Your garden is your kingdom, and the key to keeping it thriving is topsoil. However, not any dirt can help you maintain your plants healthy and your lawn green. Depending on where you live, the quality of the soil in your garden may vary. And whether it’s that nutrient-rich “black dirt” or reddish clay, your plants rely on it to grow properly. That’s why it’s crucial to always work on improving the quality of your soil.
So, before you decide to just let it grow, here are a few things you can do to help your plants get enough nutrients and water from topsoil in your garden.
Top 4 Topsoil Myths You Should Know About
There are quite a few common topsoil myths out there that might mislead you about how to take care of it. So make sure not to fall for them.
Myth 1: My Soil Is Good as It Is
While you might be that lucky owner of very nutrient-rich soil, you might still need to take care of it even if it’s almost perfect. The thing is, it takes time for the soil to accumulate enough organic matter, also known as decomposed plants, to provide proper drainage and maintain a healthy ecosystem.
So, if you have just purchased a new home, the odds are you’ll need to prep your soil before starting any ambitious gardening endeavors. And even if you were lucky enough to have an experienced gardener as a previous owner, you’d still want to make sure that your soil has everything it needs to assist healthy plant growth.
Myth 2: My Soil Is Already Nutrient-Rich and Doesn’t Need Fertilizers
It’s great news if you have very nutrient-dense soil that can allow for buoyant gardens and bright green lawns. However, as you might know, plants never stop absorbing nutrients from the ground, which means that sooner or later, you need to replenish them to maintain the healthy growth of your plants.
And if you grow annual vegetables and flowers, it’s even more crucial to ensure that your soil always has many nutrients to assist their rapid growth. Granular or liquid fertilizers and compost can help you restore your soil nutrients. Making your own compost is a great way to obtain free fertilizers for your garden.
If you’re not sure whether your soil needs a nutrient boost, you can easily do a soil test to check how it’s doing. Once you make sure your soil requires more nutrients, simply add 1-2 inches of compost to your garden beds in the fall. This will help you to prepare your soil for the new growing season. You can also try adding some mulch after planting your beds.
Myth 3: All Topsoil Is the Same
We have already mentioned that the topsoil quality differs from region to region. However, did you know that topsoil quality can vary even from one garden bed to another? It means that soil can offer different drainage features in different parts of your yard and vary in pH level. While these things might seem insignificant, they might make or break the growth of certain types of plants.
So, next time you’re wondering why some plants thrive in your garden and the others are barely making it, you’ll know the answer to this problem and how to address it.
Myth 4: I Have to Till My Topsoil Every Year
Unless you’re working on a new garden to give it a good start, you don’t have to turn it up often. Disturbing your soil can actually contribute to weed seeds sprouting, ultimately creating more work for you in the long run as you’d need to get rid of them eventually.
It’s true, however, that your soil can become too compacted with time and might require your interference to help it have enough air pockets for roots to grow properly. Also, stepping on your garden beds, especially when the soil is wet, can lead to soil compacting. So, it’s always a good idea to create a stone path for when you need to take care of your flowers and veggies.
3 Ways to Get Quality Topsoil
Before getting deeper into the topsoil details, first, you need to understand the difference between screened and unscreened topsoil. Screened topsoil is essential for a healthy garden. And there are a few ways you can get it.
Way #1: Buy Screened Topsoil
While this is the easiest way to get your hands on high-quality topsoil, it’s also the most expensive way. If you just need a little bit of topsoil to renew your garden bed, it might be worth it. But if you plan to make gardening your long-term hobby, buying topsoil all the time might become pricey way too soon.
It’s, of course, convenient to place an online order or pop into the nearest nursery to grab some nutrient-rich topsoil, but if you’re not ready to spend a fortune on dirt, you might want to consider the other options below.
Way #2: Build Your Own Soil Screener
This method might be cheaper than buying topsoil from the store, yet it requires more dedication and time. Since you’ll need to build a soil screening machine on your own, you’d need to be keen on creating something with your own hands and patient enough to finish the project.
If you feel like you’re ready to give it a try, we found an interesting guide in Popular Mechanics magazine to help you build your very own motorized trommel. And if you’re not really into DIY stuff, then option #3 is probably a better fit for you.
Way #3: Invest in a High-Quality Topsoil Screener
Right now, there are topsoil screeners of various sizes that offer specific features to accommodate your gardening needs and the budget. Buying a topsoil screener might seem like a significant investment, but in the long run, it’ll actually save you money. Plus, screening your own topsoil has multiple benefits.
Having your own topsoil allows you to ensure the quality of the topsoil in your yard anytime you want without a need to spend money on buying it from the store or online. However, keep in mind that purchasing a portable topsoil screener requires research and establishing your gardening goals. To help you choose the right machine for the job, we outlined the five most important things to consider before buying a topsoil screener.
We manufacture high-quality topsoil screeners at EZ-Screen to handle everything from topsoil, gravel, aggregate, and wood chips to street sweepings and more. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need help choosing topsoil screening equipment or have any questions about our products.
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