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A complete guide Use this guide to help you choose the most suitable soil for your application • Soil content and structure • Soil analysis and profile • Soil quality • Sourcing the right soil Introduction Soil Content and structure Nutrients Soil is formed by the breaking down or weathering of The following nutrients are classified as rock. The action of wind, rain, plant roots, moss and macronutrients because of the relatively large lichens over millions of years causes physical amounts required by plants: cracking. This cracked rock, combined with vegetable matter, water, encourages Soil isdecomposed formed by the animal breakingand down or weathering of rock. The air action ofNitrogen wind, rain,(N) plant roots, moss leafy and growth. Nitrogen and micro-organisms, makes up soil. may be lost from the soil by plant removal, lichens over millions of years causes physical cracking. This cracked rock, combined with decomposed animal 1 2 , leaching or erosion. If a soil is volatilization and vegetable matter, water, air and micro-organisms, makes up soil. deficient in Nitrogen then new leaves will appear to The minerals that are present in the original rock, or bematerials, small/weak and in otherthat contributing affect the soil The minerals are presentmaterials, in the original rock, or types in otherofcontributing affect theolder types leaves will be yellow. that are indigenous to the UK. of soil that are indigenous to the UK. Soil Content and structure 1 Volatilization is the process where a dissolved nutrient is vaporised. 2 Leaching is the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil due to rain and irrigation. Soil Breakdown Phosphorous (P) is an essential element primarily promoting root growth and development. It stimulates growth of young plants, giving them a good and vigorous start. Phosphorous deficiency will lead to stunted root systems and some plants may appear to have either purple or dull green leaves. Mineral particles Mineral particles For soil analysis purposes the mineral element is For soil analysis purposes the mineral element is separated by particle size, and expressed as: separated by particle size, and expressed as: • Sand - 0.06mm to 2mm - 0.06mm to 2mm (Large) • Sand Silt - 0.002mm to 0.06mm • Clay - everything smaller than 0.002mm Silt - 0.002mm to 0.06mm (Small) Potassium or Potash (K) enhances disease resistance and guards against water loss in plants by strengthening stalks and stems, whilst enhancing fruit/ Nutrients flower size, flavour/smell, texture and development. Deficiency will limit growth and increase The following nutrients arecrop classified as macronutrients because of the relatively large amounts required bylevels plants:can susceptibility to disease whilst excessive limit plant uptake of other nutrients like magnesium Nitrogen encourages leafy growth. Nitrogen may be lost and(N) calcium. from the soil by plant removal, volatilization1, leaching2 or erosion. If a soil is deficient Nitrogen then new Magnesium (Mg) isinthe central core ofleaves the will appear to be small/weak and older leaves will be yellow. chlorophyll molecule in plant tissue. Chlorophyll is the green in plants which allows them to Volatilization is thepigment process where a dissolved nutrient is vaporised. obtain energy from light (photosynthesise). Leaching is the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil due to rain and irrigation. Deficiency results in poor and stunted plant growth 1 2 Loam is the name given to the soils which contain a Clay - everything smaller than 0.002mm (Very Small) with leaves appearing to lack colour. As deficiency mixture of sand, silt and clay. Phosphorous (P) more is an essential promoting becomes severe element the areaprimarily between the veins of root growth and development. It stimulates growth of stay young Loam is the name given to the soils which contain a the leaves becomes yellow while the veins plants, giving them a good and vigorous start. Phosphorous mixture of sand, silt and clay. green. deficiency will lead to stunted root systems and some plants The level of organic matter (humus) will affect the may appear to have either purple or dull green leaves. availability of nutrients in a soil. Regular addition of composts and manures will improve the physical Organic matter Potassium or Potash (K) enhances disease resistance and conditions and biological activity in your soil and guards against water loss in plants by strengthening stalks