[Community_garden] How/whether to prevent leaching into sandy soil

[Ray Schutte]

Build the soil, with over wintering mulches,  You can cover the mulch in
burlap or other materials that allow the moisture to move through and into
the mulch.  Mix the mulch like you would a good compost, cover and it will
break down over the winter, Turn it into the soil, (or you could consider
till less gardening) the ground will be soft, soil nutrition will be
improved and you be adding organic material to continue feeding the garden
through the summer.   Nice mulches all summer between plants will keep the
weeds out and help build the soil further.  The sandy soil will provide the
necessary electrical balance so the cations will make the nutrients readily
available.  Soon the sandy soil will become rich and productive.

Ray Schutte

"The truth of the matter is that the flower has cleverly manipulated the bee
into hauling its pollen from blossom to blossom." The Botany of Desire,
Michael Pollan


-----Original Message-----
From: community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org
[mailto:community_garden-bounces at list.communitygarden.org] On Behalf Of
David Parkinson
Sent: Thursday, September 06, 2007 12:02 PM
To: community_garden at list.communitygarden.org
Subject: [Community_garden] How/whether to prevent leaching into sandy soil

Hello all:

Here in Powell River, we are looking at starting a small demonstration
garden in a currently vacant lot behind a storefront. Without knowing much
about the makeup of the soil, I can see that it is pretty poor-quality sandy
stuff. Up here, it rains a lot during the winter, so we're worried that even
if we build up the soil much of the good stuff will leach out during the
rainy weather an disappear into the porous sandy stuff beneath.

Should we be thinking about putting down a lining before building beds? If
so, what's the best thing to use? It would worry me to use something
waterproof, since that might cause the soil to become waterlogged. Is there
anything that will slow down leaching without making an impervious barrier?

Any ideas or pointers welcome. Thanks!!

-- 
David Parkinson
Powell River, BC
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