Sometimes, we need to add more soil to our landscape, like when we’re building a raised bed or leveling a spot in our yard. When it’s time to buy it, it’s hard to know which kind we need. Here’s a guide to distinguishing topsoil from garden soil, and how to choose the best one for your project!
What is Topsoil?
Topsoil is the uppermost layer of the ground, on average 2-10 inches deep, that contains most of the nutrients and fertility of the soil. In the landscaping industry, anything gathered and packaged from that layer of soil is called topsoil. The quality of it may vary, depending on where it’s harvested from. The key is that no additional organic matter has been added to it.
What is Garden Soil?
Garden soil is just topsoil that has extra organic matter mixed in, like compost, peat, bark shredding, or fertilizer. It’s intended to be used in the garden, where your plants benefit from the added fertility and nutrients. Some garden soils are even specifically tailored for vegetables or flowers.
When to Use Topsoil
When you bring topsoil in your landscape, you’re not necessarily improving the soil. You’re just adding more of it. It’s best to use it wherever you’re lacking soil, for example, to fill in a low spot in your lawn, or as a base layer in a new garden that’s missing a foundation of soil.
If you use topsoil in a garden, you’d still have to add additional compost or manure to help your plants thrive.
When to Use Garden Soil
Since garden soil has good organic matter already added to it, it’s ready to use in the garden. It’s best to use it wherever you need soil in a garden, like in raised beds, an outdoor container, vegetable plots, flower gardens, or around rose bushes and ornamental shrubs.
Although it does raise soil fertility, it’s not a substitute for compost. Compost, or another kind of fertilizer, is necessary to keep every garden’s soil healthy, no matter how much earth is already present. Garden soil, on the other hand, is for increasing the amount of soil in a garden.
Other Soils Demystified: Potting Mix
Now you know the difference between topsoil and garden soil, but where does potting mix fit in? Potting mixes are technically not soil at all. They’re just a mixture of moss, peat, perlite, vermiculite, coir, compost, or sand. They don’t have the mineral base of soil, and they’re sterilized. This design allows water to drain more easily and makes them an ideal medium for potted plants.
How to Turn Topsoil into Garden Soil
If you ever need to turn topsoil into garden soil, you can simply mix in compost or manure.
At the end of the day, if you need to add volume of soil to your landscape. Your best choice is between topsoil or garden soil. Topsoil is best for the lawn, or for lower layers of garden beds. Garden soil is ideal for top layers of any garden.
If you have any more questions, or need to pick up new soil, feel free to visit our garden centers in Bloomingdale and Carpentersville!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
How to Plan Your Gardening Season
Advantages of a Backyard Greenhouse
Platt Hill Nursery is Chicago’s premier garden center and nursery.
FAQs
Your best choice is between topsoil or garden soil. Topsoil is best for the lawn, or for lower layers of garden beds. Garden soil is ideal for top layers of any garden.
What can I use topsoil for? ›
Topsoil is a good choice for filling up raised beds, repairing eroded spots, or filling in holes. When planting a new lawn or overseeding a patchy lawn, you can use a thin layer of topsoil to protect the grass seeds as they sprout.
What's the difference between topsoil and garden soil? ›
What is Garden Soil? Garden soil is topsoil that has been enriched to make it better suited for plant growth. Amendments may include compost or other organic matter, and some soils – like perennial potting mixes – have added ingredients to encourage growth of specific types of plants.
Can I mix garden soil with topsoil? ›
You may need to adjust the pH level or amend with some organic compost or mulch, but most topsoil is adequate for a first in-ground garden. If your layer of topsoil isn't deep enough, either a higher grade of topsoil or a layer of garden soil can be added.
What is the best topsoil for gardens? ›
Avoid chalk topsoil as much as possible; look for loam instead. Loam is the best kind of soil to use because it's suitable for your plants and has a neutral pH balance that will not alter your vegetation's properties. To get the most out of your topsoil, consider screening it.
