how to make topsoil?

["Ground Control"]

I posted this in the nursery and supply yard forum too....but that forum is dead so I thought id post it here....

I am looking into starting a landscape supply center and I don't really know where to get topsoil or if I can screen it myself. Can I get excavation companies to dump their excavated dirt from foundations on my property and then can I screen it? What all is in topsoil....is compost mixed in with it? Thanks for any info....

[paolaken]

around here topsoil is at a premium. there is no extra. topsoil cost money.

[fool32696]

I just paid an excavating company $180 for 10yds delivered, and it had no visible rocks and very few roots.

[Drew Gemma]

around here this is the recipie

Field grade topsoil screened leaf compost and sand and ppl poop

[ICT Bill]

If you just starting with this I would suggest that you find a good composter in your area to deliver in bulk. They can normally make a good mix from the compost that they make.

Call your local extention agent, they normally know whos got topsoil or who can make and deliver it. It is a lot of work and big bucks for the equipment for screening soil and compost

[sicnj]

i would get in touch with septic company and get the licence to use their solids

[AAXteriors]

You can use people poo in soil? Im guessing for fert? i was always told that its not like using manure ( horse/cow) and in some cases it can harm plants. But i could be wrong.

Josh

[Furness & Sons L&L]

Im curious as to how this would work as well. Never heard of human waste being used to make topsoil. What wasthe deal with the ecoli in the spinach a few years back?

[topsites]

I say just get a TON of leaves, make a big pile, dump some lime on it, let it sit.
In about 6 months turn it with a loader, dump more lime on it, let it sit again.

So long you get at least 100 cubic yards of leaves you should have some dirt within a year, but get TONS, more is better.
In terms of tons, at least 5 or 10, 20 wet is good too.

I've been fiddling with this idea for some time, but I'm still saving for a loader.
Then just dump the fall leaves in a pile, there's never a shortage of supply for that.

[Swampy]

We made some up at school. It was small batch stuff. 1/3 part Sand, 1/3 part clay, 1/3 part silt. After it was mixed, add 1/2 organic matter (used wood chips and grass clippings) But you may get different results from other organic matter like poop. Their is a compost company that gets theirs from a egg farm.

[Travel'n Trees]

buy a pulverizor, and pulverize it. Compost and stuff can be added, but for settling it is not desired.

[AGLA]

This might be helpful:
http://www.ekocompost.bigstep.com/

I used this stuff in Idaho while working for a landscape company. It did use solids from sewer systems and it had a smell that indicated that in my opinion. It was an effective compost, though and was used to supplement poorer soils.

We switched to using diffeent compost that was being produced by Washington State University. Perhaps U of Montana or MSU is producing compost as well. I don't believe that they used sewage solids in the WSU compost. It was started to try to use the wate from landscape maintenance and the agriculture barns on the campus.

[sbvfd592]

topsoil is hard to make. if it is made wrong it comes to bite you in the butt. someone buys 50 yrds to make a new front lawn and the soil is to acidic and nothing grows ex for some weeds it will hurt.

[ICT Bill]

For the best information about composting look at the US composting council
http://www.compostingcouncil.org/index.cfm
Believe it or not composting is quite an art, well at least doing it right and coming up with a great finished product
There is a group called the soil food web www.soilfoodweb.com that tests and consults on composting

Non composted bio solids are a huge problem waiting to happen I would steer clear of this idea, can you imagine all the "stuff" that is in there, unless you are willing to go through the EPA and local licensing, you could get fined up the whazoo. Too many health issues to even start mentioning. What do you flush down your toilet? Yuck!

Tub grinders work great but are expensive

[Drew Gemma]

u guys are missing the original post making topsoil! Here they use sand, filed grade topsoil composted leaves and human waste that is dry, cleaned sanitized it is basically a gritty black sand. Look at a treatment facility the long cememt pools dry heat up and are treated totally safe and different than composting it yourself which is illegal he wanted to make top soil mix and sell composting is totally different permits lic and regulations here dept of ag and epa do regular visits:dizzy:

[AGLA]

No one is telling him that he needs to start a sewage recycling plant. The guy is having a hard time sourcing topsoil and people are trying to give him sources or material to supplement whatever quality soil he can get.

Here they bury brush, branches, and stups for five years and then dig it and screen it. That takes a steadty supply of material, a lot of land, permits and time. This guy sounds like he just wants enough to supply his garden center customers. I don't think it is practical to do anything on a large scale in a rural area.

[AAXteriors]

u guys are missing the original post making topsoil! Here they use sand, filed grade topsoil composted leaves and human waste that is dry, cleaned sanitized it is basically a gritty black sand. Look at a treatment facility the long cememt pools dry heat up and are treated totally safe and different than composting it yourself which is illegal he wanted to make top soil mix and sell composting is totally different permits lic and regulations here dept of ag and epa do regular visits:dizzy:

Dont they sell this "Sanitized" black sand as fertilizer? I think i saw it at homo depot. I was always curious about this stuff.

Josh

[AGLA]

They have been selling processed sewage for several decades. Milwaukee, WI has been putting out a product called Milorganite as far back as I can remember.

One of the problems that there is with sewage is that there are lots of heavy metals and other things in it. Once they figured that out, they took steps to eliminate it from the product.

[teejet]

why fool with making it. Find a large excavating company. I get mine from a company that just put in an airport landing strip. They sell the dirt for 80 a tri axle delivered. My gravel supply place sells it for 15 per ton, they call it processed topsoil it doesn't have any clumps, but it is real crappy I think it comes from 40 foot under ground not the same as the top 12 inch dirt from the airport field.

[topsites]

A lot of the stuff like sand is just filler, it actually degrades the quality of the dirt but is often used when having to make large quantities, such as for re-sale and on large scales and what have you.

But you want it for yourself, for a small business, and you want a potting soil.

So, you want petrol-black humus then use just leaves.
Sticks and small branches fine, but don't get into nothing bigger it just gets in the way and takes longer, really pure leaves.
It turns into a very rich, super low ph soil, black as black gets, excellent for most potting applications.
Use lime to balance the ph to your liking, also makes the leaves decompose about 2x as fast.
On average it takes a year for a pile to decompose, you have to turn it, then at the end get the leaves that are left off the top.
It's a big pile at first, probably like 20 trailer loads give you 100 cubic yards, but once they decompose it won't be but 10% the size, if that, it really melts way down over time.
Then for supply, I guarantee in fall if you either haul them yourself for customers or you simply offer a local Lco a cheap place to dump theirs you will never have a shortage.
And in a year or so you have yourself black dirt, potting soil.

[jamo1911]

I just paid an excavating company $180 for 10yds delivered, and it had no visible rocks and very few roots.

Wow!!! Around here in NY we pay 30 - 45 a yard for the good stuff plus delivery.