New bulb bed - sand only

[mark smyth]

I have a new bed, approx. 6m x 1m and 30cm deep, waiting to be filled with soil and planted with as many bulbs as possible. One problem is it is very difficult to buy ton bags of good soil. All I've looked at recently is mostly clay.

I thought of buying in a couple of ton bags of sand and planting bulbs in to that. What I can do is add a layer of old pot contents, pot contents of weak/dying plants I no longer want and compost bin contents.

Any opinions?

[Chris Johnson]

Hi Mark

I like the idea of a sand-bed for bulbs and may experiment myself this year.

Just a thought, aren't you already above the house's damp-proof course?

[mark smyth]

Its a shed

[Tristan_He]

Hi Mark, I've had a similar problem myself when building my new rockery in te front garden. It's not particularly for bulbs, but alpines need good drainage too.

My local garden centre sells 35l bags of sterilised topsoil at 3 for £10. I mix this with builders sand in a ratio of about 60:40 sand: topsoil (actually nothing like as precise as this sounds) which gives quite a nice open mix at a reasonable price. Quite surprisingly there isn't that much difference in price between this and a decent quality bulk bag topsoil - and no weeds either! Used compost etc also sounds good to me.

Best, Tristan

[mark smyth]

we cant buy top soil in bags here. The options for top soil in local garden centres are clay in bags or a mix of peat and sand sold as top soil

[Graeme]

we cant buy top soil in bags here. The options for top soil in local garden centres are clay in bags or a mix of peat and sand sold as top soil

have you tried your local farmer? - I sometimes have soil from our local farmer he skims it off the fields where he has had his pigs and sheep - last lot I had ws 20 ton and is was beautiful stuff - loads of worms and no weeds

[Susan Band]

Mark. I have just made a bed with only sand and gravel mix. It was meant to be covered but I haven't got round to that yet. I planted my Corydalis poppovii types and Frit yummensis types. It was only done this spring so can't tell you how well or not it is doing. Susan

[annew]

I'd give pure sand a go, as well as it is good and sharp. I've had good results with stuff, albeit for a fairly short period so far. I wouldn't use spent compost from 'pot contents of weak/dying plants' - only use stuff from healthy plants - you don't want to introduce any nasties at the start.

[mark smyth]

Thanks Anne and Susan. I'll probable go for sand but how to keep cats away is another problem

[annew]

dogs?

[brianw]

I had a fox bury a dead squirrel in mine, leaving the tail showing. After I had removed it to offer to the red kytes, it came back again 2 days later to find it. Dug again recently. At least you can usually identify the culprits by the prints.

[Neil]

Thanks Anne and Susan. I'll probable go for sand but how to keep cats away is another problem

I use  Catwatch http://www.conceptresearch.co.uk/catwatch-the-cat-deterrent-keep-cats-away , and it works like a dream, on the two entrances to the garden get a mains adapter don't use batteries. On the fencing I have prikka strips.

[annew]

I've had success with these as well, need too many for the whole garden though and there is one black beast which is totally immune though obviously not totally deaf. I should work well for you in such a restricted area.

[Graeme]

I've had success with these as well, need too many for the whole garden though and there is one black beast which is totally immune though obviously not totally deaf. I should work well for you in such a restricted area.

ninja cat - bit like ours I have given up trying to keep her out/off the buildings - just get a little upset when I see her walking across the top of the tunnels

[brianw]

Does it work on other animals, or just cats?