Soil Report - Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada

Parent Materials and Textures Toledo soils have developed
on medium to deep-water, glaciolacustrine clay deposits .
Surface textures are usually silty clay loam or silty clay, but
thin layers of fine sandy loam, silt loam or clay loam are not
uncommon . Subsoil textures are usually silty clay loam or
silty clay .
Soil Moisture Characteristics Toledo soils are poorly
drained, except for peaty phase Toledo soils which are very
poorly drained . Toledo soils are moderately to slowly
permeable, depending on surface textures, incidence of soil
cracks and subsoil compaction . Groundwater levels are
near the surface much of the year except during the summer
when they subside somewhat. Toledo soils have relatively
high water-holding capacities . Surface runoff is usually
moderate, but increases on slopes .
General Soil Description The surface Ap horizons of
Toledo soils are usually composed of 15-20 cm of silty clay
loam or silty clay or, less often, of silt loam, clay loam or fine
sandy loam . Coarse phase Toledo soils (TLD .C), which
often occur adjacent to sand plains, have surfaces consisting
of 15-40 cm of fine sandy loam. In the Dunnville area, there
are some peaty phase Toledo soils (TDL.P) . Subsoil textures
of Toledo soils are usually silty clay, occasionally silty clay
loam or clay . Distinct and prominent yellowish-red to
yellowish-brown mottles characterize the subsoil horizons .
In cultivated soils, subsoil horizons are frequently overcompacted
. Shallow phase Toledo soils (TLD .S) and very
shallow phase Toledo soils (TLD.V) occur on the limestone
plain in the vicinity of Hagersville . The depth to the C
horizon usually ranges between 45 and 75 cm. Ck horizons
are usually strongly or very strongly calcareous. Soil reaction
usually ranges from strongly acidic to neutral in the surface
horizons, and from mildly to moderately alkaline in the Ck
horizons. Soil classification is usually Orthic Humic Gleysol .
Commonly Associated Soils Brantford (BFO) and Beverly
(BVY) soils in map units TLD 6 and TLD 7 are the most
common associates of Toledo soils . They have textures
similar to Toledo soils, but Brantford soils are moderately
well-drained, and Beverly soils are imperfectly drained .
Coarse phase Toledo soils (TLD .C) are commonly associated
with coarse phase Beverly soils (BVY.C) in map unit TLD 18 .
General Land Use Comments
(1) Because of their poor drainage, Toledo soils require
artificial drainage for maximum agricultural benefits . Grain
corn, soybeans and spring grain are grown extensively on
drained Toledo soils.
(2) In spite of the wetness limitation, Toledo soils provide
good production of several forest species, including Norway
spruce, white ash and white oak .
Tuscola Soils (TUC)
Location and Extent Tuscola soils are located on areas
transitional between sand and clay plains in the region . Such
areas are in the vicinities of Waterford, Langton, Walsh and
Dunnville . There are 423 ha of pure Tuscola map units, and
3497 ha of Tuscola soils in complexmap units in which they
are most often associated with Brant and Colwood soils .
Landform and Topography Tuscola soils occur on plains of
relatively deep-water, glaciolacustrine, loamy sediments .
Some terrain dissection occurs near stream valleys . The
topography ranges from level to very gently sloping .
Parent Materials and Textures Tuscola soils have developed
on loamy, often stratified, lacustrine sediments . Surface
textures may be loam, silt loam or very fine sandy loam, and
occasionally sand . Silt loam textures prevail in the subsoil,
except in Bt horizons, that may be composed of silty clay
loam .
Soil Moisture Characteristics Tuscola soils are imperfectly
drained . The surface horizons are usually moderately permeable,
but subsoil horizons may be slowly permeable if they
have been overcompacted by heavy machinery . Tuscola
soils have temporarily high watertables that usually recede
sufficiently during the growing season to minimize interference
with plant growth . Tuscola soils have high water-holding
capacities, and moderate to high surface runoff depending
on slope .
General Soil Description The surface horizons of Tuscola
soils usually range from 15-25 cm in thickness and consist of
silt loam, loam or very fine sandy loam. In the western part
of the region, there are a number of areas of coarse phase
Tuscola soils (TUC .C) . The subsoil horizonsof Tuscola soils
have textures similar to the surface horizons, except for
increased clay in the lowerB horizons . There are a few areas
of shallow and very shallow phase Tuscola soils (TUC .S,
TUC.V), mostly in the vicinity of Hagersville .
Distinct or
prominent, dark yellowish-brown mottles occur in the
subsoil. The depth to the calcareous C horizons is quite
variable because of the wavy, tongueing nature of the
overlying Bt horizons, ranging from 25 to more than 100 cm .
The Ck horizons are strongly to very strongly calcareous .
Soil reaction varies from strongly acidic to mildly alkaline in
the surface horizons, and mildly to moderately alkaline in
the deeper subsoil. Soil classification is usually Gleyed
Brunisolic Gray Brown Luvisol.
Commonly Associated Soils Brant (BRT) and Colwood
(CWO) soils, which are the most common associates of
Tuscola soils, have similar textures, but differ by being
moderately well-drained and poorly drained, respectively .
They are associated with Tuscola soils in map units TUC 3
and TUC 4 . Coarse phase Tuscola soils (TUC .C) are sometimes
associated with coarse phase Colwood soils (CWO.C)
in map unit TUC 15 .
General Land Use Comments
(1) Tuscola soils are very good agricultural soils for most
field and horticultural crops, although tile drainage may be
necessary to improve some wet spots . Corn, soybeans,
winter wheat, spring grains, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers,
cabbages and strawberries are being commercially grown
on these soils .
(2) Tuscola soils are excellent soils for forest productivity
for most forest species, and have virtually no limitations .
Vanessa Soils (VSS)
Location and Extent Vanessa soils are found in the
northwest part of the region on low areas of shallow sand
overlying gravelly sands. There are 322 ha of pure Vanessa
ntap units, and 827 ha of Vanessa soils in complex map units,
most often associated with Oakland soils .
Landform and Topography Vanessa soils occur in poorly
drained depressions on the Galt and Paris moraines, where
shallow lacustrine and eolian sands overlie gravelly Wentworth
Till . The topography of the depressions is nearly
level, and slopes are usually less than 1 .5% .