[kittygilchrist]

I'm south of 466a with what is mostly clay for topsoil. Am considering replacing 50 or so linear yards of topsoil.
Where do I start? Anybody done this? Ballpark for cost? how deep to replace?

[Bogie Shooter]

Check with Dirt Cheap for delivery.

[FLSun]

Pretty certain that soil near your foundation has the termite treatment. Is that what you were planning to replace?

[kittygilchrist]

Originally Posted by FLSun

Pretty certain that soil near your foundation has the termite treatment. Is that what you were planning to replace?

thanks for the heads up. I'll keep that in mind. Well worded post to get the msg across.

[mulligan]

The new construction termite treatment is no longer applied to the soil, but rather to the lower36" of framing. The former soil treatment was found to release radon into the homes. Go ahead and replace the soil, but be prepared to pay a premium for good topsoil, because there isn't much in Florida. There is also some prohibitions against moving soil from county to county in some parts of Florida.

[Villageswimmer]

Originally Posted by kittygilchrist

I'm south of 466a with what is mostly clay for topsoil. Am considering replacing 50 or so linear yards of topsoil.
Where do I start? Anybody done this? Ballpark for cost? how deep to replace?

If you amended existing soil with compost, vermiculite, peat, etc. (You'd want a soil test first), would that do the trick? Actually replacing soil seems like a major undertaking. Just MHO. Good luck.

[kittygilchrist]

It is major. Clay is clay.

[Bogie Shooter]

Originally Posted by mulligan

The new construction termite treatment is no longer applied to the soil, but rather to the lower36" of framing. The former soil treatment was found to release radon into the homes. Go ahead and replace the soil, but be prepared to pay a premium for good topsoil, because there isn't much in Florida. There is also some prohibitions against moving soil from county to county in some parts of Florida.

I had the soil treatment from Massey last year on my renewal.

[mrfixit]

.
Try Adam...We and several neighbors had good luck with him.

He is located on Hwy 42 just North and West of the Villages.
You do not have to go to his facility...they come to you....

..................................... at 855-COW-POOP.
..........................................855-269-7667 ?

......or.................................855-WE-AERATE
..........................................855-932-3728 ?

......or..................................352-615-4775

They Manufacture Black Kow soil and compost additives,
....... (kinda like black dirt ).


He can bring a small ride on machine to thinly spread it on your lawn.
for you. You can buy as many layers as you wish

You can also have a load dumped on your drive or lawn.....do not do this ....way too much work compared to the little extra he
charges to spread it for you.

Have regular compost....and...Cow Manure...and...Mushroom Compost.

They do aerating of your lawn.

They also sell pine needle bales....delivered at 4.75 a bale
................................or....delivered and installed at 6.75 a bale.

We also used his Mushroom mix Compost when planting a lot of shrubs.

[Uptown Girl]

Good advice in the above post!!!

I had clay soil in Illinois. I enjoyed perennial flower gardening there.
Anything and everything I planted got amended at planting time, and top dressed seasonally.

Black Kow and Mushroom compost were my never- fail products.
I always had outstanding results.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by naneiben

If you amended existing soil with compost, vermiculite, peat, etc. (You'd want a soil test first), would that do the trick? Actually replacing soil seems like a major undertaking. Just MHO. Good luck.

Forget the vermiculite.
It doesn't add anything to the soil and
doesn't break down into anything good.
Vermiculite does hold water,
but that shouldn't be a reason to use it.

[Bonanza]

Originally Posted by mulligan

The new construction termite treatment is no longer applied to the soil, but rather to the lower36" of framing. The former soil treatment was found to release radon into the homes. Go ahead and replace the soil, but be prepared to pay a premium for good topsoil, because there isn't much in Florida. There is also some prohibitions against moving soil from county to county in some parts of Florida.

I'm not sure wht you mean about termite treatment being applied to the lower 36" of the framing in our houses. The majority of the framing is steel and not porous.

I believe the soil is still treated, but not with chlordane which was banned in 1988. I'm not familiar with what is used today. If you are referring to chlordane emitting radon, with all chlordane's issues, I have never heard of that. Radon IS naturally released from granite, which many of us have in our kitchen and bath countertops.

I cannot imagine that a company cannot bring good topsoil from one county to another between Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. If they were confined to their own county, I'm sure they would be out of business lickety-split. That isn't something that the general public needs to know. The onus would be on the seller in a situation such as that. They know it if the law pertains to them.

[mulligan]

Originally Posted by Bonanza

I'm not sure wht you mean about termite treatment being applied to the lower 36" of the framing in our houses. The majority of the framing is steel and not porous.

I believe the soil is still treated, but not with chlordane which was banned in 1988. I'm not familiar with what is used today. If you are referring to chlordane emitting radon, with all chlordane's issues, I have never heard of that. Radon IS naturally released from granite, which many of us have in our kitchen and bath countertops.

I cannot imagine that a company cannot bring good topsoil from one county to another between Lake, Marion and Sumter counties. If they were confined to their own county, I'm sure they would be out of business lickety-split. That isn't something that the general public needs to know. The onus would be on the seller in a situation such as that. They know it if the law pertains to them.

Take a ride and look at the new construction. The green spray you see on the lower part of the walls is termiticide. The soil is NOT treated. Just because you cannot imagine regulation of soil movement from county to county does not mean it does not exist. I have personally dealt with this issue in South Florida.

[gomoho]

My soil was also treated last year on the re-treat for termites.

[mulligan]

Originally Posted by gomoho

My soil was also treated last year on the re-treat for termites.

I believe the OP was referring to the pre-construction soil poisoning that used to be done prior to pouring the slabs.