Kimmsr, I did the "add some soil to a jar of water test" and after a few days waiting for everything to settle out I found that most of the material was not going to. There were some thin layers of coarser material at the bottom of the jar (and a few floating on the top), but the vast majority of the material was very small clay particles that did not really settle out well at all (it feels all slimy when it's in the water like that). From that test, which I performed a few times in a few different places, I concluded that I have clay, at least 85 or 90% clay (that's a rough estimate). In the yard, below the top inch or two (where the sod was once laid) it's thick and marbled with chalky white and rust colored stuff. It takes me 15 minutes with a high pressure hose and a scrub brush to properly clean a shovel after working with it (by the way I have gone through two of those "10 year guarantee" shovels from Lowe's and at least 3 spading forks trying to work the soil in my yard - they just fold up like paper). The only other material that is in the ground in any quantity is chunks of chert. Steve

I'm all in favor of organic material. However, actual soil is mostly inorganic material, right?-sand, clay, or loam. If you do a soil test and get back 5-10% organic, you're doing okay. That still means that 90% is inorganic mineral. If I don't add some of that to these places, when the organic matter that I have added decays I will end up with a low spot. At least that is my concern. The soil test results showed a sandy loam. I dug down about 6 inches for the test. I do realize that when you buy topsoil you can get any old garbage. However, I think the nursery I use is reputable and sells good stuff. I just bought about 15 yards of compost from them and spread it on the lawn. I believe they sell mushroom compost, left over from raising mushrooms. I think he said that the topsoil they sell is about 50% mushroom compost anyway. BTW, thanks for the discussion, guys. Liz

If you decide you really want sand, then what you want can be found at LuckStone in Clarksville or probably at a builders supply or other stone yard closer to you. It is sold by the ton (or half-ton maybe) which is not as much as it sounds like, depending on how large an area you are trying to amend. Clay soil in one of my gardens had a miraculous tranformation after I added about 10 bags of LeafGro to it. It was so loose and fluffy, I could put my whole hand into it very easily. I only did it once a few years ago. I would recommend that instead of adding sand in this area. Probably much more effective than adding sand. Good luck! Susan

Phyllis, to stratify seeds in the fridge, it just takes a couple of teaspoons of moist sterile sand (easily done in your microwave), or moist vermiculite in a zip lock. I'll microwave sand (dampened) from an open bag, I don't bother doing anything to the vermiculite. For this purpose, just about any sand will work but you may not want childrens play/sandbox sand, it's too fine. When you are ready to sow, you can sow the contents of the bag without extracting the seed. Couple of teaspoons, maybe as much as a table spoon for larger seeds, they don't have to be covered of buried, just in contact with moist. I buy 2x3" ziplocks at Staples and they are perfect for that but so would the snack size from the grocery store. Put the bags (you've written the name of the seed and the date on them) into something like a yogurt carton so you don't sit the holiday roast or potato salad on top. I get chick grit for topping seed pots once those are sown at a feed store. Most will have it by the pound and a pound or two goes a very long way. If you need only little and time is tight, you can buy a box of parakeet gravel from the pet aisle at the grocery store when you are buying your groceries.