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.