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Mar 31, 2008 | 9:14 AM PST

I just did some topsoil shopping for this new bed I want to put in around our deck. For 42 yards, the cheapest I found was $18 per cubic yard. That's going to be nearly $800. I almost choked when I heard that number.

I don't know what I was expecting. A couple hundred, maybe? Yeesh. D is going to have kittens when he hears how much it'll be. I haven't even bought the plants yet. That's going to be another thousand or so bucks. Gulp. We just bought tickets for a trip to Yellowstone this summer. Sigh. I'm actually considering calling and cancelling the delivery.

I've been planning this bed for so long. It will increase the value of our home. The deck looks terrible as it is. We need some habitat for more wildlife. I'm just going to jump in and do this. I don't have to put in all the plants at once. I'll put them in as I can get them.

Justifying my spending is an art form. I've gotten very good at it.

Anyone else have this kind of experience bringing topsoil in for a bed? I'm literally freaking out right now. I know the eventual garden will be worth it, but ugh. I feel awful. Each plant I plunk down the money for will make me feel even worse.

6 Member Comments

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sweetlebee	Mar 31, 2008 \| 9:39 AM PST 42 yards is a lot of soil! How big is the deck and how deep are you making the beds? If you look at my pics, you'll see I wrapped a garden around my deck. A few years ago, we bought less than 10 yards of sandy loam/compost mix for that garden and the perimeter of the fence. We were shooting for 12 inches deep and we almost made it.
sweetlebee	Mar 31, 2008 \| 9:49 AM PST I just looked at your deck plan in your pics. Too funny! I have that book too and recognized it immediately! Something seems wrong about the amount of soil you need for a bed that size. You should check the calculations. One thing you could do is make the bed about 4 feet deep this year, plant it with your taller background plants (add a fragrant shrub rose!), and then extend it another 2 feet or so next year with front of the border plants. I keep pushing the borders out on my beds and it's worked out well.
CarolineC	Mar 31, 2008 \| 10:46 AM PST Sweetlebee is right, that is a lot of soil. One cubic yard of soil is the equivalent of 27 bags of 40 lb. topsoil. Other than that, though, another way to save money is to grow the plants from seed, if you feel so inclined.
garden98011	Mar 31, 2008 \| 10:59 AM PST WoW-42 yards is a lot. FYI-$18/yard would be a screaming deal in my neck of the woods. I add 6-10 yards of compost every year and it runs about $30/yard. It is worth every penny to me because I rarely have weeds, but I am in the running for president of the plant justification spending club. Recalculate and go on your trip!~Andrea
soaphouse	Mar 31, 2008 \| 4:24 PM PST you might check with your local trash company or recycling plant. our city gvmnt offers free compost and i use it to create all my new beds. They require that we haul it ourselves, so my hubby's truck gets nice and smelly, but you can't beat free!
stereoman	Apr 1, 2008 \| 4:23 AM PST 18 bucks a yard is terrific! 42 yards is HUGE! That's enough to cover a 30x30 foot plot with one foot of topsoil. You'd have some happy plants in topsoil that deep!

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