The Top 3 Things To Look For When Buying Topsoil

Things to look for when buying topsoil

When you are planning or adding to your garden, it is natural that you are going to be thinking in aesthetic rather than practical terms. Choosing a good quality topsoil is one of those practical issues that may not be as exciting as choosing your fantastic structural plants - but a good topsoil is imperative for your garden to thrive. A good quality topsoil will give your plants an opportunity to survive in the harshest of conditions, thus saving you money in the long term.

What should I be looking for when choosing topsoil?

There are three main areas you should be considering when choosing a good quality topsoil; these are pH levels, texture and the presence of soluble salts.

Step one - Checking pH levels in topsoil

pH levels are the way in which we measure the acidity or alkalinity of our topsoil. pH levels start at 7 - which is neutral, this is neither acid nor alkali. When measuring topsoil pH levels if you have soil that is below 7 it is acidic and above 7 is alkaline. A good quality topsoil will have a pH level of between 5.0 and 8.2.

Step two - Checking texture in topsoil

When using the word texture to describe topsoil, it is in reference to the percentages of sand, silt and clay that are present in the topsoil. A good quality topsoil will have a balance of all three of these in order for the plantlife to obtain the required nutrients and thrive in you garden. Generally speaking, a good quality topsoil will have less than 30% clay, less than 70% sand and less than 70% silt. Ensuring the right balance in your topsoil will give your plants the opportunity to thrive.

Step three - Checking soluble salts in topsoil

If your topsoil has too many soluble salts present, it means it will not be able to absorb water correctly. Obviously this will have a detrimental effect on your plants’ ability to survive. The perfect amount of soluble salt you want present is less than 2 dS/m or mmho/cm. If there is more than 2 dS/m or mmho/cm but less than 4 dS/m or mmho/cm, that is an acceptable level of soluble salt.

When purchasing your topsoil, by following these three guidelines will help you choose a topsoil that will benefit your garden and plantlife for years to come. The knock on effect this has on you is that you will not be spending your hard earned cash on new plants every year as you replace the ones that haven't survived. So pull up a patio chair, take a sip of your drink and enjoy the fruits (or plants) of your labour.