Hi All,
I just paid $135.00 for delivery of 5 yds of soil. Looks very red and I
believe it is probably clay (not what I thought I was buying). Anyway, now
that it is delivered, it there anything (besides compost which I don't have
access to) that I can add to the soil before spreading it?. I wanted to use it
to fill in depressions in the lawn and to top dress my very thin existing lawn
and then overseed. Any suggestions for easy spreading? The soil was delivered
with large clods (clumps) throughout. Thanks for any suggestions.
Regards,
Donna

Donna,

There's really nothing you can add except organic material.

Dave

"Dunzley" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I just paid $135.00 for delivery of 5 yds of soil. Looks very red and I
believe it is probably clay (not what I thought I was buying). Anyway,
now
that it is delivered, it there anything (besides compost which I don't
have
access to) that I can add to the soil before spreading it?. I wanted to
use it
to fill in depressions in the lawn and to top dress my very thin existing
lawn
and then overseed. Any suggestions for easy spreading? The soil was
delivered
with large clods (clumps) throughout. Thanks for any suggestions.
Regards,
Donna

Boy oh boy are you going to have fun now! What did you do? Just phone
someone and ask for the soil without checking to see what you were going to
get?
OK. Quick check on the soil. Go out and grab a handfull. Dampen it and
squeeze it. If you can form a long skinny "rope" out of it and it doesn't
fall apart, chances are you have clay. You will have to add sand and manure
or anything organic( compost, peat moss mixes, whatever) to ammend the soil.
And it's going to take money and work to do it...well certainly the work if
you can find the manure, compost or sand for free. Next time go out and look
at the stuff before you buy!
--
Jayel
"Dunzley" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I just paid $135.00 for delivery of 5 yds of soil. Looks very red and I
believe it is probably clay (not what I thought I was buying). Anyway,
now
that it is delivered, it there anything (besides compost which I don't
have
access to) that I can add to the soil before spreading it?. I wanted to
use it
to fill in depressions in the lawn and to top dress my very thin existing
lawn
and then overseed. Any suggestions for easy spreading? The soil was
delivered
with large clods (clumps) throughout. Thanks for any suggestions.
Regards,
Donna

After just buying a bunch of soil myself, it also matters whether you buy
pulverized or non-pulverized depending on what you are doing with it. If you
are just top dressing a yard or garden get pulverized. If you are using it
for filling or grading, get non-pulverized or the clumping kind. since it is
more dense.

I would get the soil you bought analyzed before you jump to conclusions and
start adding stuff. The squeezing test someone mentioned is a good one. On
my lot, the native soil is like modeling clay. With a kiln, I could start
my own pottery shop. Don't add too much sand, add Gypsum. Do a search for
clay soil on this group and you will get some good advice. For planting
holes you can also look into the new clay soil improver from schultz's.
It's pricy but claims to speed up the breakdown process. I bought a bag to
try myself but won't know until next year whether it worked.

mm

"J. Lane" wrote in message
. ..
Boy oh boy are you going to have fun now! What did you do? Just phone
someone and ask for the soil without checking to see what you were going
to
get?
OK. Quick check on the soil. Go out and grab a handfull. Dampen it and
squeeze it. If you can form a long skinny "rope" out of it and it doesn't
fall apart, chances are you have clay. You will have to add sand and
manure
or anything organic( compost, peat moss mixes, whatever) to ammend the
soil.
And it's going to take money and work to do it...well certainly the work
if
you can find the manure, compost or sand for free. Next time go out and
look
at the stuff before you buy!
--
Jayel
"Dunzley" wrote in message
...
Hi All,
I just paid $135.00 for delivery of 5 yds of soil. Looks very red and
I
believe it is probably clay (not what I thought I was buying). Anyway,
now
that it is delivered, it there anything (besides compost which I don't
have
access to) that I can add to the soil before spreading it?. I wanted to
use it
to fill in depressions in the lawn and to top dress my very thin
existing
lawn
and then overseed. Any suggestions for easy spreading? The soil was
delivered
with large clods (clumps) throughout. Thanks for any suggestions.
Regards,
Donna

Thanks to all who responded to my clay soil question. Yup, that's what I did.
Saw an advertisement for screened top soil from a place called "Gardener's
Delight" called and ordered the soil delivered without seeing. Didn't know any
better before, but certainly do now. Seems I have alot of work and cost ahead
of me (something I am not looking forward to), but will start as soon as it
stops raining (if it ever does). Thanks again to all.
Regards,
Donna

I'd tell them to come and get it if you really thought you were buying top soil
and was delivered clay.

"TOM KAN PA" wrote in message
...
I'd tell them to come and get it if you really thought you were buying top
soil
and was delivered clay.

Unless you're in my situation. I live on a sandy hill and twice now I've
deliberately ordered a high-clay soil. The truck driver asked me if I really
wanted the stuff, and I assured him I did. You could have made pots out of
it, but it really improved my soil.

However, like the others said, it takes work to handle.

How did you incorporate it into your existing soil Dave?

Dave

"Dave Gower" wrote in message
...

"TOM KAN PA" wrote in message
...
I'd tell them to come and get it if you really thought you were buying
top
soil
and was delivered clay.

Unless you're in my situation. I live on a sandy hill and twice now I've
deliberately ordered a high-clay soil. The truck driver asked me if I
really
wanted the stuff, and I assured him I did. You could have made pots out of
it, but it really improved my soil.

However, like the others said, it takes work to handle.

"David J Bockman" wrote in message
...
How did you incorporate it into your existing soil Dave?

I used my trusty Armstrong Soil Inverter...


otherwise known as a shovel ;).

Actually I didn't turn it in as a project in itself, I just incorporated it
as an amendment over several years when I was working the soil for other
purposes.