If you’re thinking of laying new turf, creating new areas for flowers and shrubs then your two main usage options are topsoil and compost. Both are versatile in their own ways, which means they’re great for all types of gardening and landscaping.
You may be thinking what’s the difference between topsoil and compost, or is one better than the other? That’s where we step in to give you guidance on what the main differences are and how you can use them in your garden.
Contents
What is topsoil?
Topsoil is the upper layer of soil that contains most of the ground’s nutrients and fertility. The primary reason for the difference is that topsoil is a more well-rounded soil option because of both the structure and nutrients it offers for plants and turf. Topsoil is usually screened to a much finer size compared to compost – Alsoils+ Premium Topsoil is screened to 10mm.
What is compost?
Compost is a mixture of natural materials that decompose to become organic matter. Compost contains nutrients that act as a natural fertilizer and improves the usage of topsoils. Organic compost is often lumpier than topsoil due to the nature of how it is formed.
How is topsoil used in the garden?
Topsoil can be used for a variety of jobs in the garden whether you need effective drainage, adding extra soil to raised flower beds or levelling a garden lawn. With their highly versatile and low-maintenance nature, they are the ideal solution for a range of gardening and landscaping needs.
How is compost used in the garden?
Although compost is packed with nutrients, it’s unable to retain as much water or structure as topsoil. When planting flowers, shrubs or sowing seeds, you should look to blend compost into your soil by raking or tilling it in to support healthy plant growth.
Topsoil vs Compost
As you can see from the above, topsoil is a material that has a wider range of uses and is found in the majority of gardens. Incorporating compost into a topsoil blend will enhance the number of nutrients available to plants and turf, leaving you with a healthy garden all year round.
If you’re looking to improve your garden or thinking about starting a new project, Alsoils+ can provide the products and services you need. Working with both domestic and trade customers for the past 35 years, you can be sure we will deliver a high-quality service.
