When considering the type of soil you need for your landscape project, you may have come across many different types: Soil for potted plants, soil for gardening, and topsoil. Depending on what exactly you’re trying to accomplish, all of these types can serve a purpose. However, today we’ll be talking specifically about topsoil uses, and how you can best incorporate it into your landscape.
Why Topsoil?
One of the main topsoil uses is replacing the existing soil on your property if it is poor or degraded. This can also go for garden plots where no natural soil existed before; such as a patio or courtyard garden space. Poor soil can typically be found in newly built homes, where existing topsoil has been stripped away during the excavation and building. Purchasing new topsoil can help you create new flower beds, or provide a solid starting point for new grass seed to be planted.
If you’re planning a garden on a patio that otherwise has no access to soil, you can create a raised bed with topsoil that can be used for growing plants or vegetables.
Different Grades
When picking out the right topsoil, you have a couple standard choices.
- Premium. This is higher in cost, but finely filtered to ensure no weed seeds are included in the mix. It tends to be highly fertile, which makes it the perfect candidate for flower beds and garden plots. It can even be used for potted plants when mixed with compost.
- General. This type of soil can be found in differing screen grades, meaning the type of filtering it’s undergone can vary. This type is also a good candidate for new beds, and courser brands are beneficial for turf laying, while finer brands work well for top dressings.
- Economy. This type tends to come as is, meaning it doesn’t undergo any additional filtering. This makes it good for building up areas where quantity of quality is required.
Buying Topsoil
To avoid any future issues, it’s always a good idea to check what grade the topsoil is before you buy it. This will vary depending on what topsoil uses you need for your project. Watch out for types that look to have roots, weeds, or additional contaminants like stone or brick, while they can serve some purposes, they will not benefit your garden much.
Always ask the supplier you are buying from where the soil came from, and if it all comes from the same place or is mixed. If there is a soil analysis available request it before you buy. This sheet will tell you all the details about composition, PH balance, and grading.
Topsoil has many uses when it comes to building up your dream landscape. Whether you are doing it yourself, or hiring a team of contractors to carry out the project, always double check what type of soil is being used, and if it is the best for what you wish to see.