increase available nutrient levels. The level of organic matter (humus) will affect the and stems, whilst enhancing fruit/flower size, flavour/smell, availability of nutrients in a soil. The regular addition texture and development. Deficiency will limit crop growth Organic matter influences: of manures so that the physical conditions and and increase susceptibility to disease whilst excessive levels • The amount of nitrogen released (mineralised) biological activity is improved will increase the plant- can limit plant uptake of other nutrients like magnesium for crop uptake. available nutrients. and calcium. • The likelihood of trace element deficiencies. Magnesium (Mg) is the central core of the chlorophyll Organic matter influences: • The need for lime. • The amount of nitrogen released (mineralised) formolecule in plant tissue. Chlorophyll is the green pigment in plants which allows them to obtain energy from light • Soilcrop structural stability drainage and aeration. uptake. (photosynthesise). Deficiency results in poor and stunted • The likelihood of trace element deficiencies. plant growth with leaves appearing to lack colour. • The need for lime. As deficiency becomes more severe the area between the • Soil structural stability drainage and aeration. veins of the leaves becomes yellow while the veins stay green. Organic matter Specialists in the manufacture and distribution of top quality soils www.bourneamenity.co.uk 2 pH is a term used to describe whether a soil is acidic, neutral or alkaline. A soils acidity or alkalinity is dependent on the amount of lime (calcium) in the soil. The measured acidity of soil is called its “pH”, (potential of the hydrogen ion). The pH scale ranges from 1.0 to 14.0. A pH of 7.0 is neutral: from 1.0 to 7.0 is acidic, from 7.0 to 14.0 is alkaline. Soil fertility is directly influenced by pH through the solubility of many nutrients. At a pH lower than 5.5, many nutrients become very soluble and are readily leached from the soil profile. At high pH, nutrients become insoluble and plants cannot readily extract them. Maximum soil fertility occurs in the range 6.0 to 7.2. Stone content Compaction Stone content can have a large effect upon nutrient supply. Very stony soils have little fine earth yet it is the nutrients in this fine earth fraction that are measured. It is advisable to maintain very stony soils at slightly higher levels of available P and K than are required on deep stone-free soils. Compaction compresses the soil and restricts drainage, aeration and rooting depth. Over-cultivation and heavy trafficking, such as multiple passes of machinery on wet soils, will increase the risk of soil over-compaction, plough or wheeling pans. Such pans can extend into the subsoil, particularly if vehicles are heavy and sink during wet conditions. Poaching and shallow pan formation from livestock is a common problem on grassland soils. What to do with compacted soil • Identify depth of compaction. • If the plough pan restricts water movement or root growth then consider altering cultivation or ploughing depth to get below this layer and break up the compacted soil. • Loosen layers before the winter and mix in crop residues so that weathering and biological activity can loosen and split the clods produced by tillage. A high content of hard, impermeable stones in the soil may cause: • A more rapid leaching of soluble nutrients. • A higher risk of drought. • Subsoiling, moling or grassland aerators may help to remediate soil compaction. These operations should be carried out in dry conditions at working depth to avoid further soil damage. • Avoid over trafficking and restrict access when soil is saturated. Specialists in the manufacture and distribution of top quality soils pH Soil analysis and profile A full textural and chemical analysis is expensive and longwinded. There are certain rules of thumb that you can adopt when considering the need to have this done: • Always ask for a sample and carry out a texture assessment yourself. All soils contain a mixture of clay, silt and sand. If the soil is smooth and balls up when squeezed, it is predominantly clay, if it is silky it is predominantly silt and if it is gritty it is predominantly sand. • A heavy clay loam will tend to become waterlogged in the winter and retain moisture in the summer, whereas a sandy loam will drain well in the winter and dry out in the summer. • If you do not know where the soil comes from you are entitled to ask for a full chemical analysis. There are too