjc4XOw
http://www.salem-news.com/articles/j...acks_1-5-09.ph
p

On Jan 9, 11:50*am, Billy wrote:
In article ,
*Nad R wrote:





Billy wrote:
In article ,
*Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Snip...

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. *The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.

Many years ago their was an episode which I do not remember. The show had
this one guy with a beautiful garden in the desert. He had a high walled
one acre yard with a small home inside the walled area. The place was
surrounded by a brown dusty town and inside the gate a beautiful garden..
The high walls blocked the wind and provided shade for the plants.

He had a massive water management system that captured very rain drop and
an automatic drip watering system. The landscape itself had stone paths
that had water to flow into a cistern. He also had patios with open roofs
of two by twelves that blocked much of the harsh sun light for the more
delicate plants.

I have a feeling soil building is not going to be your main problem, it is
water and providing shade for the plants in a harsh environment.

That's not the question that he asked. Oren asked,
"Questions: *What can I use and combine to make my own soil? *Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?"

The first questioned was answered. As to the second question, it is a
lot like cooking: use the best ingredients and the best practices.

When you
add water to your soil soil does it turn: clay like, sand like or does the
water stay in it with nice loamy texture?

Since cool air stays closer to the ground, walls act as a container to
keep the coolness from flowing away, and offer some shade. Overhangs,
like covered porches, protect the house's walls from being heated by the
sun, permitting them be a source of coolness.

The Moorish/Spanish walled courtyard would help moderate temperatures,
see pictures below. Most probably have too many paving stones, but they
will give you an idea as to what is possible.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Pi_...ntcover&dq=Hac
ienda+walled+courtyards&source=bl&ots=opXBFB_zf0&s ig=FBynp-jHIG4XLL5UjoIX
OHTgsU0&hl=en&ei=EgEqTf7FNI74sAPo0aHFCA&sa=X&oi=bo ok_result&ct=result&res
num=2&ved=0CCQQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q&f=false

http://travel.webshots.com/photo/2795709700034323750liNrcY
--


Pretty pictures, just the wrong conclusion, the Moors brought their
water gardens and irrigation for plants and trees to Europe which then
spread thru the New World. Water being the key factor here. That
"container/wall " cool air flow was a good theory but it doesn't work
that way. Especially at night when those large masses relaease the
heat and keeps cooking those plants.
The shade part is correct.

On Jan 9, 3:19*am, Nad R wrote:
Billy wrote:
In article ,
*Oren wrote:

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 12:52:26 -0800, Billy
wrote:

In article ,
Oren wrote:

Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Snip...

The last time I saw real black dirt was when I crossed the Mississippi
River... wish I had some river bottom dirt. *The desert dirt here is
like concrete.

The first thing a gardener does is to learn how to grow soil. Soil that
is economical, and nurtures, without poisoning the environment.

Many years ago their was an episode which I do not remember. The show had
this one guy with a beautiful garden in the desert. He had a high walled
one acre yard with a small home inside the walled area. The place was
surrounded by a brown dusty town and inside the gate a beautiful garden.
The high walls blocked the wind and provided shade for the plants.

He had a massive water management system that captured very rain drop and
an automatic drip watering system. The landscape itself had stone paths
that had water to flow into a cistern. He also had patios with open roofs
of two by twelves that blocked much of the harsh sun light for the more
delicate plants.

I have a feeling soil building is not going to be your main problem, it is
water and providing shade for the plants in a harsh environment. When you
add water to your soil soil does it turn: clay like, sand like or does the
water stay in it with nice loamy texture?

--
Enjoy Life... Nad R *(Garden in zone 5a Michigan)- Hide quoted text -



You are correct Nad, water is the key to any survival a desert
environment.

Oren do ask your local growers, master gardeners in your area and the
county extension office for assistance. I recommend you test your
soil to find out specific mineral content. Desert soil often contains
high levels of minerals. One does need to consider the water pH
factor, most areas of the Desert SW have very high pH locking up and/
or giving excessive nutes to plants. Testing soil and water is
important and cheap compared to continuously buying additives.
Additionally you have the potential for surface desalinization. You
can win a few battles but you will not win the war on the desert.

I have seen some beautiful gardens in the SW but mostly their natives
or similar environment plants, wise irrigation and proper
orientation.

I do need to put a plug in for Hydroponics and Controlled Environment
Agriculture (CEA), the fastest growing area in the world's desert
environments. In that approach you don't need to mess with nor
contribute to soil problems and you conserve water, using about 1/10
the amount.

BTW do go reread your reference on biosolids, There are different
classes and National Standards used by most states. Regardless just
know that many do not contain all the heavy metals that billy said
plagued the White Hose. My concern is no one is testing for the
increasing pharmaceuticals.

