BS 3882 : 2007 Specification for Topsoil (now :2015)

Three different grades of topsoil are specified:

1. Premium grade;
2. General purpose grade;
3. Economy grade.

The topsoil grades would mainly be used for general landscape and amenity type situations and not for sportsturf, however, the criteria can be readily adapted for sportsturf.

If this standard is to be referred to within any documentation then it will be necessary to identify which particular grade is required.

A soil textural triangle is included for each grade, as is a table showing other topsoil characteristics.

Detailed annexes describe the various test methods used for soil analysis, from soil sampling to testing for Nitrogen, Phosphate, Potassium, Magnesium and organic matter content.

Recommendations for the handling and use of topsoil are also given and includes sections on:

• soil pH;
• soil nutrients;
• organic matter;
• salinity;
• contaminants;
• storage;
• screening, and
• spreading.

A chart shows how to identify the soil texture of a soil sample by hand. All eleven soil textural classes are covered and this is a very practical guide that can be used in the field when assessing soil.

A buyer of topsoil may wish to quality the particular grade required by stating a detailed particle size analysis for the soil, instead of relying on the parameters identified in the textural triangles.

A summary of some of the key performance criteria are given in the table below:

Note:

• Index 2 for Phosphorus = 16 - 25 milligrams of extractable P per litre of soil;
• Index 2 for Potassium = 121 - 240 milligrams of extractable K per litre of soil.