gift
Rocket Mass Heater Manual
will be released to subscribers in: soon!
  • Post Reply Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic
permaculture forums growies critters building homesteading energy monies kitchen purity ungarbage community wilderness fiber arts art permaculture artisans regional education skip experiences global resources cider press projects digital market permies.com pie forums private forums all forums
this forum made possible by our volunteer staff, including ...
master stewards:
  • Carla Burke
  • Nancy Reading
  • John F Dean
  • r ranson
  • Jay Angler
  • paul wheaton
stewards:
  • Pearl Sutton
  • Leigh Tate
  • Devaka Cooray
master gardeners:
  • Christopher Weeks
  • Timothy Norton
gardeners:
  • thomas rubino
  • Matt McSpadden
  • Jeremy VanGelder

How does a soiless mix become soil?

 
Posts: 23
Location: Vancouver, BC
urban
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
How does a soiless mix become soil?

Let's say we have a clay type of soil.
We put a 12" tall raised bed on it.
We till some compost into the clay soil to create a more gradual transition.
We fill the raised bed with equal parts: compost, sand, coco/moss.

If soil is made up of aggregates, how does the clay at the bottom reach the mix at the top to form an aggregate?
Like... how does the top 3" or 6" of the raised bed ever contain or become a nice loamy soil?
 
pollinator
Posts: 1448
Location: NW California, 1500-1800ft,
440
2
hugelkultur dog forest garden solar wood heat homestead
  • Likes 2
  • Mark post as helpful
  • send pies
    Number of slices to send:
    Optional 'thank-you' note:
  • Quote
  • Report post to moderator
The short answer is that soil life like worms  will pull mulch or other surface amendments down with them as they feed on it. The more appealing the mulch is to that soil life as food and shelter, the faster it will be integrated into the soil. Water will also carry organic matter down with it.
 
Bring me the box labeled "thinking cap" ... and then read this tiny ad:
Switching from electric heat to a rocket mass heater reduces your carbon footprint as much as parking 7 cars
http://woodheat.net
reply
    Bookmark Topic Watch Topic
  • New Topic