The topsoil is an essential component of the garden soil. It usually comprises the uppermost six to 12 inches of soil. It’s known to provide the necessary nutrients plants need to thrive. Generally, it’s composed of organic matter and microorganisms that make it rich and easy to cultivate. These are some of the reasons why gardeners ensure to have a good source of topsoil for the benefit of their plants and garden.
If you’re planning to start building your garden, you may want to know more about topsoil. It offers a lot of advantages, from fertilizing to repairing your garden’s structure. For more of these, here are the different ways on how you could use topsoil. Read on!
1. For Composting
The standard compost is made of organic matter, moisture, and bacteria. Yet, it still needs a bed where the process could take place ideally. For this purpose, the topsoil is the preferred soil to be used as a compost bed. Since topsoil contains similar materials and nutrients, they’re likely to blend and work properly.
In addition, composts may vary in concentration for fertilizing purposes. If you’re in Missouri and its nearby areas, you may check the providers offering compost-amended soils and other products. You could go to stores such as Missouri Organic Recycling and other establishments near you to have ideas about the different soil products, including mulch and others.
2. For Organic Mulching
Topsoil provides the form of organic mulching, mainly sawdust and straws. And because it has the needed moisture and residues, it can hold mulching materials excellently. In short, topsoil keeps the mulch whole.
Yet, you still have the option to break it down into smaller quantities and spread evenly should you prefer it. On the other hand, if you want to slow down the decaying of the mulch, you may need to add some components such as coniferous bark.
3. For Patching Uneven Lawns
Topsoil could fix the patches in your lawns. For that purpose, you may apply a generous amount of topsoil into the gaps up to one inch high. You may need to spread them evenly but not compactly to allow space for grass growth. This process could work better when done alongside other ways of fixing lawn spots.
The lawn is likely to thrive because topsoil is generally enriched with nutrients. As a result, the patches will be covered in time. If you want to speed up the filling up of the patches, you may sow grass seeds on the topsoil. Then, you could cultivate the areas around the gaps and water the grass regularly.
4. For Improving Drainage In The Garden
The topsoil is ideal for covering the puddles of water that appear when the garden’s drainage is damaged. It’s also a good option to fill the depressions in areas with poor drainage qualities. For optimal results, you could apply it together with ample sandy soil to the densely packed portions of the garden that generally affect the drainage.
This way, the soil may loosen and make way for proper water seepage. You may also cultivate the affected area and add a considerable amount of topsoil. This will give breathing space to the moisture and plant roots for better plant growth.
5. For Starting A Garden
The topsoil could be used as the biggest component of a garden. The topsoil allows proper growth for seedlings and grown plants. Hence, the more topsoil deposited in a garden space, the richer the soil is. In addition, the topsoil is a good refill for the washed-out portion of the garden because of its medium compactness and high nutrients.
Apart from these, the topsoil usually has the necessary moisture, oxygen, and bacteria that could turn old garden soil into a more fertile type. If you want to know more about the right combination of soil types, you could ask a local gardener or soil provider to gain the insights needed to start a garden.
Final Thoughts
The vast array of soils has specific purposes. Topsoil, for one, could be the best type of soil for a garden. Yet, it might not work alone. Because of this, it may need to blend into other soil types and amendments to optimize its quality. For example, more subsoil can make it more compact. A decaying organic matter, on the other hand, gives more nutrients.
In choosing what to combine with, you may go back to what you need. If you’re looking for particular uses, you may use the knowledge and insight you’ve got from this article. In a way, they could help you with what kind of soil and topsoil you may need and choose to benefit your plants and garden.