Creating healthy landscaping and gardens isn’t just about selecting plants that will thrive in your climate. Soil also plays an important role in whether greenery will grow. If you’re a new homeowner or are just starting to learn about the types of soil available, use this introduction to topsoil and fill dirt to know which will suit your needs. 

A Guide to Topsoil & Fill Dirt

Material

Topsoil is made of sand, clay, silt, and humus, a substance produced from the organic, decayed remains of plants and animals. It’s taken from the part of dirt that is closest to the air, meaning it contains nutrient-rich decomposing matter and moisture. Fill dirt may include some topsoil, but consists mostly of subsoil made out of sand, crushed rocks, and clay.

Fertility

Topsoil is packed with nutrients like carbon and nitrogen from rotted leaves and plants, mulch, and dead animals, and thus provides an enriched environment for seeds. The humus in topsoil also boosts the soil’s ability to retain water to help your plants thrive. Keep in mind, however, that topsoil quality varies widely, so you may need a soil test to determine if you should supplement it with additional organic matter, like compost. Because fill dirt is primarily made of rockier subsoil, it doesn’t have the same nutritive properties as topsoil. 

Uses

Because the materials found in fill dirt are solid and dense, they don’t tend to shift or settle. They serve as perfect foundations for buildings, retaining walls, and raised garden beds. They’re also useful for filling depressions or otherwise shaping land. Topsoil is better used in areas where you want to promote plant growth. To build a garden, for example, you might place a layer of topsoil over fill dirt. Topsoil is also used to plant grass. If you have a septic system, be careful to avoid adding too much topsoil over your drain field, as you could inhibit the aeration that’s key to the proper function of your system.  

Homeowners looking to order soil, dirt, and gravel to enhance their landscaping should contact River Bottom Topsoil. Serving Lincoln, Warren, Pike, and St. Charles Counties, MO, the experts at this company have provided landscape material delivery for over 20 years. They also offer landscape grading using the latest equipment. To learn about their sand, topsoil, mulch, fill dirt, decorative rock, mulch, and quarry rock offerings, call (636) 462-5331. Visit the website for more information about their services.