Garden soil is topsoil that has been enriched to make it better suited for plant growth. The Dirt Bag specializes in bagged and bulk landscape materials, and our team can give you expert advice regarding which products best meet your needs. Topsoil is just what the name implies: It is soil removed from the surface of the earth. Garden soil is rich in nutrients and organic material, since it has been cultivated over time for use in growing vegetables, herbs, and other plants. Vegetable, herb and flower garden beds The added compost can minimize compaction as well as provide nutrients which will sustain the plants for many years to come. Bagged products for 2020 are no longer available, they will return March 2021. Follow the directions on the package for testing the soil. To add topsoil, first till the existing garden soil thoroughly. Garden soil is a growing medium, designed to provide much-needed nutrients for improved plant health. The addition of compost will reduce compaction and also provide nutrients that will feed the plants over many years. Topsoil holds lots of water, so it will stay moist for a long time. Choosing wrong kind of soil might completely ruin your garden along with negatively affecting the growth of … Garden soil is similar to the dirt that exists in your garden. Keep in mind, too, that if you have a large area to cover, you can consider combining the two soils. Potting Soil vs Garden Soil & Garden Soil vs Topsoil By: Elsa On: November 23, 2020 November 23, 2020. You might think that’s just what your garden needs to produce better vegetables or flowers. Brown holds a master's degree in history education from Truman State University. When preparing a garden, you have to consider the soil type. Our Bags Are 1 Cubic Yard. Garden soil usually contains some topsoil, but it also contains extra organic material (from compost or aged manure). Available in bags at your favorite nursery or big box store, garden soil is a topsoil that’s been screened and amended with compost. High-quality enriched soil tends to cost more than topsoil, but the needs of your garden – and not the price of the landscape material – should be the deciding factor. That’s not always the case. Should I Put More Topsoil on My Lawn Before Fertilizing? Either kind of garden soil may have amendments, such as fertilizer or compost, added to it. Return the soil sample to the extension office where they analyze it for what fertilizers and amendments the soil actually needs. Top soil is naturally occurring, while garden soil has been carefully cultivated by gardeners for growing desired plants. In some instances, your garden soil may just need some fertilizer and other amendments to give you a bountiful harvest of fruits and vegetables or a garden filled with bright, healthy blooms. It’s too heavy for use in pots, but it’s well-suited for garden beds and lawns ready to be reseeded. has been sifted out of garden soil over time. Unlike topsoil, Garden soil is filled with compost and organic matter to make it more suitable for the actual growth of plants. Understanding these two types of soil and when to use them can make the difference between achieving your landscape goals and wasting your time and effort. Different plants can only thrive in certain soil types. Rose bushes and other ornamental shrubs. Topsoil Vs. Garden Soil. Do you need help choosing the right type of soil for your northern Utah garden project? Garden soil is topsoil enriched with compost and organic matter to make it better suited to actual plant growth. You might think that’s just what your garden needs to produce better vegetables or flowers. Most topsoil has a textural classification. By creating layers, the plants are better able to adapt to the new soil. Ideally, purchased garden mix should have a pH of 6 or 7 to help keep soil from becoming too alkaline or acidic. Denise Brown is an education professional who wanted to try something different. When selecting a bagged or bulk soil blend, check to make sure it contains no chemicals or fertilizers. Topsoil varies by location depending on its texture. Garden soil is a category of topsoil. Its structure makes it easier to cultivate and better able to absorb water. University of Connecticut: Purchasing Topsoil, Louisiana State University Ag Center: Get It Growing: Adding Soil? It is also important to know, however, that topsoil can deplete or erode, so you must continually replenish and recondition the soil. Scientists consider topsoil to be the uppermost layer of soil. Often, the debris mentioned above (rocks, sticks, soil clumps, etc.) Depending on the location, topsoil may go as deep as 12 inches. It contains organic matter that gives it the typical darker color. The various combinations affect how well the topsoil mixture drains water. Topsoil taken from agricultural land may have chemical additives, such as weed killers. Raised bed planters and container gardens However, topsoil is not enriched or amended at all, which limits its use as a growing medium. Garden soil is made of natural topsoil or sand blended with relatively inexpensive, bulky organic material. To learn more, or to schedule delivery of topsoil or garden soil, contact our West Jordan office today. 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. Topsoil has organic matter in it from whatever grasses, leaves or bark that have decomposed on it. You can pick up a soil test kit at a local Cooperative Extension office or contact a soil testing company, depending on your location. 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. © Copyright 2020 Hearst Communications, Inc. Dirt is what you find when you excavate a basement or attic. Bulk Products are still available for delivery. You can opt to buy a topsoil supplement from garden suppliers, but, for Miller, amending the soil with compost or tilling the soil and adding a layer of blended topsoil is a more preferable method of improving it. What Type of Soil Should Be Placed in Raised Vegetable Beds? Approximate Number of Cubic Yards Required: Terrifying Plants for the Haunting Season. Add organic material to an existing lawn as a means of reducing thatch and increasing pest and weed resistance When looking into what is potting soil and what is topsoil, you’ll find out that they have very little in common. Gardeners use topsoil to: Level low spots in the lawn in preparation for sod installation Till the garden again to create a mixed layer of new and existing soil. No plants thrive in dirt. When you go to the garden center, you see bags of topsoil. Nurseries offer the following topsoil textures: silt loam, silty clay loam, clay loam and sandy clay loam. The Difference Between Topsoil and Garden Soil. Fill the lower layer of raised bed planters. Topsoil vs. Garden Soil. Generic soils vary greatly in quality, as do many of the options at local big box stores. Add a couple inches of the topsoil best suited for your garden over the top of the garden soil. It has its own texture composition of sand, silt and clay mixed into it. In fact, potting soil may have no actual soil in it at all. True topsoil is the uppermost portion of the ground beneath our feet. Gardeners turn to this landscape material for: Hanging flower baskets and window boxes We Only Sell Bags By The Whole Cubic Yard. Make Sure You Get What Your Garden Needs, Difference Between Garden Soil and Top Soil. Each is different based on the percentage of sand, silt and clay in the mixture. Two years and more than 500 articles later, she's enjoying her freelance writing experience for online resources such as Work.com and other online information sites. When you go to the garden center, you see bags of topsoil. Landscape professionals often call topsoil fill dirt – but it’s really not actual dirt. Whether you’re filling raised bed planters, creating container gardens, topdressing your lawn or embarking on another gardening project, you need to use the right landscaping materials. All the types of soil might seem the same to some and comparing Topsoil vs Garden soil can be tough but the type of results you get from your garden majorly depends upon the kind of soil you use. When you decide your garden’s soil could use a boost, combine garden and topsoil to reap the benefits of both. Use the results of the test as your guide to improving garden soil or purchasing topsoil. Topsoil, on the other hand, contains natural organic matter from leaves, grasses, weeds and tree bark that can help sustain plant life. Soil from your garden and from the garden center is similar with variations based on the texture. How did you hear about us?FriendSearch EngineMailerRadio. Many novice gardeners think topsoil and garden soil are one and the same, but that simply isn’t the case. Topsoil is heavy. In the landscape materials industry, however, topsoil refers to earth that has gone through a screening process to remove debris and create a consistent texture.