You can’t have beautiful landscaping without getting a little dirty, especially when it’s time to choose the dirt itself! It’s the foundation for everything from pathways to flower beds. In short, you won’t get very far without it. The difficult part is choosing the type that will be best for your plants. Do you get topsoil or fill dirt? They’re both popular options, but their properties and applications differ. Understanding these differences can have a big impact on your results, so let’s take a look at the benefits and drawbacks of each. Grab your gardening gloves, because you’re about to learn all about dirt!
What is Fill Dirt?
Let’s start off with fill dirt. It’s a subsoil that contains minimal organic material. That’s because it’s primarily made of broken down rocks, sand, and clay. This means it’s a stable and compact material. Going back to the whole “minimal organic material” bit, we should warn you that it doesn’t support plant growth.
Wait… if it doesn’t support plant growth, why should we use it? Don’t worry—it still has an important role to play. You see, this kind of dirt is fantastic for construction and large-scale landscaping projects. Why? Because stability is key here, and fill dirt offers that in droves. It’s the ideal substance for filling holes, grading land, and creating a strong foundation for structures—think roads, driveways, and buildings.
What is Topsoil?
On to the cleverly named “topsoil.” It gets this name because… well, it goes on top of the soil. It’s the uppermost layer of soil that has a high concentration of organic material and nutrients—a far cry from the properties of fill dirt. This richness in nutrients means it’s just begging you to plant things in it so it can promote growth. The microorganisms, decomposed matter, and minerals found within it are vital to the success of your flowers, shrubs, and more. It’s also vital in lawn installation!
Key Differences
These two materials may look similar, but examine them more closely and you’ll see a world of differences. We’ve already gone over their wildly different nutrient levels, but it goes further than that. While fill dirt is dense and compact, topsoil is much less dense, meaning air and water can travel through it much more easily—another reason it’s great for growing! If you want your beautiful flowers or delicious veggies to grow, this is your best friend!
As for cost, dirt tends to be less expensive thanks to its basic composition and abundance. And thank goodness for that, because you’ll need much more of it to fill all those holes and get your land to an ideal shape for gardening and other projects. Topsoil, on the other hand, is more expensive thanks to its complex makeup. But don’t worry—you won’t be using nearly as much of it. Though the cost is higher, it’s well worth the investment if you want those plants to reach for the sky.
How to Choose the Right Soil for Your project
When your eyes are darting back and forth between topsoil and fill dirt, the first thing you should do is consider the goals of your project. If you want to improve drainage, level out your land, or fill in unwanted holes or craters, dirt is the way to go. If you want your landscape to be adorned with the vibrant colors and fragrant air produced by a wide variety of flowers, use that ever-so-aptly named soil (the kind that goes on top).
In many instances, you’ll likely find you need some combination of the two. If you discover poor drainage in an area you want to beautify, dirt for filling is necessary to rectify the issue before you even think about planting anything. Once that’s done, you can lay down the topsoil that will help your landscape flourish!
Time to Get Dirty
While creating successful landscaping is a complex process, perhaps one of the most vital parts of it is choosing the right kind of soil or dirt and knowing how to use it. Both options we’ve discussed here serve very different purposes, but they both work towards the same end goal: great landscaping.
Have you made your decision? Do you know what you need to get to make your project a resounding success? Come to RELS Landscaping and find what you’re looking for. Or, if you need a few extra pointers, get in contact with us. We’re always happy to talk dirty.