The Hunt for good top soil ?

[HOITrance]

I use timberline from Home Depot. But I also mix it with peat, coco fiber and vermiculite with a little sand thrown in.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I use timberline from Home Depot. But I also mix it with peat, coco fiber and vermiculite with a little sand thrown in.

That’s what brand this stuff is but it looks more like small wood chips then soil. I already removed a ton of unusable stuff …

 

[HOITrance]

That’s what brand this stuff is but it looks more like small wood chips then soil. I already removed a ton of unusable stuff

Well I know natural top soil is harvested from forestry sites. I have not had any issues with using that brand.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Well I know natural top soil is harvested from forestry sites. I have not had any issues with using that brand.

So these tiny wood chips are fine to mix with coconut fiber? K wish I had a use for the harsher stuff .

 

[HOITrance]

So these tiny wood chips are fine to mix with coconut fiber?

I would think so. I've been using it for over a year and haven't had any issues. Those same chunks and bits can be found in reptisoil and even biodude's mix. Just texture to the sub lol. I could be wrong, but as I said i have had zero issues.

 

[AphonopelmaTX]

There is no such thing as a perfect soil for tarantulas. As long as you take out large rocks, large clay balls, and large sharp sticks you will be good. Don’t over think it.

 

[tylrp]

Why does everyone freak out about soil being abrasive? I mean I get sharp sticks, glass and maybe rocks. But most of my spoods have webbed sharp or irregular things. And it's not like nature's safe. I'm sure I'll get roasted for saying so but...... Am I seriously wrong?

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

There is no such thing as a perfect soil for tarantulas. As long as you take out large rocks, large clay balls, and large sharp sticks you will be good. Don’t over think it.

So just remove the big stuff ? So far I got an entire small container filled with useless stuff i removed any use for it ?

Why does everyone freak out about soil being abrasive? I mean I get sharp sticks, glass and maybe rocks. But most of my spoods have webbed sharp or irregular things. And it's not like nature's safe. I'm sure I'll get roasted for saying so but...... Am I seriously wrong?

Doesn’t look like anyone roasted you, I had an lp that had an underside tumor I thought was caused by harsh substrate from over watering wicked away the good stuff . So I’ve been paranoid since, and wild animals have always delt with harsh things and sharbut I won’t replicate that in captivity.

 

[TheraMygale]

I posted about topsoil, in the canada forum a while back.

todays topsoil is very different then ten years ago.

i have not found anything that can work for me in my area. The all have manure in it, or some kind of fertilizer.

Good soil is worth more then gold now. You would have better like getting humus in a forest you know does not have tarantulas living in. Of course, there is still a risk on introducing pests, but sun drying it will help kill alot. Drowning it as well.

and then if you feel like baking it… now that it does not solved everything and turns it into something hard to moisture.

back in the days, many horticulturists went into some sanitizing frenzy for indoor plants. Most people did not do it properly. There needs to be water so the steam is was cleans. And still, they came to conclusion is was not worth the effort.

i would rather harvest forest humus then buy bagged topsoil.

also, i just reptisoil for now. I do not have many tarantulas, and i take out the rocks and stuff. Mix it with whatever i find will work for my needs.

use the leftover stuff as outdoor mulch

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I posted about topsoil, in the canada forum a while back.

todays topsoil is very different then ten years ago.

i have not found anything that can work for me in my area. The all have manure in it, or some kind of fertilizer.

Good soil is worth more then gold now. You would have better like getting humus in a forest you know does not have tarantulas living in. Of course, there is still a risk on introducing pests, but sun drying it will help kill alot. Drowning it as well.

and then if you feel like baking it… now that it does not solved everything and turns it into something hard to moisture.

back in the days, many horticulturists went into some sanitizing frenzy for indoor plants. Most people did not do it properly. There needs to be water so the steam is was cleans. And still, they came to conclusion is was not worth the effort.

i would rather harvest forest humus then buy bagged topsoil.

also, i just reptisoil for now. I do not have many tarantulas, and i take out the rocks and stuff. Mix it with whatever i find will work for my needs.

use the leftover stuff as outdoor mulch

I've not used wild soil forest humus whatever that is or were it is. Sucks your shops don’t sell regular topsoil is it worst than this stuff ?
What about this stuff ? Mixed with coco fiber .
I’ve filtered this out , and have no use for it maybe for base layer in non burrowers or not at all.
Timberline topsoil

 

[Dry Desert]

I've not used wild soil forest humus whatever that is or were it is. Sucks your shops don’t sell regular topsoil is it worst than this stuff ?
What about this stuff ? Mixed with coco fiber . View attachment 478382 View attachment 478383 View attachment 478384 View attachment 478385
I’ve filtered this out , and have no use for it maybe for base layer in non burrowers or not at all.
Timberline topsoil View attachment 478386 View attachment 478387 View attachment 478388

I've posted before we

The only soil I've ever used is

Levingtons Natural Organic topsoil.

It's so pure that it states on the bag " If being used for plants fertilizer will need to be added."

 

[TheraMygale]

this description does it best, for humus. I don’t think i could have explained it better.


collecting this rich material can be a substitute for topsoil. You just need to collect somewhere that is safe of pesticides and landfills. And avoid anything that borders highways.

a nice wild nature park, will have a good abundance of humus. And you can gather it and test the ph for fun and curiousity. Just touching it, youll see if it is more sandy or claylike. The balance is usualy perfct after years of nature composting, with all isopods and other critters working in it.

you will also have free cultures of springtails. Many people use forest humus. Like dave from dave’s little beasties. He has a video explaining how and where he gathers his material.

of course, this is not 100% risk free. In my northern forests, there could be nematodes. But they won’t be the specific species that is a tarantula killer. That is not to say there isnt other things in there.

