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Is garden soil the same as topsoil, or is topsoil what is put on top of a garden – added in? Below we look to demystify the topsoil saga and advise you on making that top layer productive.
Topsoil or garden soil – it is a matter of semantics. They are the same and are referenced from the original Greek word for topsoil, epipedon. Epipedon is the surface layer where the elements mostly break down the rock.
The earth’s crust is layered, and the upper layer is layered even further. This article overviews the big picture, interest’s sake, and what gardeners have available as canvasses for their creative and productive genius – the topsoil.
What is topsoil, and how does it differ from garden soil?
Topsoil is described as made of carbon and nitrogen, as well as microbes and insects. They are usually found at two to eight inches of soil depth. Their composition also depends on factors such as their geographic region, human activity, and climate.
Often, the darker the topsoil is, the stronger its earthy smell and the richer it is in nutrients.
Fertile topsoil contains good nutrients like potassium, phosphorus, and iron. Rich topsoil can absorb more water. The greater nutrients and water availability make topsoil more productive in plant growth. The greatest risk to topsoil is erosion.
With this clarification, we would also like to introduce you to an article we made on the difference between potting soil, garden soil, and topsoil. It further clarifies the differences, similarities, and tips on using these.
Local Soil Categories
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), your garden has one of twelve potential garden soil types. The area has distinct regions with different vegetation, water volumes, and climates. The interaction between these three variables ( water, plants, and climate) has created twelve categories of organic soil types over thousands of years.
However, whatever you are gardening can be adjusted by adding manure, compost, earthworms, and fertilizers – if you know what you have. For this, it is advisable to make use of soil testing facilities that will measure:
| Factors to check | Their specifications |
| Soil texture | Clay-dominated soil or sandy loam? |
| Soil pH | How acidic, neutral, or alkaline is your soil? |
| Soil Nutrients | Does it contain phosphate, potassium, calcium, magnesium, and nitrogen? |
| Soil Organic Matter | How much is organics versus mineral particles? |
| Soil Heavy Metals | Is the soil contaminated with industrial metals such as lead and arsenic? |
Organic and Mineral Soil
The earth’s upper crust has two distinct layers – organic soil on top and mineral soil below. What differentiates the two is the amount of carbon matter in each. By definition, organic soil has more than 20% carbon matter in its composition due to decomposed plants over the year.
Mineral soil, by definition, is water-saturated for less than 30 days per annum in normal years and contains, other than potential roots, 20 percent (by weight) organic carbon.
In this article, we will only look at organic soil as that is the primary domain of the gardener.
Organic Soil Layers (Epipedon)
Each of the twelve organic soil types defined in the USDA Soil Taxonomy has its unique soil profile based on factors like color, texture, structure, thickness, and chemical composition. The soil comprises a series of layers stacked on top (source), which can also be called horizons, and are represented by letters O, A, B, C, and R.
The O-Horizon
O is the horizon for organic material. This upper layer mainly comprises organic and decomposed materials ( dried leaves, grasses, dead leaves, twigs, surface organisms, and the former). This soil horizon is often black-brown or deep brown, mainly because of its organic content.
The A-Horizon or Topsoil
Also known as the humus layer, this layer is rich in organic material and can hold both moisture and gasses – mainly oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide.
The topsoil is where seed germination occurs, and new roots are produced, growing into a new plant.
It contains microorganisms such as earthworms that release much-needed nitrogen, fungi, and bacteria.
The B-Horizon or Subsoil
In this subsurface horizon, present just below the topsoil, and above the bedrock, there is limited humus, soluble minerals, and organic matter. Dependent on where you are in the US, this horizon is approximately 12 to 18 inches below the surface.
This horizon is comparatively harder and more compact than topsoil. There may be some deposits of certain minerals and metal salts, such as iron oxide.
When soil gets plowed too deeply, the soil of horizons A and B often gets mixed.
The C-Horizon or Saprolite
A layer below B-horizon is devoid of organic matter and made of broken bedrock. This layer, also known as saprolite, is more prevalent in Oregon and Wisconsin in the United States. It may be important to note that the geological material in this zone is cemented.
The R-Horizon
R for Rocks. It is a compacted and cemented layer. Several rocks, such as granite, basalt, and limestone, are found here.
Adding Carbon Material and how to put it in garden soil or topsoil
It could be a topic for philosophical contemplation, but adding matter which had a previous life improves the life-giving force of soil. Soil rich in nutrients and carbon matter can sustain growth for fresh plants.
