As you probably already know, topsoil is the soil found closest to the ground's surface. It's the richest type of soil since it contains significant levels of broken-down organic material, so it's vital if you want your plants to grow as well as possible. Since it is so rich, you can generally recognise it thanks to its darker colour. 

However, not all types of topsoil are the same. It can be filtered through a screen to filter out debris and deliver more consistent soil particles. This is known as screened topsoil, or sometimes as sieved topsoil. It's slightly more expensive than unscreened topsoil, but it offers a number of benefits.

Here are just four reasons to choose screened topsoil for your garden.

1. Nutrient Rich

The main benefit of adding topsoil to a garden is that it's very rich in the nutrients your plants need to thrive. Since screened topsoil has had contaminants removed, it tends to be particularly rich in nutrients, so it's ideal for encouraging the best growth possible. Additionally, the consistent particle size makes clumping less likely and encourages nutrients to move naturally through the soil. This means all your plants will be able to access nutrients equally easily, so growth should be consistent across all areas.

2. Good Water Flow

Your plants need water as well as nutrients, and screened topsoil helps deliver it. Since screened topsoil is relatively loose, water can flow through freely to the roots of your plants, so you're unlikely to notice water pooling in some areas and draining too fast in others. Screened topsoil should also help with water retention, which helps prevent your soil from drying out during hotter weather and helps you save on watering.

3. Encourages Deep Roots

When unscreened topsoil is used, plant roots need to work their way around sticks, stones, and other types of debris, not to mention larger clumps of soil. This inhibits their ability to grow, and it can lead to them getting trapped between debris and large particles. Screened topsoil is easier for roots to move through, so it allows them to grow deep into the ground and helps prevent them from getting trapped.

4. Easy to Use

Finally, it's worth remembering that screened soil will be looser and therefore much easier to work. You won't need to break it up yourself, and you should find it easier to lay down your new soil when you choose screened over unscreened. This will tend to be especially important when you're buying soil for vegetable beds or smaller flower gardens since soil will generally need to fit into tighter spaces and present a more attractive and uniform appearance.

Learn more about soil supplies. 

Share