What is Topsoil?

Some of you many be thinking, “Soil? It’s all the same” but this is not the case. This month, Thompson Fuel & Skip Hire are here to inform you on what topsoil really is and how you could

benefit from this rich matter – this knowledge will make for a healthier, greener garden.

Topsoil

Topsoil: may be referred to as “black dirt”, is the rich soil found on the top of the earth’s surface – as this is where the most nutrients lies. Topsoil consists of the highest organic matter, packed with everything needed to fertilise flowerbeds and vegetables. This ‘topsoil’ is collected, screened – for unwanted roots/rocks – bagged and sold because it is the prime soil for avid gardeners, farmers, builders – the lot!

Other benefits of topsoil: you may be surprised, but topsoil has a number of versatile uses other than gardening such as building up areas for construction, levelling ground, filling in holes and landscaping – even for football and rugby pitches.  

Grades of topsoil:

Premium: although more expensive, this soil is sifted to be free of weed seeds and to create the finest of textures. The last thing anyone wants is for weeds to grow in your freshly laid bed, taking in the nutrients that should be going to your beautiful flowers. The premium topsoil has increased fertility, thanks to its impressive structure, and is generally used to form flower beds and build up borders. Premium topsoil can also be used for potted plants with an organic compost mix too. Be sure to check the quantity before you buy as you will not need topsoil in bulk for potting.

General-purpose: this type of topsoil is used to help rejuvenate lawns for when grass seeds are ready to be sown for a fuller, enhanced garden. These types of topsoil are more ideal for laying turf as the consistency is coarse and practically useful for new lawns.

Economy: this topsoil is unscreened and used mainly to build up areas where quantity is more important than quality. This would be used for construction sites, levelling ground and for filling holes.

New-build homes
The soil surrounding a new-build is known to have been compressed by heavy machinery and overworked in order to construct numerous homes and sadly, this strips the important topsoil away. Topsoil is teeming with living organisms and is used to bring back life.

Thompson Fuel and Skip Hire have a highly dedicated and professional team, based in Doncaster covering Armthorpe, Rossington and Besscarr. Our services include topsoil, long and short term skip hire, fast delivery and collection, waste management solutions, solid fuel supplies, domestic and commercial skips in a wide range of sizes. We’re proud of our experienced team and always offer low-cost solutions. Talk to our experts today to find out more about the topsoil we have to offer, general advice or to hire our services, get in touch today.