Now's the time to prep your lawn for that winter nap Sep 19, 2009
Bulk topsoil is needed to do major work while bagged topsoil is suitable for filling in minor problem areas. Before seeding, soil benefits from a top-layer application of rich, aged compost. (Herald Online, SC -- Lifestyles)
State revises standards for reusing wastewater Sep 19, 2009
In addition, pipes must be several inches underground or under mulch- experts say that is better than burying the pipes deeper underground because rich topsoil is a far better filter of particles, soaps and other materials. The previous codes "missed the mark in terms of using graywater as irrigation," said Doug Hensel, deputy director of codes and standards for the department. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Upstate NY group tests composting of pooch poop Sep 18, 2009
Dog and cat waste contain parasites and pathogens that make them unsuitable as compost for vegetable gardens and topsoil and can run off into local waterways and diminish water quality, said Cary Oshins, an assistant program director for the U.S. Composting Council. Composted pet waste can be used for deep-fill or other purposes. (Anchorage Daily News)
The success of Sweet Peet goes well beyond the topsoil Sep 17, 2009
Thursday 17 September, 2009. By: Anthony Olivieri. (Town Times, CT)
Comer man reaps rewards for turning garbage to garden Sep 14, 2009
Up a knoll from there, in his hay field, a handful of dirt tells Edwards that his topsoil is looking really good. It's hard to picture the land he works as a dumping ground for diapers, car parts and decades worth of household trash. (Athens Banner-Herald)
The green revolution wasn't green enough Sep 14, 2009
For all our technology, civilisation continues to depend on a few centimetres of topsoil. At this rate of loss the future for humanity is grim. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Start-up seeks way to clean up after oil Sep 13, 2009
It makes the ground solid enough to drive on, or you can replace the topsoil and grow things on it, says William Ware, Soane Energy s chief technology officer. It sounds wonderful, but the various companies working in Alberta s oil sands region haven t started using the process - though some have seen Soane s demo. (Boston Globe)
Jardine: Garden goals collapse in horse manure Sep 13, 2009
The garden soil probably was 40 percent horse manure, 20 percent sand with some topsoil and decomposed pine shavings mixed in. No plant would lack for protein. (Modesto Bee, CA)
Great Perennials to Plant in the Fa... Sep 13, 2009
If the soil is heavy clay, break it up and loosen it and cut it by adding sandy topsoil mix to the bedding, four to six inches in depth below the seating level for the bulb. Also add bulb fertilizer two or three inches below the the bulb. (Suite101.com)
Cities trap more CO2 Sep 10, 2009
Some of this carbon-rich topsoil is in parks and under lawns, but it's also sealed underneath buildings and roads-a remnant of grasslands or forests that were there before development. Of all this urban carbon, about three billion tons are locked up in human-made materials-two-thirds of it in garbage dumps, and the rest in building materials such as wood. (India Times)
Cities Trap More Carbon Than Rain Forests, Study Says Sep 9, 2009
Some of this carbon-rich topsoil is in parks and under lawns, but it's also sealed underneath buildings and roads a remnant of grasslands or forests that were there before development. Of all this urban carbon, about three billion tons are locked up in human-made materials two-thirds of it in garbage dumps, and the rest in building materials such as wood. (National Geographic)
It's harvest time on an organic farm near Richardton Sep 7, 2009
Some mountains are still being pushed up but all are eroding, becoming topsoil at a rate of a foot or two every thousand years or so. Originally the silt from mountain erosion in Yellowstone National Park (for example) would end up fertilizing the flooded areas along the Missouri River. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Human-made Erosion Comparable To Natural Forces Sep 7, 2009
A formerly agricultural area that has had its topsoil eroded away. Researchers found large-scale farming eroded lowland agricultural fields at rates comparable to glaciers and rivers in the most tectonically active mountain belts. (Science Daily)
September Yard & Garden Chores for Zone 4 Sep 5, 2009
Using topsoil or mulch, mound the bush and cut canes back to six to twelve inches. To completely protect the bush, you can cover it using a bushel basket. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
Farmers' lament Sep 5, 2009
Topsoil moisture for the most of the state, including central Minnesota, was listed as adequate. Statewide, the USDA reported 73 percent of the corn crop was rated good to excellent condition, 28 percent of spring wheat was harvested, 39 percent of barley was harvested and 73 percent of oats were harvested as of Aug. 30. (Brainerd Daily Dispatch)
Difficult to catch up on rainfall (55) Aug 29, 2009
