Bentonite

[bookwormom]

out soil is just too sandy. If it rains hard in the morning I can be in the garden two hrs later. I have worked in organic matter galore for the last three years. what I am wondering is, would it do some good if I add some bentonite to my soil? will it hold water a bit better? anybody tried that or knows about it? thanks in advance.

[BIGGKIDD]

I have used vermiculite (block fill) to help water retention. It holds something like 12 times its weight in water. A 20 lb. bag last time I bought it was about 8$ But that bag is about the size of 2 50lb. bags of dog food or more. Make sure to get the kind that looks metallic (coppery) their are 2 types and I had better luck with that kind. Good luck. Also any kitchen scraps can go into the garden when the bugs eat it they help the soil immensely. Pot ash from a wood stove is also good for the garden in a lot of places long as its good clean wood ash no plastic. I don't know where your at but around here (VA) its hard to add to much lime. But make sure to mix it in well or it will cause water to shed off.
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Larry

[jajbellsouthnet]

Like yours, my soil is nothing but sand. 20 years of adding mulch, manure, etc. did nothing but make it a little darker. I finally decided to garden in raised beds filled with mushroom compost. WOW! Boy, did that work! Ask around or call the local extension agent and find out who has large amounts of manure/compost available. Fill your raised bed with this stuff and forget using ANY sand.