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What's the best way to use sharp sand in the vegetable garden?

EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
in Fruit & veg
I'm new to gardening and only last year I started growing things like salad leaves, kale, pak choi, tomatoes. In the next week I want to plant things like courgettes, aubergines and maybe some carrots.

I have about 50 L of compost left, which isn't much I know, but I have a letter from the government saying that due to my medical condition I should stay home, so I'm unable to get any more for the moment.

Today my neighbor had his front garden paving done and I managed to acquire a quite lot of sharp sand from the builders for free, about 1.5 dustbins worth or 12-15 buckets full.

I believe that it's entirely possible to grow veg plants in sand providing they get enough water.

Can anyone please offer any advice for how I can best use my remaining compost, the sand and maybe some garden soil to hopefully make the most of those resources?

I want to grow as many vegetables as possible in pots and I can build maybe one small raised bed.

Any help would be highly appreciated.

Thanks all.
Stay safe!

Posts

  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Just make sure to wash any soil off outside not in your sink otherwise you'll be forever cleaning sand out of the sink trap.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    You need to be sure it is sharp sand and not builders sand, which is not good for plants.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    punkdoc said:
    You need to be sure it is sharp sand and not builders sand, which is not good for plants.
    They told me it was sharp sand and that it's good for lawns etc. Any idea if it's OK for adding to compost to grow vegetables in? I'm concerned that there may be chemicals in it that I don't want to have my food growing in.
  • EricsGardenEricsGarden Posts: 151
    wild edges said:
    Just make sure to wash any soil off outside not in your sink otherwise you'll be forever cleaning sand out of the sink trap.
    Thanks for the tip 👍
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