I bought a TON of dirt!!!!

[bambootony]

Hello Bamboo Group,
I went to Wally World today and saw that they had 40lb bags of top soil for
50 cents pr. bag.
I got 125 bags, so actually I bought 2 1/2 ton of dirt for 62.50+ tax
I was there already so I don't count the fuel 17 miles away and I get about 14 mpg.
My 1TON van managed the weight just fine... YES V10 FORD POWER!!!
They also are starting their FALL SALES!!!
REMEMBER!!! They sell the broken bag stuff for 1/2 price...
And that is 1/2 off the sale price!!!
NOW... I do not know anything about top soil except it comes in 40 lb bags...
I'm just filling in the low spots in my yard with this stuff...
Here are some photos....







This photo is for Brad!!!!
SQUAT SQUAT 7 gal. pots

[webgator]

That's a great price! Guess I'll have to make a trip over there and see if my local WW has.

[mantis]

Not sure if that Earth Gro soil is bagged locally in different parts of the country, but in my neck of the woods it is almost like clay. It's good for top soil, but it really needs to be amended to be used in pots. (says the guy who used it in all his 65 gal. pots. )

But you can't beat it for $.50/bag. Nice find.

[foxd]

i know there was one type of top soil I got from WallyWorld that set like concrete when dry.

I would also be careful about leaving bags of top soil near bamboo. You may find them difficult to lift due to all the rhizomes fastening them to the ground.

[bambootony]

I just finished unloading the other 75 bags not in the photos.
I think I need to have some dirt haulled in??
I will contact the local delivery and see what the price is???
BTW they had HUMIS+MANURE at wally world for 50 cents too...

[ShmuBamboo]

Buying dirt?

My brother buys dirt here. I do not know why. We live near a river and this 3/4 of an acre has really good bottom soil. I guess if its cheap and on sale at Wally World, may as well take advantage of it.

[ghmerrill]

dont know if anyone noticed it, but those plant pots look like Lotus pans (a type of water plant) No drainage holes? anyway, make sure you drill drainage in them. I think that you will find that they are a bit TOO shallow for you, and will tend to dry out REALLY quick once the plants get rooted in.

[ShmuBamboo]

Oddly I have found that really shallow pots work well for Phyllostachys bamboos (as long as the have water holes, or they will certainly drown).

Those pots look like oil drain pans to me

[bambootony]

Hello ShmuBamboo and ghmerrill
You guys make some good points!!!
Yes I will have to make holes in the 7 gal. squat pots.
I thought they would work well for some of the smaller boo so I could take them inside for the winter.
Actually I was looking for oil drain pans and found these in the animal feed section.
BTW, I got these at Rural King fo 5.00 ea.
They have a funny "PLASTIC" smell so I will use them for water collection for a few weeks with the sun baking them a bit...
Like I said, I just need to to fill in some low spots with the dirt.
It is hard to mow next to the fence when the mower handel is riding the fence and the deck is dragging the ground. and root are sticking up everywhere from my Maple tree.

[bambootony]

Hello Bamboo group,
Well I have not posted in a while. Just been lurking until I had something to write about...
I had 10 more tons of dirt haulled in last week and got it all spread after emptying all the bags that did almost nothing to help fill in the low spots.
Today I uncovered most of the mulch my Bamboo to check the progress of the rhizomes. The rhizomes are spreading even faster that I would have imagined.
The worms are coming up nicely into the mulch too.
Question Do lady bugs I think they are called japaneese beatles harm Bamboo? I was told they eat aphids?
Anyway all the Boo I got from Brad are doing VERY WELL all are re-leafing or showing signs of small shoots and the Yellow Groove is spreading rhizome FAST.
I will try to get some photos posted soon.
From Bambootony

[Alan_L]

Ladybugs (lady beetles) are NOT the same thing as japanese beetles. The japanese beetles eat leaves and flowers, and the ladybugs eat other insects (like aphids and mites). I've not seen japanese beetles on my bamboo though.

[bambootony]

Thanks Alan,
I just googled japanese beatles and you are right!!!!
That is what the people here in town call them, it seemed strange to me.
OK GREAT!!! I will leave the lady beatles alone.
Here are some shots from the yard and some of my new shoots and re-leafing.
Here is a photo of the dirt I used to fill in the low spots in my yard.

[bambootony]

Here is some re-leafing.

[bambootony]

Small shoots in my Bissetii and Phyllostachys aureosulcata 'Aureocaulis'




And some yellow groove

I guess my barrier is working.

[bambootony]

Here is a good shot of my first whipshoot fully leafed out.