West Central Minnesota continues with short topsoil moisture as of Aug. 23 according to the Minnesota Ag Statistics. Thankfully, much of the state has adequate topsoil moisture after heavy rains in recent weeks. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
* FEATURE : Huashan eyes another coffee boom Aug 21, 2009
Farmers were encouraged by the local government to plant coffee to protect the topsoil, said coffee grower Chung Chiu, who previously grew bamboo shoots. So we switched to coffee growing, Chung said. (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World Business)
States spring wheat harvest remains behind schedule Aug 18, 2009
Topsoil moisture supplies statewide were rated 63 percent adequate to surplus, up from 62 percent last week. More Minnesota News. (Sioux Falls Tri-State Neighbor, SD)
Visit the Orkney Islands Aug 17, 2009
The Orkney archipelago is the Neolithic heartland of Europe, where even today exciting new discoveries are being unearthed from the veil of thin topsoil - archaeologists are yearly revealing a lost world of sophisticated Stone Age life and what appears to be a Neolithic 'centre of power' recently discovered between the iconic stone circles of Stenness and. It is becoming apparent that Orkney and its fifteen inhabited islands was once as thriving, populous and sophisticated as the contemporary... (Suite101.com)
Garden-Variety Activism Aug 6, 2009
We could possibly get some local businesses to donate equipment and topsoil. People could grow their own organics and, if they sell some, put a percentage of the money back into the co-op. (Slate)
USDA crop and weather report for Aug. 3 Aug 5, 2009
Topsoil moisture is rated as 1 percent very short, 19 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 4 percent surplus. Subsoil moisture is rated as 3 percent very short, 18 percent short, 76 percent adequate, and 3 percent surplus. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Organic food a lifestyle, not nutritional, choice Aug 1, 2009
Such examples permeate our expectations of cheap food and explain why topsoil is rapidly disappearing while food insecurity rises for billions. How I buy everything determines how I want society to be. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
Good agricultural products cross the Atlantic Ocean Aug 1, 2009
The soil is also opened up a bit so the topsoil heats up faster. One farmer tried the Joker on continuous corn, said Troy Hasselhorst, a salesman for Butler in Aberdeen. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
The Funny Farm Aug 1, 2009
A hand full of cow manure is dropped in, and a little topsoil is added before the tomato plant is put in and its root ball covered with more soil. "The roots hit that cow manure which is why the tomatoes grow so nicely," says Cliff. (Herald Online, SC -- Lifestyles)
Patt buys Country Way Nursery Aug 1, 2009
We haul topsoil, build retaining walls, dig basements, do hydroseeding and install sod. We are a full service landscaping and nursery business. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
Minnesota Climatology group offers ag weather info Jul 31, 2009
I agree with their statement that 43 percent of Minnesota's topsoil moisture was "Short" or "Very Short" as of July 26. They say that despite the dry conditions, relatively little of Minnesota's cropped acreage is described as being in poor or very poor condition. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Timely rains will help the 2009 Minnesota crop (37) Jul 29, 2009
While some portions of Minnesota maintain adequate topsoil moisture, only Crookston has experienced more rainfall than normal since April 1, according to Minnesota Ag Statistics weekly crop weather report. I have often heard farmers talk about raising a crop on a small amount of rain. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
We are stewing in our own oven Jul 29, 2009
Topsoil is "scalped" by roadworks. The increasing use of air-conditioners is creating more energy. (Sydney Morning Herald -- Opinion)
A single seed Jul 27, 2009
With one seed beneath the topsoil that had been shipped in and used to fill the quarry floor, Jennie began to create a masterpiece. Jennie Butchart used rare and exotic shrubs, trees and flowers to indulge a hobby that eventually expanded to include 55 acres of lavish gardens, including a sunken garden, a rose garden, a Japanese garden, a star pond featuring a frog fountain, an Italian garden, a piazza and a Mediterranean garden. (Orangeburg Times and Democrat, SC)
Deadly soil: Tests say ground near site of Kiley Barrel contaminated Jul 17, 2009
But Loadwick is worried that even with new topsoil, the contamination might continue due to winter frost and leeching. Cleaning up contaminated sites is one the city s highest priorities, said Mayor Joe Curtatone who said they plan to continue testing and cleaning up this summer until they can figure out where exactly the neighborhood contamination is coming from. (Somerville Journal, MA)
Mobile garden keeps plants safe from hail Jul 14, 2009
The box holds a mixture of compost and topsoil more than two feet off of the ground ... The box holds a mixture of compost and topsoil more than two feet off of the ground. (Gillette News-Record, WY)
