If the gate is too narrow for the wheelbarrow, how do you shift about a ton of topsoil?

Ah - I am going for raised beds in my new home (if I get there!) - where did you get your topsoil? Was it very expensive?

I used to just use the wheelie bin. Now I have a trolley that holds a trug tub - it's brilliant!

We tried the wheelie bin but when it was full, I couldn't move it. Why is everything always heavy when there is nobody about to help?

Argos do a green plastic wheelbarrow that is fantastic. It has a high handle so you don’t have to bend over to pick it up. It has high sides and a roller instead of wheels. It’s cheap as well, I have 3 of them.

DH reckons everyone over a certain age should have a folding sack barrow.

Our gate is very narrow, I blame the person who designed and made it!

Luckygirl ours came from a local supplier, no website, no email, you phone them and it goes like this:

Me "Hello, I'd like to order 3 bags of topsoil please.

Woman "Oh, us can only do it when weather's right, us has to screen it, can't do that when weather's bad and mizzlin."

Me "That's fine, as long as you let me know which day you will deliver, so that I can move the car, so you can get it in the right place"

Woman "Right then, I'll put it in the book, which parish are you to?" ( Translates as which village do you live in)

Result? They phone when I'm at work, Mr P says "Oh just pop (*POP!*) it down the side" so, I'm now parking up the road.

Sorry, Luckygirl I rambled and digressed 3 dumpy bags, each just under a ton, delivered, was £163.80. If we had only wanted one bag, it would have been £66 + vat.

Lucky enough to have a trailer so went round to a recycling place (10 mins away) that take in garden waste from household dump centres and top soil from local fields.

They shred it and mix to together to create mulch/compost. I got 3 tons for £36. They do deliver and think that was £25 per ton.

J52. Agree about the sack truck. I filled up old compost bags and moved it to where I wanted in my polytunnel and raised beds. Wheelbarrow is too wide for the raised beds. Not my design! Sack trucks are brilliant.

Maybe taking the gate off would be quicker?

I was going to suggest a trolley but too late!
Not a shopping trolley but something like a mini fork lift truck iyswim.

Yes, or taking the gate off.

DH reckons everyone over a certain age should have a folding sack barrow

Yes, that's what I meant, J52 well done.

Taking the gate off wouldn't help, would also need to remove some of the fence, which now has trellis attached to it, and a damn great planter in front of it!

Woodmouse* no trailer, and not a suitable car!

We were lucky to find someone with well rotted manure who delivered at no charge!

Thanks - I have been thinking it might be too expensive, but that doesn't sound too bad.

Luckygirl just look at local suppliers, they will usually quote per dumpy bag (just under a ton) cost will always be plus vat, but should include delivery. The more you order, the less per bag, usually.

WOODMOUSE49

Have you had that compost before? Is it good?
We put the good stuff from our garden in our compost heap and the weeds that have seeded and other tougher stuff in our garden waste bin. I presume that that was what everyone does and therefore the compost wouldn’t be great.
Am I wrong?

We bought bagged compost from our local re-cycling centre for about the same price as from a garden centre. It comes from composted brown bin stuff which has been through an anaerobic digester. It was quite good stuff. About the same quality as non-peat compost.

Now we've invested in a shredder so more stuff goes on the compost heap.

Old shopping trolley, the old one here is used for everything. We have to take everything through the house here and it works a treat.

Could you make a simple travois from a strong tarpaulin with rope attachment for dragging it
?