On Jan 8, 2:37*pm, Oren wrote:
Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Reading on I found out that some soils are made with "biosolids"
(sewer sludge). *From my reading it was pointed out that this
information is not unnecessarily reported to the consumer. Apparently
this is some "nasty" stuff to be growing food crops in, since it
contains things that are not removed at the sewer treatment plants.*

Questions: *What can I use and combine to make my own soil? *Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?

Thank You.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge#Biosolids

That very fine sand that makes the ground so hard can be
broken up with thicker sand particles. Keep mixing things in
and you will have good soil.

There is heavy metals in sludge and sometimes you
will find tomatoes seeds growing in it at the plant. Also marijuana.



greg

In article
,
Gz wrote:

On Jan 8, 2:37*pm, Oren wrote:
Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Reading on I found out that some soils are made with "biosolids"
(sewer sludge). *From my reading it was pointed out that this
information is not unnecessarily reported to the consumer. Apparently
this is some "nasty" stuff to be growing food crops in, since it
contains things that are not removed at the sewer treatment plants.*

Questions: *What can I use and combine to make my own soil? *Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?

Thank You.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge#Biosolids

That very fine sand that makes the ground so hard can be
broken up with thicker sand particles. Keep mixing things in
and you will have good soil.

There is heavy metals in sludge and sometimes you
will find tomatoes seeds growing in it at the plant. Also marijuana.



greg

Make your soil adjustments, sand, organic material, and then check-out
lasagna gardening (aka: sheet mulching).

http://ourgardengang.tripod.com/lasagna_gardening.htm
http://organicgardening.about.com/od...en/a/lasagnaga
rden.htm
http://www.fbga.net/Lasagna%20gardening%202004.htm
http://www.ourgardengang.com/lasagna_gardening.htm

You may want to dig your garden to mix in your amendments, for the first
season, after that it is no-dig gardening that uses mulch to suppress
weeds and to conserve water.
--
- Billy
³When you give food to the poor, they call you a saint. When you ask why the poor have no food, they call you a communist.²
-Archbishop Helder Camara
http://peace.mennolink.org/articles/...acegroups.html
http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth...130964689.html
20111812130964689.html

On Jan 25, 10:07*am, Gz wrote:
On Jan 8, 2:37*pm, Oren wrote:





Hello,

I live in Southern Nevada (Mojave Desert) USDA Zone 8a.

This is a difficult place to grow a garden, but yesterday I found some
information that got me excited about growing tomatoes. The lady has a
book with many details for growing in the harsh desert.

Our soil here is hard packed, plenty of rock and difficult to grow
anything.

Reading on I found out that some soils are made with "biosolids"
(sewer sludge). *From my reading it was pointed out that this
information is not unnecessarily reported to the consumer. Apparently
this is some "nasty" stuff to be growing food crops in, since it
contains things that are not removed at the sewer treatment plants.*

Questions: *What can I use and combine to make my own soil? *Are there
products that I can use to ensure the soil is safe?

Thank You.

*http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sludge#Biosolids

That very fine sand that makes the ground so hard can be
broken up with thicker sand particles. Keep mixing things in
and you will have good soil.

There is heavy metals in sludge and sometimes you
will find tomatoes seeds growing in it at the plant. Also marijuana.

greg- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

On Jan 25, 10:07*am, Gz wrote:
On Jan 8, 2:37*pm, Oren wrote:




There is heavy metals in sludge and sometimes you
will find tomatoes seeds growing in it at the plant. Also marijuana.


Any seed growing in this sludge is from the organic material they use
for soil mix, not from the sewage treatment process

As for heavy metals, Class A is the only one approved for home lawn
and gardens and should contain levels less than most background
levels There is also another type of biosolids above the class A
called Exceptional Quality. This is preferable to use. Again you can
research the max allowable levels of heavy metals in each class. The
Exceptional Quality is recommended bt the many Master Gardener
Association here in the PNW, still as a safety precaution I do not
recommend it for anyone with a compromised immune system or other
health problems.

http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/wastew...lids/genqa.cfm


Having said that you need to beware that many sand/gravel places will
use lesser classes of biosludge to make their compost mix, further
mixing that with other soil to make their top greade garden mix or
they gather up the waste from a cut site that was previously sprayed
with lesser quality sludge.

I also do not recommend adding sand to desert soils. Never have seen
it to work well even with drip irrigation expect for melons. They
were a desert plant to start with.
http://www.artistic-arborist.com/june_2004.htm

On Sat, 08 Jan 2011 11:37:27 -0800, Oren wrote:

Hello,

Thanks for all the replies. I'll digest the comments and have saved
links for reviewing.

smack my head on the keyboard I found a local extension office
about a mile from my house and plan to visit. I was aware of one
miles/miles away, but the office near me I though was a college
campus.

They offer some classes, however, the classes are limited to 25
students. Right now the classes are filled until about April.

I'll be going with raised beds.

http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/horticulture/

Again, I appreciate all the comments from everyone.