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Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
+4
CharlesB
Glendale-gardener
sfg4uKim
Bobalu
8 posters
Page 1 of 1
Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
I'm about to mix up enough MM for two 4 X 4 beds. The thought occurred to me that it might be easier to toss all my materials in a 55 gallon drum and roll it around in the yard until thoroughly mixed. I was wondering if anyone has done this, and if there are any drawback to doing so?
Bobalu- Posts : 6
Join date : 2012-03-24
Location : Social Circle, GA
Re: Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
I think that would be a great idea. Mine is done in a cement mixer so I imagine that would be about the same.
I have seen women looking at jewelry ads with a misty eye and one hand resting on the heart, and I only know what they're feeling because that's how I read the seed catalogs in January - Barbara Kingsolver - Animal, Vegetable, Miracle
sfg4u.com
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FB: Square Foot Gardening 4 U
Re: Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
I tried a 45 gallon garbage can last year and it worked great until I got greedy and put way too much in. Then the stupid lid would come off when I tried to roll it!
Glendale-gardener- Posts : 293
Join date : 2011-03-10
Age : 48
Location : Cincinnati Zone 6A
Sure, keep batches small.
When filling the barrel get yourself a decent sized hand scoop. Then put in a scoop of Peat a scoop of compost and a scoop of vermiculite, repeat. You'll find you don't have to do much mixing that way. At least I didn't have to.
You can even take a five gallon bucket, dump in the three scoops, mix it up with your scooper and then dump that in to the bed. Takes a while but if it is a nice day it isn't so bad.
You can even take a five gallon bucket, dump in the three scoops, mix it up with your scooper and then dump that in to the bed. Takes a while but if it is a nice day it isn't so bad.
CharlesB- Posts : 273
Join date : 2012-01-02
Location : Philadelphia, PA
Re: Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
Yesterday was the first time I put buckets of ingredients in a wheelbarrow to mix and it was easy to mix with a shovel, then throw buckets of the finished mix into the box.
llama momma
Certified SFG Instructor- Posts : 4921
Join date : 2010-08-20
Location : Central Ohio zone 6a
Re: Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
I mix in a wheelbarrow, easy to fill, easy to mix, easy to dump. The barrel should work great if you only fill it 1/2-2/3 full before you roll it around. Secure a lid. Good luck!
43 years a gardener and going strong with SFG.
https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t3574-the-end-of-july-7-weeks-until-frost
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https://squarefoot.forumotion.com/t1306-other-gardening-books
Re: Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
Hubby used wheelbarrow (our 1st time) and it worked great. We used one 5 gallon bucket of each - compost/vermiculite/peat moss. He did a great job watering the mix in the wheelbarrow and didn't even need to water after we dumped into the bed. By the time we were done, we were pretty proud of the 'system' we had down.
CCgirl75- Posts : 93
Join date : 2012-03-14
Location : Creston, IA
Re: Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
Well, I gave it a try today. I put a 5 gallon bucket of each of my compost types into the barrel. Right away I knew I was in trouble. The mix was too heavy and rolling the barrel was very difficult, to say the least. Maybe if there were handles to grab, and I were thirty years younger, but with just smooth sides to work with it was difficult moving. I pulled out my tarp, dumped what was in the barrel onto the tarp, and finished my mixing that way. I'll stick to the book for now on.
Bobalu- Posts : 6
Join date : 2012-03-24
Location : Social Circle, GA
Re: Can I use a barrel to mix MM?
I use a large pail 30L for measuring -- 3 pails each of compost, peat moss, and vermicullite. Then dump them onto a large tarp for mixing. I pull on each corner rolling the piles over each other until they are mixed. I do help it a bit by stirring with my hands -- long sleeves over tall gloves recommended. This amount fills a 4x4 box. I spray the layers of MM as I fill it into the boxes to wet the peat moss if it is very dry. Wetting it before mixing makes it stick to the tarp and it doesn't mix very well.
Don't do this on a windy day....the peat moss and vermicullite will get blown in your face or away off the tarp while you are mixing it or measuring it.
Yes I learned this the hard way.
Don't do this on a windy day....the peat moss and vermicullite will get blown in your face or away off the tarp while you are mixing it or measuring it.
Yes I learned this the hard way.
bullfrogbabe- Posts : 189
Join date : 2010-03-03
Age : 52
Location : Petawawa, Ontario, Canada Zone 4a
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