Gardeners: let's talk soil improvement, your tips

[j666]

@masterofnone

Another method if you’re handy and have tools: Get 2’ wide chicken wire or hardware cloth and some 2x6’s. Cut two 2x6’s 21 1/2", and two to whatever length you want your screen to be + extra for handles. Rip 1/2" or so off the bottom of all of the 2x6’s. Screw together to make a box, using the 1/2" strips to hold the screen in. Round off handles with a drawknife. An ASCII side view follows, but since this mesage board eliminates extra spaces, hit “Reply” to see it. I’ve got one of these with 1" chicken wire, and one with 1/2" hardware cloth, and they work great. The handles allow you to bounce it so everything falls through without having to scrape the stuff around to get it to fall through.

---

|________________ |
| |
|_____________________________________|
|-----------------------------------------------------------|

Hmm, I like that.

I can also leave the screen & bucket combination out in a good heavy rain, and all the soil is washed into the bucket.

Does anyone know how to use ashes to best advantage? I’ve a mountain of brush to burn. I’ve been using the charcoal and ashes for mulch in the beds (much cheaper than Black Mulch) and, mixed with soil and clippings, to fill low spots in the lawn.

The charcoal is leveling the yard nicely, but the grass isn’t spreading into the ash pits; what else can I do?

[masterofnone]

@j666

Does anyone know how to use ashes to best advantage? I’ve a mountain of brush to burn. I’ve been using the charcoal and ashes for mulch in the beds (much cheaper than Black Mulch) and, mixed with soil and clippings, to fill low spots in the lawn.

The charcoal is leveling the yard nicely, but the grass isn’t spreading into the ash pits; what else can I do?

Check the pH. Ashes are very alkaline, and it’s not hard to overdo it. Charcoal makes great mulch, but I’d wash the ashes off to avoid raising the pH too high.

[j666]

@masterofnone

Check the pH. Ashes are very alkaline, and it’s not hard to overdo it. Charcoal makes great mulch, but I’d wash the ashes off to avoid raising the pH too high.

Ah, thank you. I live in New England, where the soil tends to acid, so I’ll just grab some extra soil. Thanks again