Soluble salts

Soluble salts are bad for topsoil. If there are unusually high levels of soluble salts, it will be difficult for the topsoil to absorb water. High levels of soluble salts actually have direct toxic effects on many plants. Electrical conductivity of the topsoil solution, or ECe is th3e measurement used to determine what the level of soluble salt is in topsoil. Soluble salts can be removed quite easily by over-watering the soil with low salt water. This removal of soluble salts, or leaching, must be done before anything can be planted in the topsoil.
The ideal amount of soluble salt in topsoil is less than 2 dS/m or mmho/cm. If there is more than 2 dS/m or mmho/cm but less than 4 dS/m or mmho/cm, that is an acceptable level of soluble salt. However, if there is more than 4 dS/m or mmho/cm in your topsoil, this is unacceptable, and the topsoil must be drained of the excess soluble salt. Only certain plants will actually grow in topsoil that is near 4 dS/m or mmho/cm.

pH Levels

pH is an indication of what the acidity or the alkalinity, or basic nature, is in soil. Topsoil pH is measured with a pH electrode. Using a pH electrode to measure what the pH is of topsoil is the only way to accurately determine the exact pH of any given soil. There are other means by which people test a soil’s pH, but these ways are not accurate. The way pH works is that a pH of seven is neutral; that is it is neither an acid nor a base. If the pH is below seven, it is an acidic substance; while if the pH is above seven, it is a basic or alkaline substance. In topsoil, if the pH is between 5.5 and 7.5, it is ideal. If the pH is between 5.0 and 8.2, it is acceptable. If the pH is below 5.0 or above 8.2, it is unacceptable. Most plants will be able to survive without any problems in pH levels of 5.0 to 8.2. However, there are some plants that will not grow in a pH level higher than 7.0. These plants need the acid. Other plants are extremely susceptible to iron deficiency if they are being grown in soils with pH levels above 7.7.

It is practically impossible to change the pH levels in topsoil, so you should know the pH levels of the topsoil in which you wish to plant, and if such levels are acceptable for whatever it is you are trying to grow in the topsoil.

Texture

This is the word used to describe what percentage of the topsoil are clay, sand, and silt. Ideally, there will be the right amount of each one. This will give the topsoil the best ability to retain water and nutrients, aerate properly, drain properly, etc. If there is too much of any of these components, the topsoil will be unable to sustain life. The acceptable amount of clay is less than thirty percent. The acceptable amount of sand is less than seventy percent. The acceptable amount of silt is less than seventy percent. If there is too much of any of these components, the topsoil will not be able to sustain life. While it is extremely time-consuming and expensive to change the texture of a large amount of topsoil, it is possible to add large amounts of whatever is lacking in the texture to help create a proper balance of each component.

Sodium Adsorption Rate

The sodium adsorption rate is the amount of sodium relative calcium and magnesium. Sodium is bad for topsoil, while magnesium and calcium are good for topsoil. Topsoil with a high sodium adsorption rate generally have bad structure and do not retain water and nutrients well. They also tend to have high pH levels and ECe levels. Generally, if the Ph levels and the ECe levels are in check, the sodium adsorption rate will also be acceptable. If the sodium adsorption level in topsoil is less than three, it is ideal. Depending on the texture of the topsoil, a sodium adsorption rate between three and ten would be acceptable. A sodium adsorption rate of more than ten is unacceptable regardless of the texture.

You can take a random sample to a professional soil testing lab for a complete analysis. Another simple and fairly accurate method of testing can be done rather easily in your own back yard.. Using a quart to a gallon size clear class jar, place a little of your soil in the jar using random samples from the proposed bed with approximately 10 times the amount of water. Shake very well and let it settle. Using a marker, mark the levels of sediment after a few minutes, after several hours, and then after several days. Each period, mark the distances of each layer and the overall height. The bottom layer will be the sand, the second layer is the silt, and the top layer will be the clay. By testing your own soil and making some adjustments you can improve the health of your garden.

A farmer or backyard vegetable gardener’s dream is to possess sandy loam soil especially if he or she is planting produce such as melons, tomatoes, okra, squash, citrus, and persimmon which do very well in the warmer climates. As you can see, you can choose from a wide range of vegetables and fruits to grow with this type of soil. Also you can go to your local nursery and check for plants in your climate that do very well in this type of soil.

If you want to plant a rose garden, they do very well when they have a bed of perfectly balanced loam, however they require a good fertilizing regimen, nutrients and good drainage. Roses bloom very poorly in clay as it is too dense for their roots to aerate properly. Jasmine also will grow best in moist loam soils but careful attention has to be paid to drainage. There are a number of other flowers such as Wild Bergamot, Wood Anemone, Spider- wort, Amaryllis, California poppy, Yucca and Baby’s-breath which will all thrive in sandy loam.

Landscape supply companies offer superior quality top soil, fill dirt, fill sand, pea gravel, cobblestones and much more to make your home or office landscape beautiful. Top Soil is the most important part of dirt and is indispensable for any landscape design project, as it creates a nourishing substrate for plants to grow. You can use fresh top soil for planting various types of seeds in your garden and flowerbeds.

Some genuine landscape supply companies offer bagged or bulk topsoil and composted plant mix. You can select dirt or fill dirt to fill in the holes and to raise the ground level in your landscape. Fill dirt is actually an earthy material and it is taken from a location where soil is removed for construction. Fill dirt and Top Soils are available for pick up or delivery and installation at quality landscape supply companies. Fill Sand is also useful in back filling trenches and holes. You can decide how much amount of fill sand you would require, after consulting with a landscape design expert.

You can even contact the landscape supply company to get more details. Beach sand is highly beneficial in your landscape design project, as it enhances the beauty of any landscape. You can use it for patio, playground, faux beach, volleyball courts etc. The beach sand is available in mixture of colors like beige, tan, brown, white and grey.

Gravels are used in landscape design to accent any area in your garden or lawn. Pea gravels are small, smooth, round shaped stones and are available in landscape supply stores. Cobblestones are round shaped landscaping stones that are perfect for creating landscape pavers. They are fireproof and require no maintenance. They are available in several sizes and are very easy to install.

Mulching is a beneficial method that you need to consider in your landscape design project. You can prevent the erosion of soil with the help of mulch. Cedar Mulch is offered by landscape supply companies and is a natural pest control product. The oil in cedar produces a unique scent, which acts as an insect repellent. Using mulch helps retain water and prohibits weed growth making maintenance so much easier. It is always useful to prepare the area to be mulched by leveling the dirt prior to the mulch application.