![]() ![]() ![]() Healthy, living soil absorbs and holds water like a sponge. Most of us have lawn, garden beds, trees, maybe a wetland area and all of them are very dependent on the health of the soil. Soil Moderates the Effects of Climate Change It is crucial to mitigating the effects of climate change, for building resilience in the landscape and for sequestering carbon. Much like the millions of microorganisms inside the human biome, soil is the microbiome of the above-ground world. Healthy soil underpins the health of our environment. When we look out over our lawns and gardens, the one thing we don’t see is the soil beneath the living landscape. These mixtures help the soil retain moisture but drain properly and add beneficial nutrients to the garden bed for optimal plant development.Fourth in Greenwich Sustainability Committee’s One Land Series on Biodiversity Some commonly recommended mix ratios are 25% garden soil to 75% compost, 50% garden soil to 50% compost, or 25% soilless potting medium to 25% garden soil to 50% compost. Gardeners may also choose to mix them with other organic materials, such as compost, peat moss, or soilless potting mixes to add nutrients to the garden bed. Garden soils are intended to be tilled in with existing soil in garden beds. ![]() For container plants, it is much better to use soilless potting mixes. In addition to the effect on plant development, topsoil or garden soil in containers can make the container too heavy to easily be lifted and moved. Garden soils are still heavy and dense because of the topsoil they contain, so it is not recommended to use garden soil in containers or pots, as they can retain too much water, do not allow for the proper oxygen exchange, and ultimately suffocate container plants. These products consist of topsoil and a mixture of other materials and nutrients which will help the specific plants they are designed for to develop to their full potential. This is why you may find bags labeled as “Garden Soil for Trees and Shrubs” or “Garden Soil for Vegetable Gardens.” Since straight topsoil isn’t the best option for gardens, flowerbeds, or containers, many companies which specialize in gardening products create mixes of topsoil and other materials for specific planting purposes. Even after being processed, topsoil can be too dense and heavy, and lacking in nutrients for proper root development of young or small plants. Depending on where this topsoil was harvested, it may contain sand, clay, silt, or regional minerals. Once it has been processed to have a fine, loose consistency, it is packaged or sold in bulk. Topsoil is harvested from the first foot or two of the earth, then shredded and screened to remove stones or other large particles. What’s in garden soil usually depends on what they are intended to have grown in them. Unlike regular topsoil, bagged products labeled as garden soil are generally pre-mixed soil products that are intended to be added to the existing soil in a garden or flower bed. Continue reading for the answers to those questions. As you browse these bagged products with labels that say such things as: Topsoil, Garden Soil for Vegetable Gardens, Garden Soil for Flowerbeds, Soilless Potting Mix, or Professional Potting Mix, you may begin to wonder what is garden soil and what are the differences of garden soil versus other soils. At the start of the gardening season, garden centers, landscape suppliers, and even big box stores haul in pallet after pallet of bagged soils and potting mixes. ![]()
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