It doesn't matter whether you want to change your own garden or whether you want to turn the wasteland on the construction site into a living green oasis after building a new house, you are always on mother earth as a life-giving growth basis for shrubs, trees and others crops dependent. If there is not enough of it, this soil, also known as field topsoil, must necessarily be bought in. How you can recognize the soil quality yourself and avoid disadvantageous properties is shown using the following features.
Topsoil - Definition
Top soil refers to the fertile top layer of soil, 20 to 30 centimeters thick, of a naturally grown soil. It contains microorganisms, earthworms and other creatures, as well as important nutrients, minerals, trace elements and nitrogen. The topsoil is also of fundamental importance for the water supply of the plants. Its strength depends on the depth of penetration of life-giving oxygen and depends heavily on the soil conditions. In contrast to artificial potting soil, garden soil, ornamental plant soil, etc., topsoil gets its properties from the natural formation of humus, plant decomposition, etc. and not from the targeted (mostly) artificial addition of fertilizers or pesticides. This is precisely why soil protection is particularly important for topsoil.
quality criteria
How to recognize them
Unfortunately, there is no established and universally applicable scale for grading the quality of topsoil. It would actually be ideal to use the topsoil that was created there for each location, as it is best adapted to the subsoil that follows in depth. However, this is only possible to a limited extent, especially with new construction measures, since topsoil is first removed and later reinstalled as part of the garden design. If additional soil is needed, it usually has to be up foreign places of origin be resorted to. The following signs help identify good quality soil:
composition
Optimal
- loose and finely crumbly
- mixed composition for good drainage and water storage capacity, as well as for unhindered root growth
identification mark
- The soil is easy to crumble with your fingers
- no or hardly any smearing of large chunks of clay
Unfavorable
- very clumpy-compact feel due to high clay content
- Immediate crumbling due to excessive sand content
drain ability
Optimal
- Precipitation water seeps away after precipitation has ended without leaving waterlogging
- However, drainage is delayed to allow the soil to absorb moisture
identification mark
- crumbly consistency
- neither noticeably loamy nor excessively sandy
Unfavorable
- extremely sandy or loamy-compact texture
- leads to rapid drainage or waterlogging, which is detrimental to plant growth
nutrient content
Optimal
- good basic content of the necessary nutrients for a good basis for growth of the plants without significant soil improvement measures
identification mark
- Humus content in the soil recognizable
- heterogeneous composition also an indicator for proportions of organic and humic content
Unfavorable
Extremely loamy or sandy soils, as they usually have a low humus content, very homogeneous soils also usually with a low humus and therefore nutrient content
admixtures/impurities
Optimal
- Soil without significant admixtures of roots, rubble, other impurities
- since large foreign bodies hinder root growth
- in addition, possibly release of pollutants from rubble and the like
identification mark
- visually no foreign bodies are recognizable
Unfavorable
- high proportion of fine building rubble due to a significant increase in the drainage effect and reduction in water storage capacity
- large-sized foreign bodies due to obstruction of root growth
- Foreign substances due to the release of harmful ingredients and influencing the pH value (especially construction waste containing gypsum)
PH value
Optimal
- tends to be neutral to slightly acidic
- depending on planned planting
- avoid extreme pH values
identification mark
- not visible to the naked eye
- use pH indicator strips if necessary
Unfavorable
- too acidic or basic soil
- at most for individual plants with the corresponding preference
Signs of poor topsoil
Of course, the evaluation of topsoil before the decision to buy or not to buy can also be viewed the other way around. To ensure that the subsequent design of the outdoor area does not suffer from the poor quality of the floor, signs of poor quality can be identified and a different floor and, if necessary, a different dealer can be selected:
- Extremely sandy or loamy consistency, as drainability and water storage capacity are then limited
- Very homogeneous texture with no discernible humus and plant remains
- Numerous foreign bodies can be seen ⇒ Root growth is hampered by large-sized foreign bodies. In the case of admixtures of unnatural origin, origin and previous exposure are also questionable
Choosing the right seller
If you are dependent on buying topsoil, the selection of the seller can also decide on the quality characteristics of the soil then obtained. Because not every retailer takes soil protection very seriously. Above all, companies that are primarily interested in "getting rid of" soil that is already occurring as profitably and with little effort, i.e. shell construction and earthwork companies, are likely to be less interested in careful and protective handling of the material than, for example, a gardener. Furthermore, the origin from a construction site can also be an indication that the topsoil is increasingly contaminated with foreign bodies such as rubble and other things. If you need soil for garden design, it can make sense to buy the topsoil from a dealer who knows the subject and may even create and maintain gardens himself. Even if the costs here are likely to be somewhat higher, such a seller will probably make the same demands on his product as you as the end consumer.
