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Organic Gardening

Soil survey maps

17 years ago

The soil survey maps are now on line! I don't know how long they've been up for, but I've been using them for work the past couple of weeks, and, as nerdy as this sounds, it's tons of fun. It's pretty easy to use. It's really cool being able to select a fairly small area and get a map of the soil types in it.

Here's the link to the site:

http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/

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Comments (7)

justaguy2
17 years ago
I was looking at this last night, unfortunately the survey stopped about 1000ft or so from my property.

Maybe you can explain how to use this tool as I don't really understand what a lot of it means.

I got to the point where I could see the soil type nearest me, but I was amazed that there appeared to be several types of silt soils in a very small area. They had names I never heard of, I always just thought of soils as being clay, sand, silt or some mixture of the 3 plus some amount of organic matter.

So, it looks neat, but I think I lack the background to understand the significance of much of it.
fertilizersalesman
17 years ago
You should know that the soil mapping units on soil survey maps were not intended to be used at a garden scale. They are more to get an idea of the soils in an area. If you read the discription they will say that each unit is is only 60%-70% of the described soil or something like that. I am not saying that they are not useful, but do expect your yard to be exactly what the map says it is.
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Thanks for all the advice, everyone. fertilizersalesman: from the map here: http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes/environmental/soilrating.htm I'm in the middle of the "Piedmont Upland" area. I'm probably less than 10 miles to the border with the Coastal Plain area. I'll have to make a closer inspection of my soil this weekend. I think the top layer (less than 3 or 4 inches) likely is silt, but I'm certain that there's a reasonable amount of clay under the top layer. Perhaps the 1:1 clay is an explanation which fits with both my observations and the results of the soil test. idaho_gardener: when you say adding humic and fulvic acid, do you mean that these can be separate things to add? I was under the impression that those are components of humus, so that by adding lots of organic material (which eventually breaks down into humus) you increase the amount of those things in the soil, albeit indirectly. Maybe you're suggesting a different approach? As for cover crops, that's definitely something I'd consider. I don't have much experience with that, but from what I read, buckwheat might makes sense to plant this summer. If you've got more information, that'd be great. I'll definitely be adding lots of organic matter. Right now, I've got more leaf mulch than I can probably reasonably use at one time -- it'd probably be over a foot deep if spread out across the garden-- plus lots of (and probably an increasing amount) of grass clippings. At any rate, its been very helpful to hear everyone's input! Thanks, Paul
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Dibbit
17 years ago
"I am not saying that they are not useful, but do expect your yard to be exactly what the map says it is." I think you mean "do NOT expect...."?

Thanks for the posting, Fruitgirl. Unfortunately, my county isn't on-line with the maps, so I will have to go down to the county seat if I decide to look. I am sorry I didn't know about this when I was originally looking for land here, 9 years ago, as it would have been another tool to help decide on where to buy - not that I am not satisfied with where I am, but....
justaguy2
17 years ago
That's probably good advice, FSM, I was just wondering what the difference was between the several different types of each soil I was seeing on the map.

There appeared to be a lot of loam based soils near the river which isn't surprising, but each loam had it's own name. It wasn't stuff I am familiar with like sandy loam or clay loam, but actual names. Examples are Brookston silt loam, Elburn silt loam, Kidder loam, Lamartine silt loam, etc.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
The science of soil taxonomy and classification is interesting! I forget how many different soils there are estimated to be in the US, alone....as much as 50,000 though!

The term 'type', as in 'soil type' really does refer to the texture of the soil, only. When discussing texture, we mean the particle size of the mineral content of a soil...that would be your sand, silt, and clay. Each of those 3 terms, technically speaking, refers to a precise range of mineral particle size.

'Loam' refers to any soil with a somewhat balanced ratio of sand, silt, clay, and organic components. As the ratio tilts one way or another, we use such terms as sandy loam, or clay loam, etc. Those terms make no reference to the mineral source material.

Kinds of soils differ in their make-up depending upon a zillion different things, but the make up of the parent material (rock) is probably first. Just think of all of the different mineral sources and combinations! Rock deposits vary enormously.

Here is a link that might be useful: Click here!
dchall_san_antonio
17 years ago
Every time I hit that link it's down for maintenance.
rhizo_1 (North AL) zone 7
17 years ago
Hmmmm....try this. I might have posted the wrong link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Soil orders

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