Topsoil or commonly referred to as “base soil” is the first component of a garden soil mix. There is a delicate balance between water, nutrients and organic matter that the plants need in order to thrive. If you do not have topsoil, then you will need to add it. It is that simple!

When purchasing potting soil, it is important that you choose the correct one. There are many brands and types of potting soil available today. While some people prefer the deep saturated feeling that organic matter provides, most find the fresh loam soil with good moisture benefits to be their favorite. There are nothing like growing in the open air and with all the sunlight that are available, no matter what the plant type may be.

It is important that you also select the proper type of flower seeds, if you are planting flowers in your flower garden soil. One option is to purchase a variety of flower seeds that you can save and replant at a later time. This is known as “backplanting”. Be sure to check the “pi” information on the seed packages to see which varieties are recommended for your particular region. The following is an outline of the different types of garden soil.

Planting Options: There are several different kinds of garden beds available, from small kitchen gardens in the back yard, to massive landscaping schemes involving lawn areas, flower gardens, and entire vegetable fields. Raised Beds: These are great for growing herbs, and other specialty vegetables. They require very little maintenance, and you can simply add topsoil when the soil is ready. Be sure to check the “pi” information for the varieties you want to plant.

Flower Gardening: Flowers love the sun. They will do their best work when there is plenty of light, and a nice thick layer of topsoil is a perfect medium. When purchasing or planting your flower garden, be sure that you have enough topsoil to accommodate all of the flower beds you plan to have. Some varieties like to have their blooms just start to show, while others like to cover up the roots of the flower bud, or flower. It is not necessary to over-feed these plants.

Vegetable Gardening: Many gardeners are turning to vegetable gardening to get the fruits and vegetables that they need for cooking, baking, and juicing. They usually want to start out with some good old fashioned garden soil, and then add organic matter to the mix as the vegetables mature. This is referred to as “topsoil” in the gardening world. You can buy vegetable seeds at a local garden center or nursery, or you can plant the seeds yourself. There is an abundance of vegetable gardens in the Midwest, and they are all relatively easy to maintain. A well-drained garden bed with good topsoil will provide all the moisture a vegetable garden needs.

Birdhouses: Many birdhouses require a thick layer of topsoil to help them survive and thrive. If you are considering building a birdhouse, it is important that you have enough topsoil to build the birdhouse on. Without a good base of soil, the birdhouse will not last very long or be even pleasant to look at. Most gardeners know there is no such thing as natural law, because most topsoil cannot absorb the nutrients needed to make a lush green lawn. In fact, most topsoil is too loose and fluffy for good grass lawn.

Garden Gift Ideas: You can recycle any old bag of dirt and recycle it by adding the proper topsoil and compost to it. This compost and topsoil mixture will keep the bag full and the vermicompost (a combination of kitchen leftovers and coconut husks) will start to break down your garbage. This is the best way to recycle any kind of waste and it is also the kind of thing you want to do every week to help your gardens. You can find organic matter in most flower shops or online. By mixing this with your garden soil, you will have the perfect amount of nutrients needed to grow healthy plants, flowers and vegetables.