| Handling those Heavy Bags of Soil |
an introspective series of articles about raised gardening
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Avoiding the back breaking job of
lifting heavy soil bags.
The process of acquiring needed soil for a raised
garden is not particularly complicated and the method
for filling the garden once the soil is obtained is quite
straight forward. Three things you must know before
making your purchase are: (1) How much is needed,
(2) What types to buy. (3) How to get it home.
Soil is sold in plastic bags normally containing one
cubic foot of material and weighing 40 pounds. To
determine the amount needed for a specific garden it
is necessary to multiply the width x length x height
measured in feet. As an example, a 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 1 ft.
(approx. 11 inches tall) figures out to be 16 cubic feet
or sixteen bags of soil weighing 40 pounds each.
The soil comes in a variety of types. Some have brand
names, particularly if they are the more expensive
grades of soil usually containing some artificial plant
growth component. Most have generic names such as
potting soil, garden soil, humus, top soil, compost, peat
moss and some kind of mixture containing cow
manure.
For use in a raised garden bed, we have concluded
that a combination of three of the generics; topsoil,
compost and humus are ideal. We have found also
that the least expensive varieties serve as well as the
more expensive brands.
The main objective when handling the 40 pound bags,
is to NOT lift them if at all possible. Therefore, if one's
vehicle is an SUV then transporting the bags presents
little challenge. If the bags must be loaded into the
trunk of a sedan, then the job becomes a bit more
difficult. If a large piece of plywood can be placed into
the trunk or boot so that it protrudes out the back of
the vehicle, removal of the bags becomes less of a
strain. In this case the trunk lid must be tied down
since it is unable to be latched.
Once home with your load of soil, it may be moved
from the vehicle to the garden ideally by
wheelbarrow. The process involves sliding the bags
from the vehicle into the wheelbarrow without any
lifting. The alternative is to roll the bag from the
vehicle to the ground, then to be rolled onto a luggage
cart for transport to the garden. Once there, it is again
rolled over the edge of the garden frame before being
slit for emptying into the garden.
Those fortunate enough to have a light truck or SUV,
the bags of soil may be slid into a wheelbarrow if
available and then dumped into the garden after being
slit for emptying. Of course, those of you with strong
backs may not need to follow such a ritual and can
merely lift and carry the bags to their destination.
Next Chapter
lifting heavy soil bags.
The process of acquiring needed soil for a raised
garden is not particularly complicated and the method
for filling the garden once the soil is obtained is quite
straight forward. Three things you must know before
making your purchase are: (1) How much is needed,
(2) What types to buy. (3) How to get it home.
Soil is sold in plastic bags normally containing one
cubic foot of material and weighing 40 pounds. To
determine the amount needed for a specific garden it
is necessary to multiply the width x length x height
measured in feet. As an example, a 4 ft. x 4 ft. x 1 ft.
(approx. 11 inches tall) figures out to be 16 cubic feet
or sixteen bags of soil weighing 40 pounds each.
The soil comes in a variety of types. Some have brand
names, particularly if they are the more expensive
grades of soil usually containing some artificial plant
growth component. Most have generic names such as
potting soil, garden soil, humus, top soil, compost, peat
moss and some kind of mixture containing cow
manure.
For use in a raised garden bed, we have concluded
that a combination of three of the generics; topsoil,
compost and humus are ideal. We have found also
that the least expensive varieties serve as well as the
more expensive brands.
The main objective when handling the 40 pound bags,
is to NOT lift them if at all possible. Therefore, if one's
vehicle is an SUV then transporting the bags presents
little challenge. If the bags must be loaded into the
trunk of a sedan, then the job becomes a bit more
difficult. If a large piece of plywood can be placed into
the trunk or boot so that it protrudes out the back of
the vehicle, removal of the bags becomes less of a
strain. In this case the trunk lid must be tied down
since it is unable to be latched.
Once home with your load of soil, it may be moved
from the vehicle to the garden ideally by
wheelbarrow. The process involves sliding the bags
from the vehicle into the wheelbarrow without any
lifting. The alternative is to roll the bag from the
vehicle to the ground, then to be rolled onto a luggage
cart for transport to the garden. Once there, it is again
rolled over the edge of the garden frame before being
slit for emptying into the garden.
Those fortunate enough to have a light truck or SUV,
the bags of soil may be slid into a wheelbarrow if
available and then dumped into the garden after being
slit for emptying. Of course, those of you with strong
backs may not need to follow such a ritual and can
merely lift and carry the bags to their destination.
Next Chapter
By sliding the 40 pound bags of soil from vehicle to
wheelbarrow rather than lifting makes the job almost
effortless.
wheelbarrow rather than lifting makes the job almost
effortless.
Once the soil is transported to the garden site and slit
along the bottom, the wheelbarrow is tilted to allow the
bag to slide into the garden where it is easily emptied
without lifting. Note the layer of paper in the bottom of
the garden to assist in resisting the future growth of
weeds.
along the bottom, the wheelbarrow is tilted to allow the
bag to slide into the garden where it is easily emptied
without lifting. Note the layer of paper in the bottom of
the garden to assist in resisting the future growth of
weeds.