It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 11:46 am

All times are UTC - 6 hours




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 
Author Message
 Post subject: What is sandy loam?
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 7:27 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Posts: 182
Location: Saginaw (NW Fort Worth), Texas
We just signed on a house and they are to start pouring the foundation next week. :D I asked to speak to the landscaper regarding the soil they will put down for the sod and the home seller informed me that the landscaper uses SANDY LOAM. Can anyone please tell me what this is? I asked for a soil analysis so I would know what ammendments to add to it but I've not had any luck.

Christina


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Mon Dec 01, 2003 9:08 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 8:39 pm
Posts: 532
Location: Lavon,Texas
nina norman
I don't know what sandy loam is but the contractor, that poured my slab for my garage, used sandy loam under the concrete, instead of sand. There was some left over so I spread it in some of the low spots in my yard. I can not get grass or even weeds to grow thru it. This was done about 2 years ago. I was told by a sand and gravel company that sandy loam is sterile and nothing will grow in it. Thats why it is used for this purpose. I had Rhode's raise and level my front yard. They used sandy loam mixed with compost. Carol, from Rhode's, told me the same thing. Thats why they use the mix and not straight sandy loam. Grass and weeds are growing just great, for now. Based on my experiences, I would add compost, humate, molasses, and horticultural cornmeal, as your finances permit, to it prior to planting grass. Also some of Kathe's Earthworm program, which I plan on doing next spring. Since sandy loam is cheaper then other soil, I was planning on using it to fill in other low spots. Now I think I will go with compost, aka: "Texas Black Gold".
Sorry for the bad news, but I hope this helps.

_________________
Greg...
Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 7:28 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Mon Sep 01, 2003 2:57 pm
Posts: 182
Location: Saginaw (NW Fort Worth), Texas
oh dear this is not what i had hoped to hear. i am having trouble finding any information on this type of soil online. if it is sterile why on earth would this guy be using it under the sod? yikes, now i am worried cuz they don't want me adding to the property until the house is completely finished. do you have any idea where i can find a resource that shows that sandy loam in sterile?

christina


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 7:50 am 
Offline
Moderator
Moderator

Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2003 9:18 pm
Posts: 1093
Location: McKinney,TEXAS
I think we may be mixing two different things. Builders sand or cushion sand is reddish, rusty looking material used under the concrete foundations of houses, driveways, sidewalks, warehouses etc. This is near inert stuff and has no use in an organic program.
Sandy Loam is the type of soil in most of East Texas, which is an excellent soil, but should not be used in our black and white soils in north Texas unless you are amending and building beds.
Spreading sandy loam or topsoil or any other very different soil creates conditions that usually result in problems. Adding sandy loam under the sod will create a perched water table, which means the water will absorb down through the loam, hit the hard clay and run laterally. The roots will follow this same path and you will never gain the benefit of a deep-rooted vigorous lawn. I have taken hundreds of core soil samples in the new developments around Dallas and have seen this situation all too often. The builder throws some sand or sandy loam or whatever out on the yard because it is easy to work with and level. They set the sod on top of this and everything look great. The sod literally begins to eat itself, using up the soil that it was grown in. After this is depleted, the problems begin but the builder is gone. I don't have a gripe against builders but this is easy for them and looks good initially to get the house sold. Long term, it stinks.
The soil you have on your property is the best you have to work with. If it is poor, amend it with all the inputs you see mentioned here on the forum. Read the stickies in the lawn section for specifics.
I am not disagreeing with anything Rhodes said; I have the highest respect for them. I think we might be mixing some terms here.

Tony M


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:21 am 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 8:39 pm
Posts: 532
Location: Lavon,Texas
Tony,
The sandy loam, or what I was told was sandy loam, under my garage slab is not reddish but rather bleached blond color. It acts like the 'black clay' we have here in North Texas. Muddy when wet, and rock hard when dry. I inquired with one of the builders here, as to why they use sandy loam and not other fertile soil under the sod. I was told that it is much cheaper then other soil. Also that the home owner is responsible for the fertilization of the lawn. I asked why they won't use a mix of sandy loam and compost. Again I was told that the cost would raise the price of the property to high that it would be hard to sell. This I disagree with, and told him that if the new owners knew told what was used, most would probably be willing to pay the increased price. Whats a few extra dollars when you are already paying $200,000 + for your new home, was my question. Besides it is much easier to do it correct, the first time, then redo it later.
I agree you can add the amendents on top of the sod, but why not do it up front before laying the sod. I guess The builder I was talking with does not or will not believe that organic is the best way to go.

