Anyone know about screened topsoil?

[ruffdog]

I texted guy I got it from, no reply, called and he was "ticked"...finally told me who he got it from (who I actually know of...80's guy)...he installs septic tanks! I called him, he said it's from apartment complex that was going in, sold 100 loads no complaints. He's refunding $600 I paid.
County I called said they would have stuff analyzed.

The stuff probably looked black like real soil because it was contaminated with septic goo. Once the rain washed the black goo away, you have what you have.

 

[MossRoad]

I texted guy I got it from, no reply, called and he was "ticked"...finally told me who he got it from (who I actually know of...80's guy)...he installs septic tanks! I called him, he said it's from apartment complex that was going in, sold 100 loads no complaints. He's refunding $600 I paid.
County I called said they would have stuff analyzed.

Well, that's not good. Glad you got your money back. Hope they don't find contaminants in it.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

most new large housing tracts, they start by stripping the top soil and selling it, then when houses are built it's sod over crap...
They just built hundreds, probably over a thousand new condos or apartments in town. row after row after row of the ugliest 4 story boxes I ever saw. Blocks the view of the mountain.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

The county agent is very good and glad my brother is a geologist! Everyone I spoke with believes it's silted clay. I'll get test results back in a week, then know what to add to make it grow grass.
With horses, cleaning stalls and paddock I'm starting my own compost pile.

 

[Mud2Money]

If even. I just did a ton of drain installs at a new apartment complex going in the outer cities by Detroit . The old homes were half blended into the soil by the looks of it. Dark color /looking very brown can just be from moisture. My soil is heavy clay and when it’s fresh tilled it looks like good topsoil. But when it drys it’s the same thing you got. Now if you were seeing blacks in there most definitely contaminated soil.

 

[Fuddyduddy1952]

If even. I just did a ton of drain installs at a new apartment complex going in the outer cities by Detroit . The old homes were half blended into the soil by the looks of it. Dark color /looking very brown can just be from moisture. My soil is heavy clay and when it’s fresh tilled it looks like good topsoil. But when it drys it’s the same thing you got. Now if you were seeing blacks in there most definitely contaminated soil.

The blacks I see are burned wood/charcoal. The soil tested will let me know what to add.
There is a place I found out about 15 miles away that has really quality composted soil I'll get.

 

[Mud2Money]

Yeah when ever I hit a old garage area I usually get veins a few feet wide of black stained soils. Usually a old oil dump. Charcoal not bad. I can actually dig across the road at my uncles and find charcoal. Not much land change around me since the fires in the 1800s burned Michigan’s thumb twice. Smart move testing it. I would want to know if someone sold me contaminated soils.

 

[3 Horse Ranch]

About a week ago I had a tandem load of supposed to be screened topsoil from a guy who I've used before, gravel & sand. He has good online reviews. I had a good place to dump it, not far off the road. I cut grass real short for dump site which is part of our yard.
He said 18 tons, it looked like good dark soil, $600 ($550+$50 tip).
Wife wanted some for containers so I hand shoveled filling dump carts, plants put in with some Miracle Grow. I noticed when watering the water would just run off (?) so I made depressions near plants which just pooled water.
Yesterday I worked all day with tractor filling bucket then back dragging blade and it appeared nice. An hour later we got a downpour, 2" rain. Today I go out with small cub and cart, landscape rake getting it ready for grass seed. It's hard as concrete and I picked up bucket full of rock...even broken glass and sticks!
I've been here 43 years, Virginia red clay soil but rarely ever see a rock...if you do it's fist sized. I've never seen stones like this here.
First two pictures show my topsoil, reddish. This stuff turned almost white. I made a short video of wife beating it with rake!
Video is here:

I had our soil tested a few years ago and report was great, a little high in nitrogen (I fertilized everything years ago.
I can't imagine how grass seed could come up in this. Has anyone ever heard of mixing in old cement?
Anyone know how it would look pretty good at first but turn color when spread/compacted/watered?
I think I got screwed!View attachment 801000View attachment 801001View attachment 801002View attachment 801003View attachment 801004View attachment 801005View attachment 801006View attachment 801007View attachment 801008View attachment 801009View attachment 801011

Where I worked, topsoil was made from topsoil hauled in from job sites. I was mixed in a Trommel with screened sand and sawdust. Anything much bigger than pea gravel was screened out. For gardens they added some contributions from the local dairy farms, which was aged several months before use. What your photos show is stuff we would dump over the edge at a fill site. They referred to the soil as 3-way or 4-way soil. We sold it to individuals, landscape suppliers and contractors.

 

[jayyk42]

most new large housing tracts, they start by stripping the top soil and selling it, then when houses are built it's sod over crap...
They just built hundreds, probably over a thousand new condos or apartments in town. row after row after row of the ugliest 4 story boxes I ever saw. Blocks the view of the mountain.

15 minute cities. Bad idea, in fact its a horrible thing (collectivist/commie thing). Soon these people who rent/buy these "luxury LOL" apartments won't need a car cause they have their big company food stores and bank in their complex...... no thanks...

 

[SARG]

Up here in the Northeast there is "real valley Topsoil" and then there is the screened crap dirt.
A guy two miles down the road has a landscape business and he bought a "Screener" . We watch him convert the crap hilltop junk that's left over from his various patio jobs that he charges the customer to haul away and then converts it into "premium" topsoil he then sells to uninformed folks.