Soil

Fine earth material in a shaker with a sieve

Finely ground foam material in a brown earthy tone serves as the lower layer of growth as well as a surface of bare soil in its own right. The grain is from the finest grades the manufacturer offers, so it suits areas where a coarser material would come across as gravel instead of soil.

Where it is useful

The typical use is low growth between buildings, the edges of dirt roads, yards and areas trodden down by walking. The second, equally common use is shading: a layer sprinkled thinly over an already finished grassy surface takes its flatness away and suggests the places where the grass has thinned out. The color is fast, so it does not fade to gray in time and does not change its tone even under varnish.

Volume and yield

The shaker takes 945 cm³, that is 57.7 cubic inches, and the lid has a sifting sieve. Spreading through a sieve matters when shading, because dosing by pinches decides whether a transition between shades looks smooth or like a blot. The material is not tied to one scale, as a fine grain works just as well under a vehicle in 1:35 as on a layout.

Procedure

The area is coated with thinned PVA glue, the material is spread from above and once dry the excess is knocked back into the shaker. A second layer of a different shade laid only once the first has dried gives a surface the depth that a single tone never has.

It pays off to keep to the order from the bottom up: first a darker earthy base and greenery only on top of it. Anyone who starts with the greenery then has to cover it with brown material, and the result tends to be muddied instead of natural. The package holds the material itself, and glue and tools are not part of it.