This is a general guide to preparing dirt for gardening. All the instruction you need for a given type of dirt is put into one "step" of this instructable. So identify what type of dirt you have then open that "step" for further instruction.

Materials:
-Your existing Dirt
-Compost
-Sand, Peralite
-10-10-10 Fertilizer

Tools:
-5 gallon bucket
-Shovel
-Dirt rake
-Wheelbarrow if available

Total Cost:
-Completely variable, but the whole point is to keep it as cheap as possible.

Step 1: General Principles/ Understanding the Guide

     This guide is will help you design you own soil to grow the most broad spectrum of plants possible. This means it won't work for everything, but if you want to grow a vegetable garden, plant a tree, or plant flowers this dirt will probably be excellent for you. At some point I'll probably make an Instructable that goes into much higher detail helping troubleshoot soil problems and make optimum soil for specific plants. Check my other instructables.

     Generally garden soil should be well draining and nutrient rich. The goal of this project is turn whatever you do have into that, as economically as possible, or you would have just bought miracle grow at hardware store.

     To mix your soil any flat surface and a dirt rake is suitable, but concrete is ideal.

     I use 5 gallon buckets as a common measurement tool since everyone has those available, and wheelbarrows come in many sizes, but if you are doing it on a larger scale like I do, just use a 5 gallon bucket to measure or think of them as 1 part this, 2 parts that, and just guesstimate on the fertilizer proportions.

    Coarse sand is used to help your soil drain better, but Peralite is ideal. Its that light weight white stuff, but its expensive. Use either one or a combination of both.

    Use compost or manure, for organic material. Most manure is not actually straight manure anyway, like if you get the $2 bags at Home Depot, it is pre-composted so it doesn't smell.

    I give 2 recipes for each type of dirt available so you can mix it appropriately for planting in ground, pots, or in a TeraHydro Box, which personally I would recommend.

    Mix your soil well, use for your garden, and treat like Miracle Grow which doesn't need fertilizer for a few months.

Step 2: Loose Sandy Dirt Into Soil

Chances are you have tons of weeds already, its not horrible dirt...

Planting in Ground:
-5 Gallons Sandy Dirt
-5 Gallons Compost/ Manure
-1 cup of 10-10-10 Fertilizer

Planting in Pots or TeraHydro Box:
-5 Gallons Sandy Dirt
-5 Gallons Coarse Sand/ Peralite
-10 Gallons Compost/ Manure
-2 cups of 10-10-10 Fertilizer

Step 3: Hard Clay Dirt Into Soil

Congratulations you have the worst dirt available lol...

Planting in Ground:
-5 Gallons Clay
-5 Gallons Sand (coarse)
-10 Gallons Compost/ Manure
-2 cups of 10-10-10 Fertilizer

Planting in Pots or TeraHydro Box:
-5 Gallons Clay
-10 Gallons Coarse Sand/ Peralite
-10 Gallons Compost/ Manure
-2 1/2 cups of 10-10-10 Fertilizer

Step 4: Dark Moist Dirt Into Soil

Congratulations you have the most fertile dirt available you'd expect to find anywhere...

Planting in Ground:
-5 Gallons Coarse Sand
-5 Gallons Your Dirt
-1 cup of 10-10-10 Fertilizer

Planting in Pots or TeraHydro Box:
-7 Gallons Coarse Sand/ Peralite
-5 Gallons Your Dirt
-1 cup of 10-10-10 Fertilizer

Step 5: Compost Into Soil

Have you been composting and now you want to garden with it?

Planting in Ground:
-5 Gallons Coarse Sand
-5 Gallons Compost
-1 cup of 10-10-10 Fertilizer

Planting in Pots or TeraHydro Box:
-7 Gallons Coarse Sand/ Peralite
-5 Gallons Compost
-1 cup of 10-10-10 Fertilizer