Recent rain shores up soil reserve for corn, soybeans Jul 11, 2009
Corn, soybeans and other crops pull moisture out of the topsoil and subsoil during the hot and dry period that typically hits in July and August. "With what (rainfall) we had this week, this area of the state should be in pretty good shape to make it through August," Johnson said. (Madison Daily Leader, SD)
Indonesian Vet Saves Endangered Bal... Jul 9, 2009
Nusa Penida is a limestone island with very little topsoil ... Dr Bayu has helped the villagers to start reforesting the land, but the topsoil is very thin. (Suite101.com)
Maryhill Museum leases land to wind farm Jul 9, 2009
His fellow Quakers weren't interested; the land had been stripped of much of its topsoil during the ancient Missoula Floods, and there were easier places for farmers to make a living. Hill died in 1931, and the Maryhill Museum inherited his lands. (Longview Daily News, WA)
River Bank Repair Completeon River Trail in Southbury Jul 8, 2009
The Stone team installed the remediation designed by NRCS, starting with 30-inch thick riprap along 240 feet of riverbank held secure with a rock keyway cut into the river bed, topped with 30 inches of gravel, topsoil and, finally, seeding for goundcover. Trees and shrubs destroyed in the flood or removed during construction were replaced with plantings of different species including mountain laurel, bayberry, dogwood and juniper. (Voices, CT)
Bitterroot National Forest: Officials seek options for thinning Jul 8, 2009
When the benches were built, there was a loss of topsoil something the woods of the Bitterroot don't have much of anyway. In most places along the steep hillsides, topsoil runs from zero to 6 inches deep. (Missoulian, MT)
Pabst only ugly on the surface Jul 5, 2009
"It's white and sometimes described as pink. It's 3-foot long, fairly narrow at 5/8ths of an inch. It lives in a deep burrow. It goes down 3 or 4 meters."It's dependent on very deep topsoil and it's prime agricultural land. It lives in these deep burrows and escapes into the burrow for inclement weather. (ESPN -- Outdoors)
Agricultural summary Jun 27, 2009
Topsoil moisture was rated 42 percent adequate and 58 percent surplus. The average height of corn was 17 inches, compared to 21 inches in 2008 and 38 inches for the five-year average. (Princeton Bureau County Republican, IL)
Why Do Dogs Eat Poop? Jun 27, 2009
It is a clean, natural product used by landscapers, vineyards, farmers and big companies like Scotts to provide topsoil, fertilizer and other gardening products. Poop is part of the natural cycle of life. (Suite101.com)
Poor drainage often creates plant problems Jun 26, 2009
Amending planting beds with 3 to 5 inches of good topsoil or compost will help improve drainage. A general rule of thumb for applying organic matter is to add 25 percent by volume. (The Augusta Chronicle)
Chronicle garden: planting potatoes in a tower Jun 22, 2009
Add a 6-inch layer of rich soil such as topsoil or finished compost ... When this happens, add another layer of topsoil, potatoes, mulch and compost. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Wet weather is washout for gardeners Jun 18, 2009
"We are above our 30-year average in our rainfall. The topsoil and subsoil are saturated.". The rain has helped farmers grow some pretty good grass and forage hay crops, but harvesting it in a timely fashion has been impossible for many, Cleve said. (Park Hills Daily Journal, MO)
ND spring planting wraps up Jun 17, 2009
The report rates topsoil moisture 89 percent adequate or surplus. Advertisement. (Wahpeton Daily News, ND)
Radioactive wasp nests on Wash. nuclear site Jun 16, 2009
That's when workers finished covering cleaned-up waste sites with fresh topsoil, native plants and straw to help the plants grow inadvertently creating perfect ground cover for the insects to build their nests. Nearby cleanup work also provided a steady supply of mud, which the wasps used as building material. (San Francisco Chronicle -- Weird News)
Cominsky responds to Gamesa (2) Jun 16, 2009
Daily American - Cominsky responds to Gamesa. I have thought long and hard before including this in my rebuttal to Mr. Michael Peck, but because of his statement, (April 17) Little has changed since the State Department of Environmental Protection held an August 2007 public hearing on Gamesa s proposed Shaffer Mountain Wind Farm. (Somerset Daily American, PA)
Agricultural summary for June 1 Jun 6, 2009
Topsoil was still quite wet and rated at 2 percent short, 57 percent adequate and 41 percent surplus. Corn is reported at 82 percent planted and 52 percent emerged with an average height of 5 inches. (Princeton Bureau County Republican, IL)
Raymond weighs its options for landfill work Jun 4, 2009
Thursday, November 1, 2007 2:18 PM CDT. RAYMOND - A second legal opinion is being sought by the town board with regard to how it should allow a landfill project to proceed, if at all, said Chairman Alan Jasperson. (Racine Journal Times, WI)
Try these tips for a greener lawn May 31, 2009
