Trying to get right soil level

10 years ago

Hi,

We are doing a home renovation and plan on replacing about 1 foot of soil in the backyard (it's a lot, I know, but there will be lots of construction debris, and we have no idea what kind of contaminants are currently there, i.e. lead, arsenic, creosote, etc.). Former owner had decomposing railroad ties in the back, old garage with lead paint, a welder used to live there, etc, etc.

Since we'll have some lawn and other trees here, I understand that I don't just need topsoil, but also some sort of organic amendment. The soil supplier I spoke with recommended 8 inches of topsoil and then 4 inches of an 80/20 mix (80 percent topsoil, 20 percent organic (washed steer humus, coffee, pine fines, fertilizers)

My concern is that the organic matter in the amendment will decompose and my lawn will settle at a lower level which can cause drainage and foundation issues near the house.

Would it be best to just add 12 inches of topsoil and then mix amendment into the top 4 inches? I'm guessing the level will be higher, but will it eventually settle to the right level? I think it will be difficult to raise the level later since I'll have already planted our sod, plants, etc.

I appreciate any help you can offer. The soil distributor I spoke with didn't really have a clear answer for me.

Thanks!

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Comments (2)

dchall_san_antonio
10 years ago
You're going to remove a foot of soil and bring back a foot of soil? Is that right? Here's how to measure it. When they fill the truck with the old soil, estimate how many cubic yards are in the truck. Most trucks are 3-yard, 6-yard, or some other round number measurement. The driver will be able to tell you pretty accurately. Then replace the soil with exactly that much. It has to be measured by the yard. Inches of topsoil is a meaningless term to the people selling topsoil. Washed steer humus is also a meaningless term. If these terms seem to mean something to the seller, find another seller. Steer manure is either fresh (stinky and hot) or it is fully composted (smells wonderful and is room temperature). The only one you want is fully composted. Fertilizers????? What the hell? In soil?

Before you get the soil, get a baggie full and send it to Logan Labs in Ohio. They do soil testing. Find out what the soil needs (post your results here and we can help you understand the test) and then mix the correct stuff in before it goes down. I would leave out the organic matter and fertilizers. Use those materials on top of the soil. Fertilizers only make sense if you have roots for the fertilizers to fertilize. By the time you have roots, chemical fertilizers will have washed away. Now if you're talking about organic fertilizers, then you could do that. They don't wash away. Mix in 20-50 pounds per 1,000 square feet of any organic fertilizer. My favorites are alfalfa pellets or corn meal. Both are relatively inexpensive. Those will do much more for your soil than compost.

And yes, don't mix in organic matter and try to count that in the cubic yardage. All organic matter is over and above the yardage of soil.
krnuttle
10 years ago
I would like to add that with our regulatory environment, if you make a big deal about what MAY be in the soil, it could cause a lot of regulatory problems. lead, arsenic, creosote, ect could get you designated as a mini super fund site that you will clean up in the way the government tells you. If this happens the government and not you will decide what has to be done with the property, when it is done, and how it is done, With the government involve it could be years before you can move the first shovel of dirt.
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Trying to get right soil level

Comments (2)

dchall_san_antonio

krnuttle

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