Advice for the "Do-It-Yourselfer"

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**Please note, Earthco Soil Mixtures does not take responsibility or liability for any loss, damage, or injuries occured. The information provided is for general information. Consulting a professional landscape contractor is recommended.

Calculating the soil

Try using the following formula;
Assuming a rectangular or square work area is to be cultivated, determine your dimensions. Length (in feet) x width (in feet) to give you the square foot area. Multiply the square foot area by depth (in inches) and divide by 12. Then divide by 27 to give you cubic yards.

Simply stated:
square foot area x depth (in inches) divided by 12; divided by 27 = cubic yards

Example:
For a rectangular area: length = 12ft., width = 6ft., depth = 4 inches
12ft x 6ft x 6inches /12 /27 = 1.33 cubic yards; say 1.5 cuyds

How much or how big is a cubic yard?

Mathematically speaking, 1 cubic yard measures 3 feet long by 3 feet wide by 3 feet high.

Geometrically speaking, 1 cubic yards is slightly larger than the size of a kitchen stove.

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Adding soil amendments to your existing planting or garden beds?

We suggest using the Classic Compost, Premium Compost or Screened Mushroom Compost products that we provide. In applying either of these three products, care must be taken not to use too much. We suggest applying 1 to 2 inches of the chosen product on the surface of the planting bed and then blending it into the existing soil. Make sure to add sufficient amounts of water to exisiting plants to avoid wilting and burning.

Do you need to add some organic matter and give your soil beds that rich black appearance?

We suggest using our Classic Compost, Premium Compost or Compost Pine Bark Mulch. Organic matter helps soil become alive! It works to maximize soil fertility, help retain moisture and support healthy plant growth. In addition, it makes soil friable, that is loose, fluffy and easy to work with. These products are excellent for topping up your planting beds, gardens and around trees and shrubs.

Thinking of laying new sod for your front or back yard or considering growing grass seed?

For this application, the most economical product to use is Screened Topsoil. This product does a great job in providing a suitable soil base for healthy root growth and anchorage. In addition, this allows one to create unique landscape profiles offering rigidity and stability. Two other products you may consider are Premium Soil Mix and Triple Mix. Both contain some screened topsoil, but the difference being that these products have added nutrients and organic matter to better promote healthy plant growth.

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Considering to plant new tree or shrubs; creating a new garden and flower bed or adding to an existing one?

Here, the choice of product is quite simple. For this application we suggest using Triple Mix or Premium Soil Mix. Using a nutrient and organically enriched soil helps build a workable and fertile planting bed. It is your best assurance in creating and sustaining new healthy plant growth. Usually when creating new planting beds, we suggest using a soil depth of 8 to 16 inches, removing some of the existing subsoil to make room for new planting soil. For larger plants, a larger planting hole is required for their root ball (i.e. trees and some larger shrubs). In this case, a minimum of 6 to 8 inches should surroiund the bottom and sides of the root ball, in order to help the new plants adapt to their new home.

Do you want to overseed and level off certain areas of your lawn?

Try using our Premium Soil Mix. Each year many home owners wish to improve the health, appearance and soil profile of their lawn. One solution we offer is to use this highly organic and light weight soil in conjunction with grass seed and commercial fertilizer. This product is an excellent soil medium for this application.

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Want to minimize weed growth and reduce maintainance for your gardens without using too many herbicides or pesticides?

One resourceful solution is to use any of our quality mulches. We recommend our shredded Pine Mulch or Forest Mulch. Consider our colored cedar and wood mulches as well. Mulches help minimize weed growth and maintain good moisture levels in soil. They can enhance the appearance of your gardens and through decomposition add nutrients to the soil. We recommend applying 2 to 6 inches of mulch over planting beds, around trees and shrubs. This will ensure good ground cover and uniformity of colour throughout your gardens.

Please note, Earthco Soil Mixtures does not take responsibility or liability for any loss, damage, or injuries occured. The information provided is for general information. You should consult a professional landscape contractor if there is any doubt.

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