many contaminated soils around looking for a home! • You can carry out a simple pH test using a kit that we can supply. Soil quality BS3882:2007 provides guidance on sourcing, handling, storing, sampling and testing topsoil and the requirements for declaring compliance with the standard as well as providing recommendations for the preparation of a receptor site and topsoil spreading. BS3882:2007 specification for topsoil and requirements for use The third edition of the Specification for Topsoil was released in November 2007 and specifies the performance requirements for Multipurpose Topsoil and Specific Purpose Topsoil. The topsoil quality grades are described in BS3882:2007 as below: Multipurpose topsoil Multipurpose topsoil is described as that including natural topsoil or manufactured topsoil, which if handled and managed appropriately and placed over permeable subsoil is capable of supporting grass, trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants. This grade should be suitable for most planting situations, although some characteristics of natural topsoil may not be conducive to the handling associated with the trading of topsoil. Specific purpose topsoil Dig a soil profile pit If you are not familiar with a location it is worth digging a soil pit to identify soil type and potential drainage problems. This will help you to determine what kind of topsoil you require. Specific purpose topsoil includes natural or manufactured topsoil with characteristics appropriate for specialist planting situations. Specific purpose topsoils are split into the following groups: Topsoil (the upper 20cm of soil) Subsoil Horizon Mottling Indicates Waterlogging Clay Subsoil Crops frequently access some nutrients from below sampling depth and from subsoil (especially potash). Soils with greater rooting depth potential, and therefore volume, provide larger total quantities of nutrient than shallow soils. It may be possible to manage deep, well textured soils at slightly lower concentrations than the stated targets given above. However shallow rooting crops which do not explore the full soil volume will still require normal nutrient concentrations. • Acidic. • Calcareous. • Low fertility. • Low fertility acidic. • Low fertility calcareous. Sourcing the right soil Before purchasing your soil think about: • Existing soil on the site - what is the ground like and is the drainage good or bad? • Soil Usage - What is going to be planted in the soil? Make sure you get the right quality soil. If in doubt ask. • Site access - For example, 29 tonne loads are delivered in an artic lorry. Will a lorry this size be able to gain access to the site? If it cannot then there are other options – simply ask. • Quantity - How much soil do you need? As a rule 1 cubic metre = 1.3 tonnes. To calculate volume (cubic metres) use the following simple formula - width x length x depth. www.bourneamenity.co.uk Our Topsoils are classified according to type, to provide the customer with the most appropriate product for this application. Product Screened To Product Description TS1-F High quality Sandy Loam 10mm Stone free and suitable for dressing turf TS1 High quality Sandy Loam 20mm Landscaping grade soil TS1 Plus 20mm 75% Sandy Loam, 25% Green Compost TS2-10 Natural Economy Soil 10mm From various sites, contains stones TS2-20 Natural Economy Soil 20mm From various sites, contains stones TS3-45 Clay Loam 45mm A natural soil with “body”, nutrient rich TS3-20 with Compost 20mm 75% Clay Loam, 25% Green Compost TS4 Recycled Soil 10mm Use under turf or for fill TS5 As Dug Soil n/a TS6 Blended Soil 25mm Soil straight off a green field site Comprised of sand, soil and green compost TS7 Ericaceous Soil 20mm Low pH, suitable for acid loving plants We can supply the above in all volumes from 1 tonne bags to full 29 tonne loads. All products are subject to availability. Local weather conditions are an important factor in our ability to produce our Topsoils but we do have considerable stocks of selected grades under cover to try to provide an “all year round service”. Which soil is appropriate? General applications for soil BS 3882 TS1-F TS1 TS1 Plus Types of soil TS2-10 ü ü ü ü TS2-20 General Landscaping ü ü ü ü Domestic Property ü ü ü ü Under Turf ü ü ü ü ü ü ü TS4 ü ü TS5 TS6 TS7 Goalmouth C-Circle Renovation ü ü ü ü Top Dressing Sports Pitch ü TS3-45 TS3-20 Raising Levels ü ü ü ü Specialists in the manufacture and distribution of top quality soils Topsoils BS3882 and Specification The 2007 British Standard for