There is no guarantee topsoil is bug free and chemical free.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I've posted before we

The only soil I've ever used is

Levingtons Natural Organic topsoil.

It's so pure that it states on the bag " If being used for plants fertilizer will need to be added."

Scott topsoil is the only organic one here I can find. And it’s only 20 pounds. Half. as much as the regular bags of soil..
Is this wood chip stuff I have even worth using ?

this description does it best, for humus. I don’t think i could have explained it better.
View attachment 478405

collecting this rich material can be a substitute for topsoil. You just need to collect somewhere that is safe of pesticides and landfills. And avoid anything that borders highways.

a nice wild nature park, will have a good abundance of humus. And you can gather it and test the ph for fun and curiousity. Just touching it, youll see if it is more sandy or claylike. The balance is usualy perfct after years of nature composting, with all isopods and other critters working in it.

you will also have free cultures of springtails. Many people use forest humus. Like dave from dave’s little beasties. He has a video explaining how and where he gathers his material.

of course, this is not 100% risk free. In my northern forests, there could be nematodes. But they won’t be the specific species that is a tarantula killer. That is not to say there isnt other things in there.

There is no guarantee topsoil is bug free and chemical free.

interesting but considering most wild bugs died off here I’d say pesticides are spraying by plane or something here . Not sure how to check locally if they spray ? Coco fiber is closest I’ll get to wild humus. And it’s expensive!

 

[The Snark]

An FYI:
The ideal top soil. Farmers around here and throughout locations around the world traditionally make this soil. Sometimes rice fields become waterlogged. Very fine pure mud. The field is left fallow, flooded, and algae grows like wildfire starting in a couple of days, sometimes so thick it heaps up. They then drain the field and skim it, trucking off the mud. This is then combined with Humus, fine soil at the bottom of the detritus loaded with earthworm castings, compost and a small amount of silt and sand for drainage. This stuff is pretty much weed free hyperactive biological time bomb waiting to go off. The very last place you would want it is in a terrarium. Any moisture present and Instant mold; a hotbed for plants to grow. Mixed with more minerals for drainage it's the ideal potting soil,

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

An FYI:
The ideal top soil. Farmers around here and throughout locations around the world traditionally make this soil. Sometimes rice fields become waterlogged. Very fine pure mud. The field is left fallow, flooded, and algae grows like wildfire starting in a couple of days, sometimes so thick it heaps up. They then drain the field and skim it, trucking off the mud. This is then combined with Humus, fine soil at the bottom of the detritus loaded with earthworm castings, compost and a small amount of silt and sand for drainage. This stuff is pretty much weed free hyperactive biological time bomb waiting to go off. The very last place you would want it is in a terrarium. Any moisture present and Instant mold; a hotbed for plants to grow. Mixed with more minerals for drainage it's the ideal potting soil,

interesting I wondered who makes this stuff .!!!
What do you use as substrate? Do you think this topsoil is even worth using?

 

[The Snark]

What do you use as substrate? Do you think this topsoil is even worth using?

That humus link shows the natural substrates. NOTE, the use of the word substrate in terrariums is often incorrect as that picture shows. substrate, substratum, is low organic material consisting of high drainage sand and gravel. The heavier non bioactive materials that sink down into and below soil. When tilling fields the general plan is to bring up enough substrate to provide good drainage but not enough to displace the bioactive layers above.
The algae presence. The ideal organic plant material for adding nutrients to the soil. Cut off from excess water and sunlight it turns into compost almost instantly, bypassing the hot stage common in compost piles. Early morning, go out and turn the compost pile and watch the steam rise off it.

 

[TechnoGeek]

I use the same sub for all my Ts: a mix of topsoil, cocoa fiber, and sometimes I add a little bit of sphagnum moss for species that like it moist. If it's a desert species you can add a bit of sand instead. But for most of my Ts it's cocoa fiber and potting soil and I've had great success with this mix.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

That humus link shows the natural substrates. NOTE, the use of the word substrate in terrariums is often incorrect as that picture shows. substrate, substratum, is low organic material consisting of high drainage sand and gravel. The heavier non bioactive materials that sink down into and below soil. When tilling fields the general plan is to bring up enough substrate to provide good drainage but not enough to displace the bioactive layers above.
The algae presence. The ideal organic plant material for adding nutrients to the soil. Cut off from excess water and sunlight it turns into compost almost instantly, bypassing the hot stage common in compost piles. Early morning, go out and turn the compost pile and watch the steam rise off it.

Yeah I’d have zero usage for it unless I was planting flowers or gardening, house plants. I’m looking for the best affordable t substrate , so far topsoil is cheap but this current bag sucks so I either cut my losses. Or use it for non burrowers.

I use the same sub for all my Ts: a mix of topsoil, cocoa fiber, and sometimes I add a little bit of sphagnum moss for species that like it moist. If it's a desert species you can add a bit of sand instead. But for most of my Ts it's cocoa fiber and potting soil and I've had great success with this mix.

That’s generally what I do except I don’t have any sand . Or desert species atm. This current batch of two bags of substrate are bad all micro wood Chips. They might be usable perhaps a spider will just web on top of them.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

Next bag opened looks way better I just haven’t bothered breaking it up yet. this is half of the bag.

 

[Ultum4Spiderz]

I gotta dry out the dirt it’s taking forever , I should had left it outside.