Landscape and garden projects require you to have a good supply of topsoil to supplement existing soil to boost its quality or level out your lawn. Here are some recommendations to help you use topsoil within your garden and yard to improve your vegetation and the health and appearance of your landscaping.
Amend to Your Garden Soil
Whether you are starting a new vegetable garden in a new plot of soil or your existing garden soil needs improvement, you can order a load of topsoil to add to your garden soil and immediately better soil. The soil in your garden can become depleted of nutrients over time, but it can also lose a good amount of its structure due to wind and rain erosion. If you live in an area with high winds frequently, this can slowly blow away your garden's existing topsoil and leave you with a flat hard soil surface.
To improve your garden soil, you only need enough new topsoil to add approximately three inches to the area. Order this from a local landscaper or from a home and garden center by the load or bag. Just be sure it has been screened of gravel and weeds.
Once your soil is delivered and laid atop your garden soil, smooth it over the area to evenly distribute it, then till it into the area. Tilling in the soil will combine it with the existing hard and low-nutrient soil, and give you a deeper area of fertile soil. If you leave the new topsoil in place and don't till it in, your plants may only grow roots through the new topsoil and won't be able to grow into the hard bottom layer. And shallow roots will leave your garden plants stunted from growth to their full potential.
Fill in Uneven Lawn Areas
Topdressing your lawn provides you a way to fill in uneven and bumpy areas on your lawn. Over time, bumps and divots can form in your lawn's soil from earthworm and insect activity, which can often make it difficult to walk across your lawn safely. A bump or hole in your lawn can cause you to twist your ankle or fall down while you are enjoying your yard.
An order of topsoil is a great way to fill in these bumps and holes. Topdressing your lawn requires you to spread the topsoil over your lawn in an even layer but no more than an inch in thickness. Use a garden rake or hoe to spread it around and fill into your lawn's soil until the tops of your lawn plants are visible through the soil.