If you have ever taken on a landscaping project, whether it’s for your home garden or for commercial purposes, it’s very likely that you have already heard of the term topsoil. That being said, it’s a landscaping term that is often misunderstood. What exactly is topsoil? What makes topsoil different from other types of soil and landscaping products? How do you identify high-quality topsoil? These are great questions to ask if you are considering using it for a gardening or landscaping project. We will be answering these questions and more in the following article.
Read on to learn what makes high-quality topsoil and why you should always go with the best topsoil for all of your landscaping projects.
What is Topsoil?
Topsoil is a term in landscaping and gardening that describes an upper layer of dirt that contains a mixture of soil types. It’s typically a little bit darker than the dirt that lies underneath. Looking for dirt that is fairly dark is one way to quickly distinguish topsoil from the many other types of dirt. Topsoil is great because it is easy to work with. It has a soft consistency that makes gardening and landscaping projects a breeze. The dirt beneath topsoil normally contains rocks and other ingredients that make it a lot more difficult to work with.
Topsoil typically consists of three different types of soils. Clay will be a big part of topsoil and can provide lots of great nutrients that will help gardeners and commercial landscapers grow the plants that they want. Sand is another key ingredient that is found in topsoil. Sand is typically regarded to be low in nutrients, but it allows for water to easily drain which is a good thing for plants. Last, silt is another soil type that makes up topsoil. Silt is usually very high in the nutrients that plants love. Combining the right proportions of sand, clay, and silt make up the perfect topsoil. That’s why it’s always important to thoroughly inspect your topsoil prior to making a purchase. You want to find a good combination of those three ingredients. Ideally, it will be something along the lines of 15 percent clay, 25 percent silt, and 60 percent sand. If one ingredient is disproportionate to the others, you could be in for an unpleasant surprise later on down the road.
Why should I work with Topsoil?
As we mentioned earlier, topsoil provides a soft consistency that is easy to work with for any type of gardening or landscaping project. Perhaps the best quality of topsoil is that it is nutrient-rich. That means it’s filled with the nutrients that plants love. Plants flourish and thrive with high-quality topsoil. Many people think that if the soil in their garden or land is already rich in nutrients, topsoil simply is not necessary. That’s actually a myth. Topsoil can help replenish nutrients in a garden or are of land and keep the area flourishing with plant life. The best topsoil will help plants grow and experience sustained good health for a long time. The nutrients in topsoil are normally provided by organic matter like foliage, worms, insects, and microorganisms. All of these things contribute to a nutrient-rich and high-quality topsoil. It doesn’t matter what type of project you are working on, if it involves plants and landscaping, topsoil is always important.
What can I use high-quality topsoil for?
Topsoil has extensive applications in the gardening, landscaping, and lawn care industries. You can use topsoil to build the garden of your dreams, improve the appearance of your lawn, and improve drainage in a certain area. Repairing lawn damage is easy with quality topsoil. Simply fill in areas of grass that are low with a layer of nutrient-rich topsoil to about 2 inches. Level it off with a shovel and you should have new grass sprouting there in no time. Creating a great plant bed is also easy thanks to topsoil. You can spread a roughly 2-inch layer of topsoil around the area you are looking to plant in and mix it together with the existing soil to form the perfect area for plants and flowers to grow.
How can I determine if topsoil is of high quality?
Many people will look at dirt and not be able to tell the difference whether it is high quality or not. Dirt and soil come in a variety of different forms, which is why it’s important to look out for a few qualities that make topsoil truly high quality. You want your topsoil to have a dark appearance. It should be checked for pH levels to determine if it’s the right levels for the plants you are trying to grow. You can measure pH levels in topsoil with an electronic tester or a disposable pH testing kit. It’s a good idea to stay consistent with testing pH levels in your topsoil to make sure you are providing the plant life a suitable environment to flourish in. The texture of topsoil is also another way to determine if it is truly high quality. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty! Pick some of the topsoil up in your hands and roll it around in your fingers. The consistency of great topsoil will be fairly fine. If you notice things like rocks and live roots, the topsoil is not the quality that you want.
Cal Blend Soils Inc always offers the absolute highest quality topsoil on the market at great prices. We have been providing the highest quality landscaping and gardening products for over 30 years and bring passion and professionalism to every one of our customers. You can purchase Amended Topsoil, Topsoil, and Unamended Topsoil from us for all of your landscaping projects and gardening needs. Cal Blend Soils Inc also offers products like compost, soil, mixes, mulch, decomposed granite, and much more. We can provide the advice and experience you need to tackle any landscaping project.
