How do I create a good soil mix?
Question:
I live in coastal Lubec and have zero soil around my house, as the builder infilled with pure gravel (good for drainage, if nothing else, right?!). I plan to trench the gravel to develop soil beds for native plantings, and need guidance for what to use / how to mix the right soils. I do not want septic soil, nor do I wish to spend gobs of money on Coast of Maine mixes, as I’m looking at about 10 yards to start with. Can you tell me what to use to mix my own and the best places to get it? So far, I have bare root viburnum and bare root staghorn sumac shipping my way from similar sub-boreal regions in Michigan.
Answer:
Brian Erickson, Sustainable Agriculture Professional/Professional I
Here are a few resources I like to use when talking about soils and yardscaping. Bulletin #2283, Tips for Purchasing Soil for Gardens and Landscape Projects, Native seed sources, and Generic seed sources (lawn/forage).
I have also attached a directory for commercial compost suppliers (Word). Please don’t hesitate to reach out to your local Extension office if you have any further questions.
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