If you’re planning a large landscaping project, there’s a very good chance that you’ll need to bring in some topsoil to complete it properly. Topsoil is sifted and screened to ensure that no sticks, rocks or other debris is introduced to your lawn or garden.
It’s important to understand the difference between topsoil and fill dirt before you begin a landscaping project, even if you’re working with a landscaping contractor and designer. Fill dirt is typically a mixture of soil and sod removed from other projects that has not been sifted or separated and is used for heavy-duty lawn leveling projects like filling an old swimming pool or pond. Fill dirt will usually require a second layer of high-quality topsoil before it’s suitable for planting or sod installation.
Topsoil typically does not contain any added fertilizers, but is still a rich, fertile soil that’s ideal for planting and leveling uneven areas of your lawn or garden. Properties with particularly poor soil quality will require the addition of clean, healthy topsoil to properly foster the establishment and growth of new plant life for landscaping design. If the soil on your property is sandy or comprised largely of clay that doesn’t promote plant growth, you’ll almost certainly need to introduce topsoil before planting to ensure that your new landscaping additions thrive and live up to their full potential.
Your landscaping contractor or supplier may also suggest the addition of topsoil if you’re planning to install sod to start a new lawn for leveling purposes, or if part of your design includes the building and creation of raised beds for gardening.
