Bulk Topsoil - What is it?

As a Permie, when I hear the word topsoil my mind already starts going down a rabbit hole of microscopic life and nutrients. I prize my topsoil and tend to it especially in my growing areas. I am here today not to talk about that topsoil but rather the product that can be imported for gardening, landscaping, and more.

What actually makes up bulk topsoil? Is it even REALLY topsoil?

Firstly, I make the differentiation between bulk and bagged. Many bagged topsoil brands sold in big box stores can be an amalgamation of things. Forestry byproducts, sand, sometimes even pallet wood chips. When buying in bulk, either delivered or by the scoop, there tends to be a more consistent product that generally resembles soil. This could be screened already for rocks leading to a consistant product.

I've ordered a whole bunch of topsoil to work on leveling parts of my yard as well as create a base layer for establishing some new perennial garden beds in an area of poor rocky soil. The product I have received is a slightly sandy rich dark material that is full of organic material (manure based compost) and fills in low spots neatly.

I have at other times ordered topsoil from other places and have received soil that seems to have been scraped directly from the earth and is full of rocks, bugs, and weed seeds.

I'm here to ask, what is your local bulk topsoil like? Do you know how it is made? Do you ever purchase some  to supplement your homestead?

Soil Horizons

I do fairly often get local topsoil. The first time it was the guy who dug my pond and did the clearing. It was unbelievably good. It was silt that was cleaned out from ponds.

I now get it from another guy and it’s decent. Both places screened out rocks or I wouldn’t buy it. The 2nd guy mixes a bit of sand to make it spread easier. It’s not completely weed free but it’s not bad.

Usually, I get topsoil in the beginning of the season and spread it out for the year and call it quits. This year I have received a second order and decided it was a good time to do some non-science science experiments.

Jar Test

I decided to do a jar test with the imported material to show what I have local to me. I utilize a trusted, local vendor for soil imports due to the small size of my parcel does not allow me to create an amount of amendments that I utilize in a year.

Bulk Topsoil

I took a scoop out of the middle of the pile and placed it in a mason jar.

Dry Soil in Jar

I then added water to the jar from my tap, covered the jar, and shook it vigorously. After a few hours I checked it out.

Jar Soil Test

I still had a bunch of matter suspended this morning, I am planning on letting it sit longer so I can get a clearer picture but we can start to see its contents. Currently, you can see a nice big sand layer which helps my local soil quite a bit when incorporated.  We have quite a bit of rock/compaction in the local soil. There is some silt/clay content that looks pretty even currently but I'm wondering how much of that is in fact organic matter. I have read that most of the organic matter remains suspended. This  provider creates compost from their dairy operation through windrow composting and add it to this mix. I know that this mix works well for my zone and I'm pleased with it.

I like to refer to the topsoil purchased in bags as bagged topsoil.  This product contains more than just soil as it is produced from a combination of soil, compost and other added materials.

I have always bought most of my soil from dirt companies which bring it out in a dump truck and this is referred by the term yards, or maybe tons.

The company I have done the most business obtained their dirt from a river bed.

This dirt/soil is usually called sandy loam.

The soil in my current garden beds was made by dear hubby from clay found on our property, leaf mold made by mother nature under my oak trees, well aged bagged manure, and some bagged topsoil.

Thanks for starting this informative topic.

I find the term topsoil to be highly subjective … especially in newspaper ads.  In my area, it can be very yellow, as in clay.  In central Illinois, it is usually vey black.   Then there is the commercially bagged stuff that also appears to vary by brand.

My personal frustration with bagged topsoil is that you don't know what you are getting until you open the bag. Widely distributed big box store bags have had everything from literal junk found inside of them to bags of just mostly forestry mulch at times.

I've been burnt enough times to where I am now a bit of a hard-ass when it comes to accepting topsoil both bulk and bagged. My current topsoil provider got to play twenty questions with me but gained my trust with her patience. I would recommend folks not be afraid to ask questions and to follow their gut. It's not personal, it is just permaculture business.