Apparatus and method for treating top soil

1. Field of the Invention An apparatus and method for heat treating soil with or without sunlight, and more particularly to killing weed pests by pasteurizing a top soil thereby rendering the top soil particularly suitable for planting a fresh crop therein. In one embodiment a top soil heat treatment apparatus for pasteurizing a top soil is provided, the apparatus comprises a housing, a soil heater, and a first soil mover, such as a helical screw, adapted to contact a top soil with the heat source to provide pasteurized stop soil. A method is also provided to produce a pasteurized top soil suitable for planting a crop. The method comprises the step of transferring heat energy from a soil heater to a top soil in order to produce the pasteurized top soil. The pasteurized top soil has a substantially reduced capability of growing weeds and an enhanced capability of growing a crop planted therein.