I got some construction fill dirt and the plan is to sift it and mix with compost in the spring to use in my in-ground beds and outdoor containers. My idea was to just keep hitting it with a square head shovel until the dirt can all go through the sifter but is there a faster way?
by supinator1
29 Comments
Do less at a time and use your hands, hitting it with a shove is just gonna damage the sieve and compress the dirt into the mesh. It’s gonna suck but you’ll get a better result
Wet it and add hummus and turn it over and run through a screen over and over.
Put small portion in a growing bag (or other thick fabric bag) and step/stomp on it.
Sift & repeat
Mix the finer (clay?) with lots of organic matter to avoid clumping in the future
Consider making a[ soil screener](https://www.google.com/search?q=soil+screener+diy&sca_esv=5eda9a51b782decd&udm=2&biw=969&bih=709&ei=CUMBacbHE62Ew8cPlevkgAo&ved=0ahUKEwiG8JOJ-MeQAxUtwvACHZU1GaAQ4dUDCBI&uact=5&oq=soil+screener+diy&gs_lp=Egtnd3Mtd2l6LWltZyIRc29pbCBzY3JlZW5lciBkaXkyBRAAGIAEMggQABgFGAoYHjIGEAAYCBgeMgYQABgIGB4yBhAAGAgYHjIGEAAYCBgeMgYQABgIGB5I3gZQdVj3A3ABeACQAQCYAfEBoAGxA6oBBTEuMS4xuAEDyAEA-AEBmAIEoALCA8ICChAAGIAEGEMYigXCAgYQABgHGB7CAgQQABgewgIGEAAYBRgemAMAiAYBkgcFMi4xLjGgB7IQsgcFMS4xLjG4B70DwgcFMC4yLjLIBww&sclient=gws-wiz-img). The one I made this summer is just a frame of 2x4s covered with wire mesh, attached with fence staples. I use it to remove weed roots and rocks from dirt in newly cultivated soil. My soil is very different from your’s so I do not have experience using a soil screener for the task you describe, but it seems like something that would work. Not sure what gauge wire mesh would be best, but I would think something on the smaller end like 1/8″.
https://preview.redd.it/15eahrnvjxxf1.jpeg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c61b6a6fbf85957e231c5dccf9eb00280b863316
I don’t know that I would worry about getting it through the sifter as much as I would get some organic matter in there now so it can decompose over the winter. It’s more important to start building the soil ecosystem so it has a chance to get going rather than focus on getting all the dirt through a sifter. I would take what you have and mix a whole lot of compost, shredded leaves, and whatever else you can find now, and then maybe layer some more compost and some good garden soil on top in the spring. It’s going to be a long journey gettin this dirt transformed into productive soil, so don’t be frustrated if your results next year are less than amazing.
Child labor
Leave in wheel barrow, get a manual hand tiller. Alternatively use a hand rake.
Rent a concrete mixer. Toss dirt in until it starts to bog down. Toss in some water to keep dust down but don’t get it muddy.
Dump through screen. Toss big chunks back in.
I’d recommend a cheese grater
Potato forks and garden rakes work better at breaking up soil than a shovel.
Put it in a pillow case and beat the snot out of it like a bag of ice that was harvested from the coldest darkest parts of my ex’s heart.
Put water and then wait a few hours. It will soften.
I would dump it on your driveway and stomp on it
Giant mortar and pestle
Dolomite helps break up clay.
Put it in garden and mix with manure. Cover with leaves for the winter. Should be fine in spring. If not till it. Clay clumps in moderation arent bad. They retain moisture well in the summer.
It depends on your budget.
I would spread this out on the garden bed and then rent a motorized tiller for a couple of hours from the nearest big box store and just till it. The tiller is meant for breaking down this exact type of thing, so it works.
There are also manual tillers available that do a decent job, but require more physical effort. Still better than a shovel, though.
I would probably approach it from a philosophical standpoint.
Just convince yourself that coarser is better, then you’re done, and have done the right thing.
I have used hardware cloth attached to a frame to sift soil and rock. I used my gloved hands to agitate the soil, but I recommend finding some kind of tool for that work. It caused my arthritis to worsen.
I finally bought a classic hoe (lol) for this purpose. Get one with a fiberglass handle so it’s lighter and it’ll make this task much easier.
Use a rotary cultivator to break it up.
Chopping soil—it’s a rite of passage. Embrace the turning of bigger dirts into smaller dirts.
https://preview.redd.it/wqz9qlui2yxf1.png?width=720&format=png&auto=webp&s=dc8696a4fc149a8dcd593feccc2722006a11a2db
That honestly doesn’t look like anything you want in your garden. You’re making a bunch of work for yourself.
How attached are you to your washing machine?
As someone who used to screen soil for a living (former archaeologist, it’s much less cool than people think) the best way to get it done is to lightly dampen (don’t make it into mud) and just work it though.
Since you don’t have to be gentle with big clumps containing artifacts (since yours most likely don’t) set aside the stubborn ones in a bucket and take a ball peen hammer to them to break them smaller.
This kind of soil is a pain in the arse to screen and it’ll take ages and your PI will 100% be screaming at you to hurry the f up because we’re burning daylight. Or maybe not since you’re doing this for *fun*
🤣
Put it back and get better dirt. It’s not worth the time and energy.