There are 70,000 different types of soil in the U.S. alone. If you’re thinking of growing corn or wheat, your soil would need 4,000 gallons of water to produce one bushel of corn while a bushel of wheat requires 11,000 gallons of water.
If you think that’s too much, you’d be amazed to know that a tablespoon of soil has more microorganisms in it than all the people on Earth combined. An inch of topsoil, however, takes a minimum of 500 years just to form.
Types
Topsoil
Source: Amazon
Topsoil is probably the most common type of soil that you will see on the market. It can be used for several different purposes and it will always come in handy if you are trying to create a new garden area. You need to make sure that the soil in your yard is as rich as possible. In order for plants or vegetables to thrive on your land, you need to have quality soil.
You can use topsoil to effectively condition the natural soil in your yard or garden area. This is going to add some organic matter into the mix and change the composition of the soil in the entire area. When you use this topsoil effectively, you will be able to condition the natural soil, making it rich and ready for planting. This will allow you to have a beautiful flower garden or even a vegetable garden if you so choose.
Keep in mind that this topsoil is meant to be used in the ground and outdoors. This is not the type of soil that you will want to use for potted plants. It simply doesn’t have the right balance to work properly with potted plants. Soils have differences in their acidity and pH balances, meaning that certain soils work well for different purposes.
You will also find topsoil that is of a lower grade and this soil isn’t generally used in garden areas. People still make great use of this topsoil as a way to help fill in holes on their properties. When you need to add in some dirt to make sure that your yard is nice and even, topsoil is going to be what you need to purchase. You’ll find plenty of topsoil options on the market so you’ll always have it available to you when you’re in need.
Garden Soil
Source: Home Depot
Garden soil is specifically mixed to be perfect for mixing into your gardens. It contains an ample amount of beneficial organic material and it has an abundance of nutrients that your garden area is going to be able to make use of. When you purchase garden soil, you will be able to mix it in with the natural soil around the garden area. This is going to allow the composition of the natural soil to change to something that is more beneficial for growth, giving you much better results in your garden.
If your garden is deficient in some way, then adding the right amount of garden soil is going to help you to remedy the situation. You might find that your garden has a pH imbalance sometimes. Mixing in some garden soil is going to help you to raise the balance or lower it, depending on your needs. This will get the mix back to where it needs to be and everything will start to grow better.
Other times, the problems in your gardens may just be a simple lack of nutrients. Garden soil helps with this as well as the nutrients present in the soil are very powerful. This is going to give your plants the fuel they need to grow strong. Using this garden soil to the fullest is going to make your entire gardening experience a lot more fruitful.
Much as with topsoil, this garden soil is meant to be used in the ground. You don’t want to use this for potting soil or other purposes. It is specifically formulated to help out your garden area. You will be able to purchase a good amount of this soil at a reasonable price so buying as much as you need to help your gardens should not be a problem.
Potting Mix Soil
Source: Amazon
As you might expect from the name, potting mix soil is mostly used for potted plants. These soils have been meticulously formulated to be used in pots or other types of containers. This type of soil provides the proper drainage that you need in order to have success with potted plants. The roots of your plant are going to need to be able to stretch out in order for it to thrive and this potting mix soil will allow it to do just that.
Being able to drain properly and giving the roots of your plants enough space are reasons enough to get potting mix soil. If you attempt to use another type of soil in your pot, then you will find that the results won’t be desirable. Sometimes plants will grow poorly if you use the wrong soil; other times, they might just die out due to not being able to stretch their roots. Using the right soil for the right purpose is imperative and you should always seek to purchase what you need to do things right.
People who like to keep indoor plants will become very familiar with potting mix soil. This is going to be one of the most common types of soil that you will purchase. This soil has the right properties for helping your plants to grow big and strong in their pots. It should provide an ample amount of nutrients for any potted plant so you will have a good experience with this soil.
Keep in mind that you will need to replace your potting mix soil annually for the best results. This is going to help your plant to keep growing well and will ensure that it has access to plenty of fresh nutrients. You will find that potted plants will sometimes grow too large for their current pots as well and it is recommended to use plenty of fresh potting mix soil when placing a plant in a larger container. Keep all of this in mind and you will have great success with your potted plants.
