Healthy Topsoil

Qualities

• Healthy topsoil should contain 2 to 10 percent organic matter and have a loamy or silty texture and low levels of soluble salts. Healthy topsoil also usually contains nutrients such as phosphorus, potassium and iron, and doesn't contain too many coarse fragments or any weeds or weed seeds.

Testing Topsoil

• Not all commercially sold topsoil is of high quality. If you are buying large amounts of topsoil, test it to determine its pH, nutrient content and other qualities. If a soil test isn't possible, look for topsoil that is crumbly and dark brown and does not show any salt crusting.

Considerations

• Also test the existing soil on the site before purchasing more soil. If your existing soil is of good quality, you may not need to add more topsoil.