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Need a soil analysis
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OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 6:19 am Post subject: Need a soil analysis

Our community group has been offered 2.5 acres of land for use as a community garden (I've posted about this before).
Thing is the site was once settlement beds for a sewerage works. The land has been unused for perhaps 80-100 years so its unlikely to be a bio-hazard and hopefully there is no contamination from heavy metals.
We want to plant fruit trees on the land and also set up mini-plots for people to grow their own veg. So its important we know if the land is 'clean'.
Commercial soil analysis is far too expensive for the group so we are looking to find someone who might do it for less. Any suggestions?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15991

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 7:35 am Post subject:
I am afraid that if you want it done properly you are going to need some fairly complex equipment, therefore you will need to pay. Could you get some quotes and then have fundraisers to get enough money? This isn't just a case of dunk a test strip in; you will need to know how much contaminant is there.

Slim

Joined: 05 Mar 2006
Posts: 6612
Location: New England (In the US of A)

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 10:51 am Post subject:
Here in the U.S. it would be about $20-$30 for a general soil test and an analysis of heavy metals from a land grant university. Is there no service like that in the U.K.?

Rob R

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 31902
Location: York

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 11:01 am Post subject:
The SAC will do a contamination assessment for less than �90, the equivalent of 3 trees - what exactly is your budget?

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 11:21 am Post subject:
I used YARA, details posted in an earlier thread. They offer various tests but I would guess you'd require more than just a single test but a number over an area. One hole might be clean but another could show risks. Doesn't the council offer a service?

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 12:43 pm Post subject:

Rob R wrote:

The SAC will do a contamination assessment for less than �90, the equivalent of 3 trees - what exactly is your budget?

We have no budget as such. So it will be a case of finding out what we have to pay and raising it somehow (as long as its not thousands).

What's a SAC anyway?

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 12:45 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I used YARA, details posted in an earlier thread.

They offer various tests but I would guess you'd require more than just a single test but a number over an area. One hole might be clean but another could show risks. Doesn't the council offer a service?

The local town council is tiny and I doubt has any funds (it certainly won't have the equipment or people to do it).

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46240
Location: yes

Posted: Fri Jul 24, 15 2:08 pm Post subject:

OtleyLad wrote:

Rob R wrote:

The SAC will do a contamination assessment for less than �90, the equivalent of 3 trees - what exactly is your budget?

We have no budget as such. So it will be a case of finding out what we have to pay and raising it somehow (as long as its not thousands).

What's a SAC anyway?

the scottish agricultural college,just dont ask about molybdenum levels from burning pet coke at drax.

for non political stuff they are very good.

gil
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 08 Jun 2005
Posts: 18415

Posted: Sun Jul 26, 15 8:54 pm Post subject:
Another vote for the SAC soil testing service.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46240
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 15 3:09 pm Post subject:

while making a list of things for the orchard i realized that we need a soil/fruit chem threat test asap cos if it is contaminated it would stop us before we start and if all is ok it is another good point in our favour with the land owners and sponsors

local legend has it that the hospital boiler/incinerator wasnt too far away and it is next to the a19/deere street so there is potential for a problem.

john of wessex

Joined: 18 Jun 2007
Posts: 2130

Posted: Sun Aug 09, 15 7:03 pm Post subject:
Some years ago the Environmental Health at North Somerset did an analasys of the Seaweed at Clevedon beach after I asked if it was safe to use on my allotment - it was. Might be worth starting with Environmental Health at your District Council/Unitary Authority

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46240
Location: yes

Posted: Mon Aug 10, 15 8:14 am Post subject:

apparently our local agricultural college owe us a favor or two having given them opportunities for tree planting etc etc so we might get them to do it .at this time of year they are on their hols though which sort of messes the timetable of doom leading up to the planting season

i need to get a application for funding in this week as well (see T O D

)

THIS GAME IS A BIT LIKE THE NAVY SLOWLY,SLOWLY,HURRY UP AND WAIT.anarchists are much better organised than committees and charities etc.

i will drive things forward asap but it is like pushing string sometimes.

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46240
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 15 11:51 am Post subject:
there is a lab at pocklington that will do a metals check for �50 the funding bid went well and very fast(3 hrs from form in to result),we have half our initial budget promised getting a committee of 3 + an adviser in one place seems to take far longer than crossing the andes by frog though

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 15 12:03 pm Post subject:

dpack wrote:

there is a lab at pocklington that will do a metals check for �50

the funding bid went well and very fast(3 hrs from form in to result),we have half our initial budget promised

getting a committee of 3 + an adviser in one place seems to take far longer than crossing the andes by frog though

OtleyLad

Joined: 13 Jan 2007
Posts: 2737
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

Posted: Tue Aug 11, 15 12:14 pm Post subject:

NorthernMonkeyGirl wrote:

dpack wrote:

there is a lab at pocklington that will do a metals check for �50

the funding bid went well and very fast(3 hrs from form in to result),we have half our initial budget promised

getting a committee of 3 + an adviser in one place seems to take far longer than crossing the andes by frog though

Great news dpack.
That lab in Pocklington, do you think it could do checks for us in Otley?

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