top soil

[Beachboy]

who has the best rates for a truck load of top soil, and what would it cost me?

" If God had intended us not to masturbate he would've made our arms shorter."

George Carlin

[macuu222]

I'm not sure where they got the saying "dirt cheap". But here dirt ain't cheap. Last time I got a truckload of cinder soil mix from Brysons it was about $500.00. And it's not always available.

[Hotzcatz]

I've tried giving top soil away and folks wouldn't come get it.

Can you get top soil or will it actually be cinders? Have you tried the mulch from the transfer station in Hilo? Using your own pickup truck is usually the least expensive way to get rocks, gravel, cinders, chicken manure (at least when we still had chicken farms), mushroom compost, etc.

[Beachboy]

I keep driving daily thru HPP and I'm constantly seeing what appears to be nice piles of top soil that homeowners have delivered. I wonder where all that beautiful top soil is coming from? Just thinking about it causes me to think I smell that earthy smell associated with nice dirt.[]

" If God had intended us not to masturbate he would've made our arms shorter."

George Carlin

[Kahunascott]

Beachboy,
That dirt you’re looking at isn’t topsoil. It’s “Cane Wash” from the Pepeekeo sugar mill.
All the suppliers around here use it and it’s what they make the cinder soil out of.
It’s full of clay and hard to work with cuz it clumps. I mixed a bout a ton (back of a P/U truck) with a bag of the Promix ($40.00) and I got the soil to loosen up and become lighter and more manageable. Also I gave it some nutrients with the Promix. I think the dirt is pretty tired and who knows what else is in it?
I’m sure glad I get it a contractors prices but I would guess it would be about $30/ton delivered.
Call Bryson’s or Puna Rock to get a current price.



"Many dreams come true and some have silver linings, I look for my dreams and a pocket full of gold" Led Zeppelin

[Beachboy]

kahunascott, mahalo brah!!!

" If God had intended us not to masturbate he would've made our arms shorter."

George Carlin

[JerryCarr]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kahunascott

Beachboy,
That dirt you’re looking at isn’t topsoil. It’s “Cane Wash” from the Pepeekeo sugar mill.
All the suppliers around here use it and it’s what they make the cinder soil out of.
It’s full of clay and hard to work with cuz it clumps. I mixed a bout a ton (back of a P/U truck) with a bag of the Promix ($40.00) and I got the soil to loosen up and become lighter and more manageable.

---

Scott is right about that stuff. It looks like nice fluffy topsoil at first glance, but the clay (and who knows what else) in it make it unsuitable for growing most ornamental or food plants. I got a load of it (fortunately a small one) from a guy I flagged down on my road. The only way I could use it was to mix it with cinders and potting soil, with it compromising no more than a third of the total.

Cheers,
Jerry

[dirk1609]

Mushroom compost? Please where do I get some?
Back in Olympia Washington, Ostroms mushroom farm would fill up your truck with mushroom compost for $15.00. You could even get a 50 50 mix of compost and topsoil for a little more. If you planted directly in the mushroom compost, it would burn your plants like a fire. But once mixed, it was great stuff. Is there a farm on the island selling it?

I just pick up the free mulch and speed up the process by putting in in our tumble composters with some cinder. It mixes it up and breaks it down much easier and faster.

[Carey]

You may want to try Parker Ranch for pre-mushroom compost (esp around the rodeo times)
Another place that may have manure is Panaewa Equestian Center....

If those turn up empty, one of the leading mycological experts is a prof at UH-Hilo. Dr. Hemmes co authored "Mushrooms of Hawaii", & might have insight on avaiablity of mushroom compost on island