A good gardener knows that high-quality topsoil is beneficial in landscaping. You want a garden that’s full of bountiful plants and flowers so you need topsoil that can nurture them. From choosing topsoil suppliers to studying your landscaping needs, below are some factors that affect choosing the right kind of soil.
Top Soil 101
It’s easy to assume that topsoil is all the same, but they’re not. There are certain differences. Generally, topsoil is composed of clay, silt, and sand. The difference is the proportion of the three. Some topsoil has more sand than silt or has more clay than sand. There’s a perfect mix though, which is 60% sand, 25% silt, and 15% clay.
Aside from this equation, topsoil has other components. These are organic matter made of decomposed plant matter. This is where the nutrients spread to the plants are coming from. Insects and other organisms like earthworms are present in topsoil. There’s also oxygen, water, and air in topsoil.
Many say that there’s no need to fertilize if the soil is rich, but don’t believe that myth. Topsoil needs to be fertilized because garden plants get their nutrients from the soil. In turn, the soil will give away its nutrients which means the topsoil will already lack in nutrients. The best way to supply nutrients to plants is if the topsoil is rich in nutrients coming from the fertilizers.
Keeping Top Soil Healthy
Buying topsoil from suppliers in your Utah neighborhood is much better than just getting dirt from your backyard. Some soil found in homes doesn’t have that much organic matter. You want your topsoil to be rich in nutrients. It’s either you add organic matter to your soil or you buy from reputable topsoil suppliers.
Don’t forget to till your topsoil. Till the soil even if it’s of good quality. You need to do so because the soil can get packed together. Tilling is good, especially when you’re going to start planting vegetables, etc. You can also add compost to make it richer and loose.
You’ll know how much topsoil you need when you measure the area you’re planting on. A garden bed needs at least eight inches of topsoil while new lawns require around three to six inches layer of topsoil. Alternately, you can mix compost with topsoil. Making a mix with of topsoil and compost keeps the plants healthier.
Using Top Soil
Topsoil works best in garden beds. The best one to buy is already free from roots, rocks, and debris. It has a dark color and is rich in organic matter, which makes tilling it easy.
Lastly, each pH level of the soil is a match for a certain plant. This is because some plants prefer acidic soil while some like alkaline. Choose the pH level of your topsoil according to what you’re planting.
A beautiful garden starts with healthy plants and rich topsoil. Buy from a reputable topsoil supplier so you know you’re taking home good-quality topsoil. Good-quality topsoil will keep for a long time as long as nurture it. With that, you can relax and enjoy your garden when you can.
