Let's talk soil amendments. It's that time of year so will be starting

[babylonsister]

to enhance and replace eroded dirt from winter. I normally mix sand (we have caliche/clay for a base here), topsoil, compost (I have to buy it; not enough property to make my own), and manure. What kind of manure might anyone recommend (and no, I have no cows in the next pasture over)? Am I forgetting anything? This combo has worked well in the past, but I'm open to suggestions. Thanks!

[TygrBright]

1. Composted steer manure is available in bags...

...and that's pretty easy to use. Not too smelly.

If you know a chicken farmer who composts droppings, those are great but use them sparingly, they're also very strong.

Local garden centers should have some ideas, too.

I have very little space so I bought one of those plastic drum composters; doesn't take up much space and it works pretty good. Kitchen waste, dead leaves and deadheaded flowers from houseplants, coffee grounds, old teabags, played-out dirt from repotting plants, and smaller bits of yard waste all go in there.

helpfully,
Bright

[babylonsister]

2. I always worry about cockroaches and critters that might want to

inhabit a drum composter; no problems with you?
Maybe that's what I'll ask for from Santa next year!

[TygrBright]

3. No sign of any critters here...

But the design of the one I have is off the ground anyway, so might not be easy for them to access.

encouragingly,
Bright

[susanna]

4. My experience is the same as TyrgrBright's

No critters with the barrel composter, and I'm in an urban area where roaches, mice and other critters will eventually run the place, or so they say. I actually got the barrel for that reason - a bin system would be a buffet for the critters, annoy my neighbors and invite nastygrams from humorless city authorities. ;-)

Mine has a turning frame and the barrel sits about a foot off the ground within it. Works great, and my garbage load in the summer is pretty low. Only non-recyclable waste and meat scraps go into the trash. All the eggshells, veggie peelings/ends, unused seedlings and seed starting soil get thrown in the composter. I use it to refresh my square foot gardening beds each year.

[flying_wahini]

5. Gotta say that mix works for me, althought I also add

Vermiculite for my heavy clay soils OR the Perlite (the little white foamy stuff) and
I also use the compost Peat with just one bag of cow manure.
I like the cow manure but you know, I know it says that it is "aged" to prevent burning,
but it will burn if you add too much to the mix.
I also have to say that the top soil you buy has lots of weeds in it, and if you
are putting this into a flower bed you will be doing more weeding than usual.
so depending on the size of the bed I would use about 3 to 1 compost peat to manure, add a
couple of bags of top soil with one bag of vermiculite, mix well. then spread. sand is optional
but I sometimes will add it to the bottom of a heavy clay bed to help drainage, rather than
adding it too the mix.
I also want to add that it is cheaper to just go with the Lowes planting mix (about 5 dollars)
purple one, if it is a small area. It is premixed with good food stuff for your new
flowers. if you use this the food will give up after 3 months then use Osmocote pearls.
that stuff is wonderful for blooming.
sorry to be so long, this is my passion - i tend to get carried away.