Ortega soil series

What this means

What Ortega soil means for gardens, lawns and septic systems

For gardens

Typical topsoil in Ortega soils is very strongly acidic: pH 5.0 (most land between 4.5 and 5.1). Most vegetables and lawn grasses do best around 6.0 to 7.0, so lime is often needed; blueberries, azaleas and rhododendrons like it as it is.

Sandy topsoil covers 100% of mapped Ortega acres. It drains fast and warms early in spring, but dries out and loses nutrients quickly: mulch, compost and steady watering help. The most common surface texture is fine sand (66% of mapped Ortega acres).

100% of mapped Ortega acres is moderately well to excessively drained, which suits most garden plants.

For lawns and yards

100% of mapped acres is in hydrologic group A, where water soaks in fast. Lawns there dry out quickly; deeper, less frequent watering and organic matter help.

For a septic system

For conventional septic absorption fields, NRCS rates 100% of the acres in mapped Ortega soils very limited, 0% somewhat limited and 0% not limited.

Where the soil is very limited (slow permeability, a high water table, flooding, shallow bedrock or steep slopes), alternative systems such as mound or sand-filter designs are common and cost more.

Only a licensed site evaluation or perc test at the actual lot decides whether a system is allowed and which design.

Generated from the mapped numbers above using fixed rules, not a site visit. See how these notes are written.