While fertility is an important component of any lawn management program, it will not make up for poor drainage, compaction, inadequate topsoil depth, shade or other site problems. These too will have to be addressed when striving for that really gorgeous lawn. (Westerly Sun, RI)
Building a Vegetable Garden - Soil ... May 31, 2009
You may want to have a load of topsoil brought in to spread on top of your garden. Just be sure to soil test the top soil and make sure the nutrients are correct. (Suite101.com)
More of this story May 30, 2009
Double digging is digging by hand through the tough clay-hardened topsoil and go down two feet. Each bed is worked up with lots of compost and further enriched with worms. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Some S.D. fields need rain May 27, 2009
Twenty-seven percent of the state was rated short of topsoil moisture to start the week. Nearly all areas of the state report below-normal precipitation since April 1, with deficits as large as 4. (Sioux City Journal, IO)
Protecting sturgeon one shrub at a time May 23, 2009
Nearly 60 volunteers gathered at a camp above the river that morning with a daunting task ahead: stop the bank from eroding into the river by replacing topsoil, rolling out hundreds of square feet of landscaping fabric and planting more than 3,000 native plants on the steep slope -- all before the rain moved in. The effort will help keep further erosion from occurring. (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
Barnett ‘dump’ to be beautified May 22, 2009
Barnett dump to be beautified by AnnMarie Costella, Chronicle Contributor05/21/2009. Barnett Avenue, adjacent to Sunnyside Park, is slated for cleanup and revitalization. (Queens Chronicle, NY)
Neighbors start watering lawns May 20, 2009
The Minnesota Agricultural Statistics says that east central Minnesota is short of topsoil moisture. I would extend that into west central Minnesota as well, which they say has adequate topsoil moisture. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Crop planting progress reported May 20, 2009
As for moisture, 85 percent of the topsoil is listed as adequate or surplus. Ninety percent of the subsoil falls into those categories. (Madison Daily Leader, SD)
Soybean planting advances in Minnesota May 19, 2009
Topsoil moisture supplies were rated adequate across most of the state, but surplus in the northwest and short in parts of east-central Minnesota. More Minnesota News. (Agri-View, WI)
Seed delivery, fieldwork and planting roar ahead at Thalmann Seeds (3) May 17, 2009
Just before the rain, the topsoil surface had begun to dry hard creating a less than ideal seedbed. We've planted about 60 percent of our corn, he said. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Minnesota corn planting well ahead of normal (3) May 17, 2009
Topsoil moisture conditions across the Red River Valley of the North remain saturated. Comments. (Minnesota Farm Guide, MN)
Tricky to grow, celery may be worth the challenge May 17, 2009
Celery roots usually stretch just 6 to 8 inches away from the plant and 2 to 3 inches deep, so topsoil has to provide the moisture and nutrients the plant needs. Mix fertilizer (5-10-10) into soil before transplanting. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
City to call for bids on six park projects May 14, 2009
In some areas, more site preparation and topsoil is needed than in others, she said. And in some parks, residents asked for larger amounts of native vegetation instead of turf grass, which changed the cost based on both irrigation and seeding. (Helena Independent Record, MT)
Sideshow: Black River habitat improved for sturgeon May 12, 2009
Huron Pines AmeriCorps, Sturgeon For Tomorrow, a local Boy Scout troop and other volunteers teamed up to spread topsoil and plant native plants on an eroding stretch of riverbank. As the riverbank has eroded, sand and soil has covered the cobblestones on the bottom of the river, causing sturgeon eggs to float downstream to die instead of attaching to the river bottom. (Gaylord Herald Times, MI)
Spring field work advances May 12, 2009
Topsoil and subsoil moisture levels are adequate statewide. Story Comments. (Sioux City Journal)
A vision of Kauai May 11, 2009
We lose topsoil to development, erosion and desertification. In the U.S., the National Academy of Sciences says we are losing it ten times faster than it is being replaced. (Lihue Garden Island, HA)
Valley fever cases on the rise May 11, 2009
Valley fever is caused by a fungus that grows in arid climates under about six inches of topsoil. It's nourished during the rainy season and then when the ground dries out, wind storms, construction or farming can cause the spores to become airborne as threadlike filaments. (FOX 11, AZ)
Planting conditions vary across Minnesota in 2009 May 9, 2009
In early May, the northwest portion of the state remained very wet, the central and southwest had adequate moisture and the extreme southeast was considered short of topsoil moisture. We haven't turned a wheel, and we don't know anyone who has north of Fargo. (Great Falls Prairie Star, MT)
