What Type of Topsoil Is Best for Your Landscaping Project?
Posted on: 25 January 2018
If you are looking to transform your home surrounding by improving your landscape, you will need to get the best supplies. As a landscape supply, topsoil has several different uses, but before you go off buying this material, you need to know that not all topsoil is the same. Generally speaking, topsoil falls into two categories: unscreened and screened varieties.
Before making a final decision on which type of topsoil to purchase for your landscaping, read on below to find out what you need to know about each variety.
Unscreened topsoil
Just like the name implies, unscreened topsoil is topsoil that is sold and bought "as is," meaning that the landscaper is buying the material the way it has been sourced from the excavation site. This type of topsoil typically comprise larger lumps of soil than screened topsoil because it is not broken down into finer particles. In addition, the soil is not sifted to have rocks, weeds, roots, wood chips and sticks removed from it.
Unscreened topsoil isn't suitable for growing plants because it lacks the consistency required for any growing medium, but it may be well-suited for many other landscaping purposes including: filling holes, levelling off an uneven landscape, as a base for pavements, etc. Unscreened topsoil is generally cheaper than screened topsoil.
Screened topsoil
Screened topsoil is essentially unscreened topsoil that has been filtered through to remove large foreign debris and disintegrated into fine particles to achieve the consistency needed to use topsoil as a productive medium for growing plants. Therefore, if you are looking to install a new natural lawn, screened topsoil would be the ideal growing medium for your project. This type of soil will mix well with compost and fertiliser, hence they are great for gardening.
In addition, they will save you the hassle of removing the unwanted debris yourself, but also minimise the risk of weed attacks because weeds will be removed before the soil is delivered to you. Supplying screened topsoil requires extra work, hence it costs more to buy.
Though screened topsoil supply generally costs more than unscreened topsoil, this doesn't necessarily mean the costlier option is always better. As you've read above, screened topsoil is more effective for some uses while unscreened soil is suitable for other uses. So, make sure you determine your landscaping needs before deciding on which type of topsoil to purchase. For best results, make sure your landscaping job is professionally done. For more information, contact companies like Hayter's Timber & Paving.
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