Laurel Valley Soils

High-quality compost products since 1979

Restoring Higbee Beach: 750 Yards of STA Certified Premium Compost Rejuvenates NJ Wetlands

premium compost

by

Restoring Higbee Beach: 750 Yards of STA Certified Premium Compost Rejuvenates NJ Wetlands

     This ambitious project, led by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, seeks to reverse over a century of ecological disruption and rejuvenate the region’s wetlands and upland maritime habitats. Restoring Higbee Beach will enrich the habitat for migratory birds, fish and various threatened and endangered (T&E) species. It will also enhance public access.

“We’re using the compost and sand material in this dune area to build a maritime forest for plants, shrubs, blueberries, and barberry to restore this area to a tidal marsh habitat. We are creating new islands where high marsh type shrubbery will be planted. Your compost will provide the growing conditions these plants thrive in.”

– Marc Zitter, Project Manager, AP Construction

Compost/Sand mixture used for the Higbee Beach revival project.
Compost/Sand mixture used for the Higbee Beach revival project.

Why Higbee Beach Needed Ecological Help

     Higbee Beach of Cape May, NJ was in dire need of help after being degraded by a magnesium extraction plant previously located on the edge of Pine Creek and the Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The saltwater estuary leads to the Delaware Bay and is one of the largest southern areas to host bird migrations. Millions of birds stop there to seek food, cover, and water before continuing their journey.

     When AP Construction arrived on site, Pine Creek was essentially dammed off and no longer tidal, it became a co-mingled estuary. In fact, it was no longer considered saltwater as evidenced by the phragmites that had overtaken the area. The freshwater runoff encroached into the salt marsh with nowhere for the freshwater to escape, and there was no way for the saltwater to enter.

     The main project goal is to re-establish tidal inundation, without increasing flood risk, while creating habitat management areas for diverse species.  

Restoring Higbee Beach. Plans and blueprint.
Map of Higbee Beach and the surrounding wetlands

Engineering a Tidal Marsh

     AP Construction began construction in February 2024 with the initial site work. AP Construction was a perfect choice for this project, as they had just completed a wetlands restoration project at FDR Park in Philadelphia, just days before this project was awarded.

     The first main task of the project was to build roughly two miles of berms to separate saltwater from freshwater. Pine Creek was then excavated, removing 75,170 cubic yards of material for reuse elsewhere on the project site.

     New tributaries were dug to control the paths of the water. With the berms in place and the addition of stop logs, the marsh elevation can be controlled. For example, when the tide drops to elevation one, it’ll allow the freshwater to run out of the tributaries and into the bay. Then when the when the tide changes, the saltwater comes back in, but it won’t be able to crest the stop log, keeping it in place in the marsh. 

A berm separating the freshwater from the saltwater.
A berm separating the freshwater from the saltwater.

Looking Ahead

     When the Higbee Beach restoration project concludes at the end of 2026, multiple wildlife viewing structures will be available along an enhanced trail system to provide visitors with an array of visual opportunities. The wildlife viewing structures include a bunker blind, a heron canopy viewing platform, two boardwalk systems with platforms, and several 360º bird blind structures.

Aerial View of fields next to Delaware Bay coast where the Higbee Beach revival project will take place.

For more information, you can view quarterly updates on the project here:  https://dep.nj.gov/nrr/restoration/active-restoration-projects/higbee-beach/

by

International Compost Awareness Week: a Perfect Time to Support Your Soil & PHS: City Harvest, too!

Compost provides soil with organic matter, nutrients and biology to grow healthy, nutritious food!  Have some fun while checking how much biology is present in your garden soil by “planting” a pair of 100% cotton undies.  Leave the waistband showing, and in 8 weeks try to pull them up out of your soil!  If you get just the waistband, you have lots of hungry, beneficial microbes!  More about #SoilYourUndies here….

International Compost Awareness Week is May 4-12, 2019  Once again, we will have our Premium Compost available at events all over the Delaware Valley to promote compost use, and will donate to PHS: City Harvest for every  purchase!

BYOB:  Bring Your Own Buckets or Bags and fill ’em up with compost for $5.

We will be at the Rittenhouse Flower Market, May 4 & 5 and

New Garden Growers Market, May 4 &11

Garden Flowers, Plants and Tools on a Sunny Background. Spring Gardening Works Concept

Need more than a few buckets?  Visit a participating Garden Center who will donate $3 per yard of compost purchased, and Laurel Valley Soils will MATCH that for a total of $6 per yard donated to PHS: City Harvest!

Achin Back Garden Center, Pottstown PA
Behmerwald Nursery, Schwenksville PA
Copeland’s, Stanton, DE
Delaware Hardscape, Wilmington, DE
Haines Farm and Garden, Cinnaminson NJ
Primex Garden Center, Glenside PA
Pughtown Agway, Spring City, PA
West Chester Agway, West Chester PA  

Have questions?  Call us at 610-268-5555 or email Suzanne@LaurelValleySoils.com

by

Compost For Cupboards

May 5-13, 2018 is International Compost Awareness Week, and once again we are celebrating by supporting local food banks and food assistance programs. We hope you will join us!

Through our #CompostForCupboards program, Laurel Valley Soils has partnered with PHS City Harvest and Fulfill as the beneficiaries for this year’s #ICAW2018 campaign.

For more than a decade, Laurel Valley Soils has teamed up with PHS to provide Premium Compost, Garden Soil and Enriched Topsoil for their LandCare Program and Urban Farms, such as Bartram’s Garden and Mill Creek Farm.

Here are several ways we can all help to feed our soil and feed our neighbors during ICAW:

  1.  Visit the New Garden Growers Market on May 5 and 12, 2018, purchase Laurel Valley Soils Premium Compost and 100% of the $ of your purchase will be donated to PHS City Harvest!  BYOB  (Bring Your Own Bag or Bucket) or BYOT  (Bring Your Own Truck) for larger quantities of compost.
  2.  Visit Bartram’s Garden on May 5, 2018 from 12pm-2pm and BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag or Bucket) to pick up some Laurel Valley Soils Premium Compost for all your spring gardening needs.  100% of of your $ donation will go to PHS City Harvest!
  3.  Visit a participating Garden Center, (Molzon Landscape Nursery, Achin Back Garden Center, Primex Garden Center, Delaware Hardscape, Behmerwald Nursery, Pughtown Agway, Haines Farm and Garden, West Chester Agway, Feeney’s, County Line Nursery) and purchase Laurel Valley Soils Premium Compost for your spring gardening needs, and $6 per yard of compost purchased will be donated to PHS City Harvest (or Fulfill when Premium Compost is purchased at Molzon’s).
  4.  Join Laurel Valley Soil’s  Joe DiNorscia at Primex Garden Center, where he will share his knowledge of all things compost at 11:30 am on Saturday, May 5! Check out a demo of live mushrooms growing in compost, and then learn how that same compost helps you grow robust gardens and landscapes! Joe will be will be available after the workshop from 12:00pm – 2:00pm to answer all your compost questions.
  5. Donate!  Thank you to Surburban Contractors Association for their donation!

Have questions?  Call us!  610-268-5555 or email Suzanne.

by

PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM

Scott Jenkins is the General Manager of the newly-designed Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, home of the Atlanta Falcons.  Scott had a vision to be #1, and was determined to make that happen when the facility opened in August of 2017.  And Scott got his wish, although maybe not in the way you might expect, as the Falcons fell to the Philadelphia Eagles for the NFC Division win that year.

But in the green building world, the Falcons’ home field is on the record books.  Mercedes Benz Stadium is the 1st professional sports stadium to achieve LEED Platinum Certification, which is a Super Bowl-esque sized win for Jenkins and his team of architects, planners, builders and installers.

One of the reasons MB Stadium was able to achieve this prestigious status was its incorporation of compost as part of its landscape and stormwater design plans.  150 tractor trailer loads of compost-enriched engineered soil was amended into native soil on site and  installed in bioswales and other water retention areas to capture, retain and manage high volumes of water runoff from large areas of impervious surfaces.

Many municipal ordinances and best practices require the addition of organic matter to existing soil whenever installation of plant material takes place.  A target of 5% organic matter in soil provides increases in the following:

  • Water retention
  • Nutrient retention
  • Microbial activity
  • Sustainability
  • Physical, chemical and biological properties

In addition, project material costs can be reduced by up to 2/3 when 2″ of compost is applied vs bringing in 6″ of topsoil, while also lowering the project’s carbon footprint.

Want to learn more?  Check out the video below for more information:

by

We know how time sensitive stabilization can be when approaching the end of a project.  It is critically important to get your seed down and achieve germination before the November cut off.  Once a site is stabilized, converting the silt catch basins into functioning bioretention basins is the last key deliverable for dedication.

lvsphoto7-2

Having an experienced soil partner that understands the needs of your project is the key to achieving fast and successful slope stabilization and basin conversions.  Laurel Valley is a unique soil producer, as not only do we have a state of the art manufacturing facility, we have an experienced team who understands the chemistry and science of soils so we can make the quality compost and engineered soils that your projects require.

We have been in business since long before “bioretention Soil” was even a product; making compost for more than forty years and blending soil products for nearly twenty.  Specializing in PennDOT, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission and Philadelphia Water Department specifications is just some of what we do.

headerTest_30

We take the science of soil seriously and we work closely with landscape architects, soil engineers, universities and soil testing laboratories.  Soil specifications and the soil submittal process have become very complicated.  Our in-depth understanding of soil blending and soil specifications allow us to provide accurate and competitive pricing up front.  Don’t allow yourself to get to the end of the project only to find out that you have budgeted for the wrong soil blend or have your soil submittal rejected.

You can have confidence in knowing that we provide the whole package from inventorying the highest quality ingredients with large volume production capacity to providing guidance through the bid process and delivering testing and submittals.  Consider Laurel Valley not only your go to manufacture but your trusted advisor.  Your success is our success.

Laurel Valley Soils Dirt Shed

Project Location:  Christiana Fashion Center, Christiana, DE

Bioretention Basin:  3225 cu yds DENREC B-14 Bio-Soil:  60% Sand, 10% STA Compost, 30% Mulch

Christiana Fashion Center

As part of a new outdoor retail shopping center, a stormwater management plan adhering to local BMP’s was developed.  Several bioretention basins were strategically placed throughout the property to capture stormwater runoff from the buildings and paved areas.

Christiana Fashion Center After

Project:  Aerzen USA, LEED-Certified Facility, Coatesville, PA

Rain Gardens:  200 cu yds of Rain Garden Soil:  50% sand, 25% compost, 25% native soil

FullSizeRender

Aerzen USA’s recent headquarters expansion was designed with environmental responsibility in mind.  The goal of this project was to double the office space, and add 30% more manufacturing area while including as many green building practices as possible.  In addition to the rain gardens, Aerzen incorporated solar panels, geothermal heating and cooling, and a garden which produces 250 lbs of vegetables per year that are donated to local food banks.

IMG_8931

Project Location:  Applecross, Downingtown, PA

Bioretention Basin:  800 cu yds of Bioretention Soil:  40% sand, 30% compost, 30% native soil

A Bioretention Basin was installed to manage stormwater runoff within this golf course and housing community.

Applecross

Project Location:  Wegman’s, Glen Mills, PA

Bioretention Basin:  1518 cu yds Bioretention Soil:  35% STA compost, 20% sand, 45% native soil

Wegman's

Project Location:  Pennsylvania Turnpike, Northbound Shoulder, South of Exit 105

Shoulder Stabilization:  Enriched Topsoil

Bear Creek-1

Laurel Valley Soils Enriched Topsoil was installed for road shoulder stabilization as part of a new interchange project on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Bear Creek-4

Have questions?  Want to see how we can help YOU?  Contact us!  Jake@LVSoils.com.  610-268-5555.

by

Compost man

Would you wish for improved moisture holding capacity in your soil, so your plants would have increased drought tolerance and stay vibrant all summer?  Would you want to lighten up your heavy clay soils, improving percolation and reducing compaction, or would you want organic slow release nutrients that can steadily feed your plants all season long?

It would be hard to choose, right?  Because each of your projects may have different requirements and specifications, how would you ever be able to pick just one super power?

The good news is that you don’t have to pick just one!  You can actually get all these powers and more by simply incorporating Laurel Valley Soils OMRI Listed Premium COMPOST into your landscapes!

Organic matter has been Mother Nature’s go-to Super Power since 2320 BC.  We challenge you to think about how compost can super-charge not only your customers’ landscape installations, but your business!  Check out the infographic below to see how incorporating compost into your projects can get RESULTS, and elevate YOUR Company above the rest!

Compost-Infographic-18x23-Pg2

Call us today!   We have your OMRI Listed, STA Certified, Super-Powered Premium Compost that is screened, dry, and ready for action!  610-268-5555.

by

Whether you are a Golf Superintendent, Sports Field Manager, or Homeowner with a passion for a beautiful lawn, topdressing with Laurel Valley Soils STA-Certified Premium Compost may well be the solution to getting the turf you dream of.

Cool season grasses, which are typically grown from Delaware northward, benefit tremendously from a dose of compost every fall or spring, often in combination with aerating.  Adding organic matter-rich compost provides a myriad of benefits, as shown in the video below.

Have questions?  Call us!  866-LVSoils

by

May 2016 Was the 10th Rainiest May Since 1900.

But it didn’t stop our customers, because no matter how WET it was yesterday, we will deliver DRY topsoil and compost today!

Laurel Valley Soils 15,000 Cu Yd covered Dirt Shed
Laurel Valley Soils Enriched Topsoil is ALWAYS dry!

With 15,000 cu yd of covered topsoil storage and 30,000 sq ft of production capacity for blending custom engineered soils used for bioretention basins, rain gardens, green roofs and general stormwater management, we definitely have you covered!!!  As soon as you are able to get back out on the job site, we have dry soil and compost ready and waiting to be delivered to your location.  No more dealing with wet product, or delaying work while waiting for it to dry out.

production shed

Our Enriched Topsoil contains our nutrient-rich Premium Compost, which provides the following benefits:

  • Improves soil structure
  • Adds organic nutrients
  • Stabilizes pH
  • Improves disease resistance
  • Supplies beneficial microorganisms, bacteria and fungi
  • Increases soil’s cation exchange capacity, helping the plant to absorb more nutrients from the soil

Want to learn more about ways customers have used Laurel Valley Soils?  Check out our blog post  “Jake and Suzanne Go Site Seeing in Philly“

© 2022 Laurel Valley Soils. A subsidiary of Laurel Valley Farms, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Facebook Instagram Twitter LinkedIn