Raised Bed Soil
Source: Home Depot
If you’re planning on creating a raised bed in one of your garden areas, then it is crucial that you buy the right soil to make everything work properly. A raised bed is something that is going to rise up and be placed on top of the natural soil. Using normal garden soil for this endeavor is not going to be sufficient as it won’t provide the right amount of drainage that you are going to need. It also won’t be able to give you the right aeration so you will need to turn to specially designed soil that is going to work just right in this situation.
A combination of garden soil and natural soil just won’t work with a raised bed. You will be able to go to the store and purchase a soil mix called raised bed soil, though. This is going to give you the proper mix of nutrients that you need while being able to drain properly. This type of soil comes already mixed and is good for getting your raised bed off to an excellent start.
It should be noted that you can use a combination of garden soil and potting soil instead of buying raised bed soil. Essentially, this is going to create the same mix that you need in order to make your garden thrive in a raised bed situation. You will have to mix the soil properly, though, so it is easier to just buy the raised bed soil. It will also cost you the same amount of money so knowing that you can mix your own is just useful if you happen to have some garden soil and potting mix soil already.
Raised beds are very popular in areas that have bad natural soil. If the natural soil on your property is hard to get things to grow in, then your best chance of success is likely going to be to create a raised bed. You can change the soil composition over time but if you want to enjoy a successful garden quickly, it makes sense to create a raised bed. Just make sure that you buy the right soil and everything will turn out great.
Bonsai Tree Soil
Source: Amazon
Bonsai trees are very popular because they look beautiful and it can be very relaxing to take care of them. Bonsai trees are likely something that you have heard of even if you haven’t even taken care of one yourself. They are small trees that you are meant to trim so that you can make sure that they stay beautiful. The art of trimming and keeping bonsai trees comes from Japan but it is something that has become prevalent all around the world.
In order to give your bonsai tree the nutrients that it needs to thrive, you are going to want to purchase good soil to use in its pot. It is possible to get decent results by just using potting mix soil, depending on the type of tree you are using, but you will have better luck buying bonsai tree soil. This soil is specifically mixed to help these trees to grow and to stay strong. If you purchase a good bonsai tree soil mix, then you will surely be able to keep a healthy bonsai tree in your home.
Much as with potting soil, this bonsai tree soil will give your tree the room it needs to spread its roots. It will also allow it to drain properly, which is essential when you want it to be able to grow. Make sure that you put the tree inside of a pot that isn’t too small as you don’t want it to feel cramped. You also don’t want to use a pot that is too large so be mindful of your choices as you pot your new bonsai tree.
There are some variations of bonsai tree soil that you will find on the market. You will find that conifer blend is one of the most common as conifer trees are commonly used as bonsai trees. Other variations of bonsai tree soil include tropical blend and deciduous blend. Just make sure that you are buying the right blend to go along with the type of tree that you are using as a bonsai tree.
Tree and Shrub Soil
Source: Home Depot
People don’t just enjoy having plants and vegetable gardens in their yards. They also like to take care of larger plant life such as trees. If you are caring for a tree in your garden area, then you will want to make sure that you are giving it the right types of nutrients so that it can remain healthy. Most of the common trees that you will see are very hardy but some will need to be cared for a little more cautiously.
It is smart to buy a specific tree and shrub soil to help your trees out. This type of garden soil is also going to work very well on shrubs and it will help them to continue to grow strongly. When taking care of a tree, you will want to ensure that it has this soil mixed into the area surrounding it. It will constantly release the nutrients that it needs to thrive and you will notice that it will be healthier overall.
This soil promotes growth in both trees and shrubs. So many people love planting beautiful shrubbery in their garden areas. If you have shrubs flanking your house or positioned prominently in your gardens, then you will want them to look their best. Purchasing some of this soil and mixing it into the natural soil around your shrubbery will provide excellent results.
Whether you want to help your trees to grow stronger or you want your shrubs to look gorgeous, this soil is going to be very beneficial. It can work great for both of these purposes and it is simple to mix it into the natural soil. Having the right soil for the task at hand really makes a huge difference so you will want to take the time to buy this for the best results. Your yard and garden areas are going to look even more stunning than before once you start taking these steps.
Lawn Soil
Source: Amazon
Another popular type of soil that people purchase is known as lawn soil. This soil is specifically meant for help you to repair your lawn. Sometimes you will have issues with your lawn becoming too sparse and it might even wind up browning or dying in certain spots. When this happens, you will need to reseed your lawn to let new grass grow up.
