Understanding whether to use topsoil or compost in your garden during August boils down to what purposes you have in mind. Both are excellent for a wide variety of projects around the garden, with August being an especially good month to enjoy the outdoors.
Here is a quick guide to using topsoil or compost in August.
Differences Between Topsoil and Compost
Topsoil and compost have similar traits, but have enough differences for them to serve different purposes. The primary difference is that topsoil has better structure and water retention, whereas compost is looser, drier and has a higher nutrient content.
When to Use Topsoil and Compost
Topsoil is better for use on larger areas of land, such as garden spaces or for landscaping projects, while compost is better suited for potted plants and flowers.
Topsoil has enough nutrients for general purposes, including lawn turf, grass plants, flowers, shrubs and even trees. It can be spread out over a much wider area and so is good for general gardening or landscaping purposes. A layer of bark chippings can be added on top to prevent weed growth, with the bark chippings eventually breaking down and adding even more nutrients into the top soil.
Potted plants have limited access to nutrients so using bagged compost makes sure they have plenty of everything they need to grow strong and healthy. The pot also helps keeps the loose compost compact enough for roots to take hold.
Mixing Topsoil and Compost
You can also mix topsoil with loose compost to boost the nutrient content. This is especially useful for growing demanding plants such as fruit and vegetables.
By mixing bagged compost with topsoil, both benefit from the advantages of the other. Just as topsoil gets a nutrient boost from the bagged compost, the loose compost blends with the more compact topsoil and acquires a firmer structure and better water retention.
Mixing loose compost and topsoil creates an ideal soil for roots to take hold and plants to thrive. It is not necessary to mix them together all over the garden, as the likes of lawn turf and grass plants won’t really need it, but mixing topsoil and bagged compost in those areas where you are growing bigger or more demanding plants is a good idea.
When to Use Topsoil
As topsoil will be less expensive than bagged compost, there are several August gardening projects that it is better suited for. These include laying large patches of lawn turf, where a priming layer of topsoil laid first will help the turf settle and the roots of the grass plants establish themselves. Alternatively, if you are growing lawn turf from seed, then a good layer of quality topsoil is perfect.
Topsoil should also be used to fill in large areas of bedding and borders or for levelling off parts of a garden.
When to Use Compost
Bagged or loose compost is better suited for smaller purposes and more localised projects, such as the aforementioned potted plants. It can also be used in smaller amounts to give certain plants and areas of topsoil a nutrient boost.
If you require topsoil for larger gardening projects, or bagged or loose compost for smaller gardening purposes, then contact Springbridge via our website or call today on 0845 370 1921 for more information.