Quicksand Fans

I'm almost finished with digging a nice pit on my property. All I need to do now is decide what to use for the "filler"!

I'd love to use a good clay, but that stuff ain't cheap! Best price I've found on it is around $2.20/cu. ft.

So I've decided to make this a peat pit. Therefore, I'd like to ask those that have done this before (Fred?)... where is the best place to get peat in bulk? I've looked online, but I'm not having much luck. Also, what's the best type of peat to use?

I'll probably need about 150 cu. ft. for the pit.

Eddie

I get my peat at Lowe's Home Depot, or Walmart. The latter only has it in season and rarely in the large 4 ft bags. I just get the stuff the garden center has. The more finely chopped the batter but usually you take what they have. The clay I use is sold by weight, not volume. It usually runs about 8.50 for 50 pounds.

I think you will find that 150 cubic feet is not enough to qualify as a bulk load.

MuddyEddie wrote:I'm almost finished with digging a nice pit on my property. All I need to do now is decide what to use for the "filler"!

I'd love to use a good clay, but that stuff ain't cheap! Best price I've found on it is around $2.20/cu. ft.

So I've decided to make this a peat pit. Therefore, I'd like to ask those that have done this before (Fred?)... where is the best place to get peat in bulk? I've looked online, but I'm not having much luck. Also, what's the best type of peat to use?

I'll probably need about 150 cu. ft. for the pit.

Eddie

Yes Clay can be expensive, and peat is easier to maintain. I got mine at Stein's Garden Center and at Home Depot finding sales at the beginning of the spring. Good luck and have fun!

Robert

Thanks, Fred! That was what I suspected, but since I've usually just dug a hole, put water in it, then put the same dirt back in (with very unsatisfactory results, as you would expect!) I've not had any experience with buying my materials!

And it sounds like your clay price is a little less than what I found. The stuff I found had a shipping weight of 12#. But to get the price I saw I needed to order a minimum of 500 cu. ft! Maybe if I dig a deeper pit!

Then again, $1,000 for some clay to play in is hard to justify!

Eddie

I also suggest a tarp lining before you add the peat and water.

Robert

Robert wrote:I also suggest a tarp lining before you add the peat and water.

I was thinking of using some 6 mil plastic to line it. But there are a lot of small roots there, so I might put two layers in there, or just one thick piece of vinyl tarp.

Eddie

Fred588 wrote:I think you will find that 150 cubic feet is not enough to qualify as a bulk load.

Obvious answer:

Keep digging 'til it is.

Good luck, Eddie. May your pit come out well.

Nessie

MuddyEddie wrote:

Robert wrote:I also suggest a tarp lining before you add the peat and water.

I was thinking of using some 6 mil plastic to line it. But there are a lot of small roots there, so I might put two layers in there, or just one thick piece of vinyl tarp.

Eddie

How about using a polypropylene liner? That is a very tough liner. That is the stuff that farmers use for lining their reservoirs.

Boggy Man wrote:How about using a polypropylene liner? That is a very tough liner. That is the stuff that farmers use for lining their reservoirs.

That's a thought! And there's plenty of oil fields around here, so I might be able to find some of the extra heavy duty stuff they use.

Eddie

Cant top soil be mixed with the peat?

Top soil is cheap enough..and still light enough mixed with peat?

Just a thought