Victorian Resources Online (archived)
LP35
| Group: Bridgewater Farm Advance | Australian Soil Classification: Ferric Subnatric Brown SODOSOL |
| Northcote Factual Key: Dy 2.33 | Great Soil Group: no suitable group |
| General Landscape Description: Level alluvial plain at the base of a low rise. | |
 LP35 Landscape |
Soil Profile Morphology
Surface Soil
| A11 | 0-10 cm | Dark reddish brown (5YR3/4); light fine sandy clay loam; hardsetting surface condition; massive in structure but does fracture; weak consistence dry; contains a few (2-10%) ironstone nodules; pH 6.0; abrupt change to: |  LP35 Profile |
| A12 | 10-20 cm | Dark brown (7.5YR3/4); fine sandy clay loam; massive; strong consistence dry; contains a few (2-10%) ironstone nodules; pH 5.9; abrupt change to: | |
| A13 | 20-30 cm | Yellowish red (5YR4/6); fine sandy clay loam; massive; strong consistence dry; contains many (20-50%) ironstone nodules; pH 6.6; abrupt change to: | |
| A2 | 30-40 cm | Yellowish red (5YR5/6) sporadically bleached; fine sandy clay loam; massive; strong consistence dry; contains many (20-50%) ironstone (semi-hard) nodules; pH 6.9; abrupt change to: | |
| Subsoil | |||
| B21 | 40-60 cm | Yellowish brown (10YR5/6); light medium clay; weak coarse prismatic, breaking down to strong medium blocky structure; strong consistence dry; pH 7.1: | |
| B22 | 60-95 cm | Yellowish brown (10YR5/4) and brownish yellow (10YR6/8); medium clay; moderate coarse prismatic, breaking down to moderate coarse subangular blocky structure; very strong consistence dry; contains a few dark stains; pH 8.0; clear change to: | |
| B23 | 95+ cm | Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) and yellowish red (5YR5/8); light medium clay; moderate coarse prismatic, breaking down to strong fine polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; contains very many (>50%) dark stains and flecks; pH 9.0. | |
Key Profile Features
- Surface soil is hardsetting and has a high fine sand content (41%).
- Strong texture contrast between the surface (A) horizons and the clay (B) subsoil.
Key Profile Characteristics
pH | Salinity Rating | |||
Surface (A1 horizon) | moderately acid | very low | non-sodic | slight1 |
Subsoil (B21 horizon) | slightly alkaline | very low | sodic | strong |
Deeper subsoil (at 1 m) | strongly alkaline | very low | __ | strong |
| 1 Moderate dispersion with remoulding. | ||||
 |
Management Considerations:
Surface (A) Horizons
- The surface horizons combined are relatively deep (i.e. 40 cm) which provide favourable plant rooting conditions in terms of plant available water capacity.
- The overall nutrient status of the surface horizon is moderate and total nitrogen levels appear to be relatively high.
- When dry, the surface soil becomes hard and may be difficult to work. When worked in a dry condition it will become "powdery" and may then be prone to structural degradation from raindrop action. Improving organic matter will help improve surface soil structure.
- The surface soil disperses slightly in water (with moderate dispersion after remoulding). This indicates that mechanical disturbance to this horizon while in a moist condition may result in structural problems such as hardsetting, surface sealing and possible cultivation pan development (at the base of the plough depth).
Subsoil (B) Horizons
- The top of the subsoil is sodic and disperses strongly in water. This is likely to result in restricted root and water movement through the subsoil. The sporadically bleached A2 horizon above the subsoil indicates that water movement is being restricted into the B horizon.
- The overall nutrient status of the subsoil is moderate.
Landholder comments:
- Good faba bean paddock.
- Wheat crop unsuccessful.
Notes
- Profile described by Mark Imhof, Paul Rampant and Sonia Thompson (15/2/95)
