Mixing a large quantity of soil

I have 12 yards of soil to mix this spring and I am starting to realize that getting everything is only half the battle, actually mixing it is taking a bit to wrap my head around. Last year I made a hard or maybe 1.25 yards, and I just mixed it up on a tarp, I was thinking I could get a really big tarp and do like 3 yards at a time. I don’t know how well a cement mixer would work or what kind would be best for that volume. Any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

So hear me out. This is probably a terrible idea. What about running an old snow blower through it a few times. Just aim the output so it makes a pile.

that could actually work, just would want a snowblower that isn’t super important

FlowerPower88 said:

that could actually work, just would want a snowblower that isn’t super important

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Oh for sure.

You can use a kid size pool. I use one of the little blue plastic ones when I have to mix. They probably come in larger sizes.

Nope_49595933949 said:

So hear me out. This is probably a terrible idea. What about running an old snow blower through it a few times. Just aim the output so it makes a pile.

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That’s not horrible at all. It just sounds funny when I visualize it lol.

Dump it in a 55 g barrel and roll it down the driveway or go with the cement mixer

HydroKid239 said:

That’s not horrible at all. It just sounds funny when I visualize it lol.

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I was pretty baked, and thought it could maybe work.

bam0813 said:

Dump it in a 55 g barrel and roll it down the driveway or go with the cement mixer

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Excuse me, those are for bear bait, not mixing soil.

Dont get me started im jealous no baiting here we have to pretend its for yotes

I kind of love this idea..

bam0813 said:

Dump it in a 55 g barrel and roll it down the driveway or go with the cement mixer

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That’s like 40 rolls down the driveway though

FlowerPower88 said:

That’s like 40 rolls down the driveway though

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Doesn't matter, it's for bear bait so his idea is moot.

Mantis tiller and keep gravity in mind for things like slope, source, destination, density of components, mixing downhill if possible or not moving the material uphill too many times. Nearer to the top of a slope seems like a better place to mix than the other end for some reason. The lightest like coco could probably be layered closer to the bottom and heavier items like rock dust or limestone higher up so that gravity will help even out the mixture. If you shake something the heavier parts go to the bottom, so I would try to avoid having a pile where you keep trying to get the heavier parts of the bottom of the pile to the top. Less work to put the lighter density components down closer to first and add any stones gravel sand or whatever after that I believe since movement and gravity will mix those layers.

Nope_49595933949 said:

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Pretty cool. It looks good for moving a pile but im thinking youd have to run it several times to mix it up well but idk might be the balls

You could fashion a way to turn the barrel in place i bet like a composter. Maybe some old lawnmower wheels on a two by frame?

bam0813 said:

Pretty cool. It looks good for moving a pile but im thinking youd have to run it several times to mix it up well but idk might be the balls

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Agreed, I'd assume 3 or 4 times. Have your initial pile, shoot that into another pile, so on and so forth

You can buy a ball compost maker thingy.
I just grabbed the 1st link the ones I seen were not 200 bucks or anything like iirc £20/30

Star Dog said:

You can buy a ball compost maker thingy.

315Ltr CompoSphere Rollable Tumbler Composter Bin

The 315Ltr CompoSphere Rollable Tumbler Composter Bin offers a easy to use compost bin for the garden to put your leaves and garden waste in to create compost to use in the garden on your borders.

gardenersupplies.co.uk

I just grabbed the 1st link the ones I seen were not 200 bucks or anything like iirc £20/30

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That looks good for a very small amount of soil.