Is topsoil good for potting plants? ›
Do not use topsoil alone in containers. It can become compacted and saturated with water limiting air space that is important for healthy plant growth. Topsoil is occasionally added to potting mixes in large containers for increased moisture-holding and added weight needed to support large plants.
Will topsoil help my grass grow? ›
Spring is the best time of year to put topsoil on top of garden turf, as this will allow your grass time to grow whilst providing sufficient water and nutrients for the soil to settle.
Can you plant flowers in topsoil? ›
Topsoil on the other hand is best combined with outdoor soil that already exists in your garden or flowerbed. However, if your plants are in containers it may be a better idea to use potting soil. This is because topsoil can sometimes be too moist for container gardens, which can cause root rot.
Is topsoil OK for vegetable garden? ›
If you are gardening, you will want to avoid thicker topsoils that retain water very well – it's true that all plants need water, but thicker topsoils will not allow for much air to reach the roots of the plant. Topsoils with a loamy texture are great for gardening because they are easy to till and promote airflow.
Can I use topsoil to plant trees? ›
Soil Depth
Tree soil should have a minimum depth of 3 feet (1 m). The soil can be composed of topsoil and subsoil layers. When installing the soil it should be installed in lifts or layers of < 12 inches (30 cm).
Clean topsoil or garden soil can be used and should be sterilized to kill disease organisms and weeds. Spread soil in a tray and bake at 200º F for twenty minutes, stirring every five minutes. Sand adds air space to a potting mix. Builder's sand, or coarse sand, is best.
Do I need to mix anything with garden soil? ›
Garden soil is meant to be spread around. Mix garden soil in with your native dirt to improve it. Its organic components break down over time, to enrich and improve the native dirt it's mixed with. Use it for planting flowers, bushes, trees and even fruits and vegetables in your garden.
Can you start plants in topsoil? ›
Creating new garden beds: Topsoil is often used to create new planting areas or to expand existing ones. It provides a nutrient-rich base for plants to grow in. On its own, topsoil is not a great growing medium and I would recommend mixing in compost.
How thick should topsoil be for a garden? ›
A Basic Guideline
We can sum up in a single word how much topsoil you should be adding to your garden – 'plenty'. Basically, you can't have too much, but you can definitely have too little. As a general rule of thumb, you can aim for a depth of 8'' of fresh topsoil when you start this project.
When should I add topsoil to my garden? ›
You can apply topsoil anytime, but most gardeners like to add it in spring before planting. In the fall, it may also be added as a top dressing that will allow nutrients to break down into the soil. You may add topsoil into plantings by adding to the holes where shrubs are planted.
How do I prepare topsoil for my garden? ›
How to Amend Your Soil
- Dampen the soil thoroughly, and allow it to dry for a few days before you dig. ...
- Dig to a depth of about 10 inches. ...
- Add fertilizer now as well. ...
- Mix with a spading fork or tiller, incorporating the amendments evenly into the soil.
- Level the bed with a rake, breaking up any remaining clods of earth.
It's best to use it wherever you're lacking soil, for example, to fill in a low spot in your lawn, or as a base layer in a new garden that's missing a foundation of soil. If you use topsoil in a garden, you'd still have to add additional compost or manure to help your plants thrive.
What do you need top soil for? ›
It can be used for making new beds, borders, raised beds or as a base for lawns, where the natural soil is poor or non-existent.
What are 3 benefits of topsoil? ›
Benefits of Topsoil
- More nutrients: Topsoil can provide many nutrients to your landscape. ...
- Improve drought resistance: Let's face it, summer in Georgia is HOT. ...
- Better drainage: Along with drought resistance, topsoil drains very well.
The type of project must also be considered. Topsoil is not suitable for foundations due to its organic matter content. This can cause the topsoil's volume to change over time as its organic matter naturally breaks down, leading to the shifting of foundations and other structures built on top of it.