_________________
Greg...
Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: What is sandy loam?
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 8:49 am 
Offline

Joined: Sun Apr 06, 2003 10:59 am
Posts: 277
nina norman wrote:
We just signed on a house and they are to start pouring the foundation next week. :D I asked to speak to the landscaper regarding the soil they will put down for the sod and the home seller informed me that the landscaper uses SANDY LOAM. Can anyone please tell me what this is?


This is a link to a soil judging manual, which explains field determinations of soil types (having done this, I can say with confidence that it isn't as easy as it appears):

http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/Sp ... SP0004.pdf

Below is a primer on the standard soil texture classes, including sandy loam; I wouldn't bet that a contractor's version of sandy loam is the same as a soil scientist's version, and neither is likely to take into account the needs of an organic gardener:

Sands: More than 85 percent sand, the percentage of silt plus 1.5 times the percentage of clay is less than 15 percent.

Coarse Sand. A total of 25 percent or more very coarse and coarse sand and less than 50 percent any other single grade of sand.

Sand. A total of 25 percent or more very coarse, coarse, and medium sand, a total of less than 25 percent very coarse and coarse sand, and less than 50 percent fine sand and less than 50 percent very fine sand.

Fine sand. 50 percent or more fine sand; or a total of less than 25 percent very coarse, coarse, and medium sand and less than 50 percent very fine sand.

Very fine sand. 50 percent or more very fine sand.

Loamy sands: 71 to 90 percent sand and the percentage of silt plus 1.5 times the percentage of clay is 15 percent or more; and the percentage of silt plus twice the percentage of clay is less than 30 percent.

Loamy coarse sand: A total of 25 percent or more very coarse and coarse sand less than 50 percent any other single grade of sand.

Loamy sand. A total of 25 percent or more very coarse, coarse, and medium sand, a total of less than 25 percent very coarse and coarse sand, and less than 50 percent fine sand and less than 50 percent very fine sand.

Loamy fine sand. 50 percent or more fine sand; or less than 50 percent very fine sand and a total of less than 25 percent very coarse, coarse, and medium sand.

Loamy very fine sand. 50 percent or more very fine sand.

Sandy loams:7 to 20 percent clay, more than 52 percent sand and the percentage of silt plus twice the percentage of clay is 30 percent or more; or less than 7 percent clay, less than 50 percent silt, and more than 43 percent sand.

Coarse sandy loam. A total of 25 percent or more very coarse and coarse sand and less than 50 percent any other single grade of sand.

Sandy loam. A total of 30 percent or more very coarse, coarse, and medium sand, but a total of less than 25 percent very coarse and coarse sand and less than 30 percent fine sand and less than 30 percent very fine sand; or a total of 15 percent or less very coarse, coarse, and medium sand, less than 30 percent fine sand and less than 30 percent very fine sand, and a total of 40 percent or less fine and very fine sand.

Fine sandy loam. 30 percent or more fine sand and less than 30 percent very fine sand; or a total of 15 to 30 percent very coarse, coarse, and medium sand and less than 30 percent very fine sand; or a total of more than 40 percent fine and very fine sand, one half or more of which is fine sand, and a total of 15 percent or less very coarse, coarse, and medium sand.

Very fine sandy loam. 30 percent or more very fine sand; or more than 40 percent fine and very fine sand, more than one half of which is very fine sand, and a total of 15 percent or less very coarse, coarse, and medium sand.

Loam7 to 27 percent clay, 28 to 50 percent silt, and less than 52 percent sand.

Silt loam. 50 percent or more silt and 12 to 27 percent clay, or 50 to 80 percent silt and less than 12 percent clay.

Silt. 80 percent or more silt and less than 12 percent clay.

Sandy clay loam. 20 to 35 percent clay, less than 28 percent silt, and 45 percent or more sand.

Clay loam. 27 to 40 percent clay and 20 to 45 percent sand.

Silty clay loam. 27 to 40 percent clay and less than 20 percent sand.

Sandy clay. 35 percent or more clay and more than 45 percent sand.

Silty clay. 40 percent or more clay and 40 percent or more silt.

Clay. 40 percent or more clay, 45 percent or less sand, and less than 40 percent silt.

_________________
In theory, theory and practice are the same; in practice, they aren't -- lament of the synthetic lifestyle.


Top
 Profile  
 
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Dec 02, 2003 3:32 pm 
Offline
User avatar

Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 8:39 pm
Posts: 532
Location: Lavon,Texas
Enzyme11
Thanks for the link. I bet the loam, the contractor put under my garage slab is clay loam and not sandy loam. It sure acts like clay when wet or dry.

_________________
Greg...
Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


Top
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 7 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 6 hours


Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to:  
Powered by eWeblife