Having the right soil will allow your lawn to grow much more healthily. Lawn soil is great because it has superb moisture retention capabilities. This will help your lawn to germinate easier and it will start growing at a faster rate. Being able to get your lawn back to looking healthy again is going to be a lot simpler when you have lawn soil.
If you live in a climate that goes through harsh dry periods and has really hot weather, then you will want to use this soil. It helps to protect your lawn from the harshness of droughts by being so good at retaining water. Also, it has fertilizer right in the soil mix so it will help any grass seedlings to sprout up more quickly. This is going to be the easiest way to have a good-looking lawn after dealing with some lawn problems.
This soil works great in sod and it can be purchased at a reasonable price. Depending on how big your lawn is, it could wind up being worthwhile to place this all over your yard. If you need to start growing an entire lawn up from nothing, then this is going to be highly recommended. It will give you faster results and you will be able to feel confident that it will work out well.
Vegetables and Herbs Soil
Source: Home Depot
Vegetables and herbs soil is fantastic when it comes to growing good crops. If you want to make sure that the first harvest in your little vegetable garden is going to be a fruitful one, then you should consider purchasing some of this soil. It feeds your vegetables and herbs the right nutrients to allow them to grow larger. You can expect a much more impressive haul when you make use of soil such as this.
You just need to use this soil the same way that you would use any other type of garden soil. Mix it into the natural soil and let it do its magic. This will change the composition of the natural soil and will give you much better vegetables because of it. Anyone who is planning on planting a small herb garden would be smart to make use of this soil as it will help you to produce the best results.
Luckily, this soil is also fairly inexpensive. You don’t have to pay out too much of your hard-earned money to get this soil. For anyone who is serious about having success with a vegetable garden or an herb garden, this is highly recommended. It’s simple to make use of and you will love the results.
Succulent Soil Mix
Source: Amazon
There are also plants that are not going to need as much water as usual. If you are planting something such as a cactus, then you need to have access to what is known as succulent soil mix. This is soil that primarily uses materials such as peat moss and sand in its composition. This helps with the drainage process and is going to keep the soil from being too compacted.
Trying to use normal potting soil for something such as a cactus will not have good results. You need to use the succulent soil or else you will run the risk of killing the plant. Plants such as cacti really don’t need much water in order to thrive so soil that retains moisture isn’t going to work as well as you would like. Be sure to purchase some succulent soil mix if you plan on raising a plant such as this.
Styles
Low-Grade Topsoil
Source: Home Depot
Low-grade topsoil is perfect when you have holes that need to be filled in your yard. It isn’t entirely uncommon for yards to be filled with ruts and have other spots that need to be leveled out. This can be very beneficial to you as having a more level yard is going to be much easier to work with. Even a simple task such as mowing your lawn can be much more arduous when things are uneven and you have to worry about different ruts in the ground.
You can use low-grade topsoil to fill in everything very nicely. This soil may not be the optimal choice for putting into your gardens but it definitely serves its purpose well. You shouldn’t have any difficulties working with this soil so it will be easy to fill up the holes. Just take your time to find all of the spots to use it on and you will have a properly leveled yard in no time.
Just remember that this topsoil is supposed to be used for the purpose of filling holes. It isn’t formulated properly to promote growth in your garden or to enrich the soil around it. You will want to purchase this specifically for the purpose of filling holes and leveling out your yard. This topsoil should be available at most major retailers and large hardware store chains so you shouldn’t have trouble finding it.
High-Grade Topsoil
Source: Home Depot
High-grade topsoil is completely different from its low-grade cousin. You will find that this soil is popularly used to condition the native soil to your yard. It helps by adding organic matter into the mix and it really helps to get your soil ready for planting. People like to use this soil to help prepare a new garden ahead of putting any plants in.
In order for plants to thrive in a garden, the soil is going to need to be enriched. Using high-grade topsoil is going to make a big difference. You will find that the soil in your new garden area is going to be much richer after adding in this high-grade topsoil. It won’t take too long for you to be able to plant things in your new garden and it will be a good experience overall.
People who like to take the best care of their garden areas often buy this high-grade topsoil to help out. It is useful for keeping your garden area looking beautiful as well. You might find that adding some of this topsoil to the top of your garden area will keep it looking presentable and help with maintenance purposes. This style of topsoil is readily available so go ahead and purchase some if you are in need.