soil quality outlined on the previous page should act purely as a reference point when purchasing soil. Site specific specifications ensure that your soil supplier has to work to your requirements and provide the best possible material for the environment. Samples can be misleading so always ask to visit the suppliers source if you are unsure. When a certificate is presented by your supplier you need to check it for authenticity and that it is a true reflection of the material you are purchasing. Check the date and the accreditation of the laboratories that carried out the analysis and never accept a soil with an analysis more than 6 months old. • Green Field As Dug topsoils • Various grades of sand • PAS100 green waste compost • Fensoil • Peat substitutes CLEA The revised Contaminated Land Exposure Assessment guidelines were published in 2008 by the Environmental Agency and designed to analyse soil and asses whether land-use poses a risk to human health. All of our blended soils conform to these guidelines and have full contamination reports. The benefits of Amelioration and Blended Soils In many instances, topsoil substitutes (manufactured/ blended soils) provide as good if not a better alternative to natural as dug topsoils. The ability to adjust the key components of a soil allows the end user to tailor each element for an individual project. Bourne Amenity are vastly experienced in blending soils to meet exact specifications allowing for consistent composition, a greater availability and reduced potential for weed and contaminants. These elements help control vital performance factors such as permeability and NPK levels enabling us to tailor your soil to enhance its performance as a growing medium. Specialist Soil Manufacture and Specifications Having control over the vital performance variables of a soil means that you can rely on your growing medium to perform and respond to the specialist conditions you have allowed for. We have a number of soil depots with the facilities and capacity to blend and formulate soils to your own requirement or to a specification suited to your particular application. Our experience in the sports turf industry gives us the edge in the analysis and understanding of how a soil profile will perform under a range of carefully selected circumstances. Our ability to alter the structure and nutrient uptake of a soil profile gives us the edge in creating soils that can deal with the demands placed on natural surfaces. We can sample your existing soil profile and suggest the most cost effective way of transforming the performance of the material to your specified conditions. We cover problems with permeability, and available NPK levels as well as assessing seasonal wear and tear on a soil. We have the capacity to blend soils to meet most specifications using a variety of materials including: www.bourneamenity.co.uk Visible contaminants %m/m >2mm …of which plastic …sharps Phytotoxic contaminants (by soil PH) (mg/kgDS) Soil PH range Zn (Nitric acid extractable) Cu (Nitric acid extractable) Ni (Nitric acid extractable) < 200 < 100 < 60 < 6.0 < 0.1 < 15 < 120 < 600 3-20 - 1-10 1-10 < 0.5 < 0.25 zero in 1kg air-dried soil < 200 < 135 < 75 < 300 < 200 < 110 Multipurpose and specific purpose topsoil’s 6.0 - 7.0 > 7.0 < 15 0-30 0-10 zero 5-35 0-65 30-85 Low Fertility Exchangeable sodium percentage % Need not measure if soil electrical conductivity <2800uS cm-1 ≥ 0.15 16-100 121-900 51-600 3-20 - 3-30 3-30 Acidic Specific Purpose < 20:1 ≥ 0.15 16-100 121-900 51-600 3-20 - 3-20 5-20 Topsoil Multipurpose Carbon:Nitrogen ratio Available plant nutrient content Nitrogen %m/m Extractable phosphorus mg/l Extractable potassium mg/l Extractable magnesium mg/l PH H2O Carbonate %m/m Maximum coarse fragment content >2mm >20mm >50mm Soil organic matter content %m/m Clay 5-20% Clay 20-35% Soil texture %m/m Clay content % Silt content % Sand Content % Parameter BS3882:2007 Multi Purpose Topsoil Specifications ≥ 0.15 16-100 121-900 51-600 3-20 - 3-30 5-30 Calcareous PAS 100:2005, procedure E6.2 Modified Walkley Black [1] and BS 77855-3.7:1995 BS 7755-3.7:1995 BS ISO 10390:2005 BS 7755-3.10:1995 BS 7755-5.4:1998 Modified Walkley Black [1] BS 7755-5.4:1998 Method Of Test Head Office The Wharf Newenden Cranbrook Kent TN18 5QG Tel: 01797 252299 – Fax: 01797 253115 www.bourneamenity.co.uk Our various soil blending sites give us excellent access and coverage of the South East, London and the midlands. Bourne Amenity are members of the following accredited Associations: