How to bake real soil

[gerryleone]

How do you bake real dirt for layout use? Last time I tried this I put the pre-screened dirt on a cookie sheet and baked it for an hour at 450 and scorched it. Even after screening through a window screen and pantyhose, it still smelled funny. How hot is hot enough, and how long is long enough, to kill the organics?

[Anonymous]

I can't recall the correct temperature, but according to ASTM specifications soil should remain in the oven for 24 hours to remove the organics. The aim of the ASTM procedure is not to just kill organics but to remove them. 450 degrees at 24 hours would take alot of power though.

Good Luck - Ed

[Anonymous]

The only thing you want the oven to do is dry the soil. If you have a "warm" setting on your oven, try that for 12 hours or so. You don't need it to be any hotter than 100 - 150 degrees. Also, make sure the soil is spread out thinly, & not piled up.