It is better to plant a $1.00 tree in a $10.00 hole than the other way around. Preparing your soil by adding compost, manure, earthworms, and fertilizer adjustments makes a significant difference to the outcomes of your planting.
Compost is life in the garden. It feeds the microbial and fungal life, feeding your plants. Purchased compost is usually full of organic matter but devoid of life due to the high temperatures it gets to. Home-made is so much better.
The video below will show you how to make compost at home that is perfect every time.
Add Compost to your garden soil or topsoil.
Composting can be made at home and may be super easy to make. Several tips and tricks can be followed with regard to putting them into our garden beds.
| Composting for new garden beds | Composting for existing garden beds |
| First, apply compost to the soil surface (about 3 to 4 inches, Feel free to add amendments like lime and N-P-K fertilizer. Mix all these within the top 8 to 12 inches of soil using your digging tools if necessary. | Apply a thin layer of compost (about a quarter to an inch deep) to the bed surface of the garden beds yearly. Feel free to add the same amendments mentioned in the new garden beds. Next, mix within the top 8 to 12 inches of soil using your digging tools. |
Specific for raised garden beds with retaining walls, it may be good to fill them with soil mix and not just compost independently. Ensure to mix the soil thoroughly and as deeply as possible, then move on to installing your plants in the bed.
It might also be helpful to check the quality indicators of your compost (source), and they are as listed as follows:
- pH of compost
- Soluble Salts
- Nutrients present
- Moisture content
- Organic Matter within
- Particle Size of compost
- Stability of decomposition and Maturity of completeness of compost
- Foreign Materials
- Trace Metals
- Pathogens
I wrote an amazing guide to composting! It further explains what it is, more tips and tricks, video tutorials, and what to do and not to do so that you too can make nutrient-dense compost at home each time without the smelly mess.
Topsoil or Garden Soil Management
Good topsoil takes years to produce and is thus exceedingly difficult to reproduce at scale. Therefore, though it is not always possible to control flooding, an effort must be made to curb its impact on your garden.
Look into Flood Control to protect your garden soil or topsoil
Floods can strip your garden of valuable topsoil. We have listed some ways below to combat this problem.
Boost plant growth by aerating your topsoil or garden soil
This allows nutrients to reach the plant’s roots. But remember, you want nutrients to reach the roots without loss of moisture, so do not fully turn the ground.
Cover the topsoil or garden soil surface with mulch
After you have aerated the ground by spiking it with a fork or spike roller, cover the surface with a mulch compost mix. This creates a nutrient store at the top that will seep into the roots when watered and prevent water evaporation.
Spread Glass clippings on the garden soil or topsoil
Add grass clippings as a mulch-fiber over the surface of the topsoil. The fiber in the grass further binds the soil, feeds it, and promotes its ability to hold water. Repeat this process twice a year in Spring and Fall.
Plant along contour lines of your topsoil or garden soil
Plant trees, shrubs, and other plants in rows that follow the contour lines of the garden. This will help prevent your topsoil from being eroded. The objective is to reduce the speed of the flow. Ideally, you want the water flowing in your garden to be low and slow. Shrubbery and trees make this possible.
Soil stability of garden soil or topsoil is important to consider
Keep the top three inches of your soil stable. This means that special attention needs to be paid to newly worked beds and surfaces, ensuring they are protected while still very loose. Also, adding stepping stones in the bed on which to walk.
Quick repairs here and there must be made on the topsoil or garden soil
Repair any erosion as soon as possible to prevent the formation of flow channels which will deepen with time. Consider placing flow-disrupting barriers like large stones at places where water flows strongly due to steeply sloped surfaces.
Consider Crop Rotation on the topsoil or garden soil
Effective rotation planning balances the management of beds on an annual and multi-year basis. Annual decisions tend to prioritize production concerns. Multi-year decisions tend to prioritize and accommodate biological demands.
The botanical families’ rotation prevents pest populations’ buildup by (a) interrupting pest life cycles and (b) altering pest habitats.
Alternatively, beds may be deliberately rotated through a fallow to manage a weed or pest problem.
Conclusion on the difference between topsoil and garden soil
As William Shakespeare’s Juliet Capulet said: “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” The soil in your garden that you use to cultivate your produce or flowers is all topsoil. It is also garden soil. May you use it optimally, care for it, and evoke its full potential.
Add some care, have it analyzed and supplement what it needs so that it can return your investment into it a hundredfold. It is a precious substance made all the richer by the “sacrifice” of other plants, adding to its capacity to yield in abundance. Take care of it, and happy growing.
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