BS3882:1994 Specification for Topsoil

BS3882:1994 has now been withdrawn and replaced by BS3882:2007.

BS3882:1994 specified the performance requirements for three (3) grades of topsoil quality. Each of the topsoil quality grades was described in BS3882:1994 as below:-

Premium Grade
Premium grade is natural topsoil, of high intrinsic fertility, loamy texture and good structure. It has the capacity to be used in plant nurseries, gardens, horticulture amenity and landscape sites where it is intended to grow the most demanding plants or where the topsoil may be subject to intensive or frequent cultivation.

General Purpose Grade
General purpose grade is natural topsoil and premium grade topsoil that has deteriorated due to poor handling, or a manufactured soil which has appropriate properties. This grade of topsoil has the capacity to be suitable for good quality agriculture, silviculture, amenity horticulture and landscape sites supporting crops, grass, trees, shrubs, herbaceous and other planting.

Economy Grade
This is derived from a topsoil of lower quality than general purpose grade topsoil or a material, such as subsoil or friable mineral matter which is suitable for plant growth, for example, greensand, river silt or glacial moraine. It is divided into materials of ‘low clay’ and ‘high clay’ subgrades. This material is suitable for amenity woodland, wildlife conservation areas, less intensively used amenity grassland and agricultural land of low inherent productivity.

 

Premium Grade

General Purpose Grade

Economy Grade

Low Clay

High Clay

Source

Origin to nearest 100m

N/A

N/A

Textural Classification

See Notes Below

See Notes Below

See Notes Below

Maximum Stone Content % (m/m)

 

 

Stone size

>2mm

30

60

65

 

>20mm

10

30

60

 

>50mm

0

10

40

pH Value

5.5-7.8

5.0-8.2

5.0-8.2

Nutrient Content

 

 

 

Phosphorus Index

2 (>16mg/l)

2 (>16mg/l)

N/A

Potassium Index

2 (>121mg/l)

2 (>121mg/l)

N/A

Magnesium Index

1 (>26mg/l)

1 (>26mg/l)

N/A

Nitrogen % (m/m) min

0.2

0.2

N/A

Loss on Ignition % (m/m)

See Notes Below

See Notes Below

See Notes Below

Exchangeable Sodium Percentage (ESP) %*

<10*

<15*

<15*

Notes:-
For each of the 3 grades textural conformance is determined by the relationship between loss on ignition and the textural classification. In general the heavier the soil the higher the required organic matter content. In some cases it is also necessary to determine the calcium carbonate content of soils with a clay content >35% and a loss on ignition of 5-10%.

For further advice on Topsoil Specifications please contact Paul Brewer at pbrewer@tgen.co.uk