Top Soil Archives

House plants do not come with the intimidation factor that is often associated with growing outdoor gardens, and many people think that going to their local garden store and buying the first bag of dirt they see or scooping some soil up from their garden and placing it in their pots is enough to establish […]

New gardeners quickly find that all soils are not created equally, and some types are far more hospitable to particular crops and flowers than others. Having a good understanding of the different types of soil and their qualities can help make your garden a success. One type of soil you may come across is loam. […]

Any time you are growing plants, you need to ensure that you are using the correct type of soil for optimum results. However, it is difficult to ascertain what type of dirt you have in your garden simply by looking at it. Thankfully, there are several easy tests that you can carry out to find […]

Many people think of soil as simply being dirt that is used for planting, but it is actually a complex living ecosystem that is made up of living organisms linked together through energy flows and nutrient cycles. Soil contains billions of microorganisms ­– including insects, fungi, bacteria, earthworms and nematodes – that all work together […]

One very important step that many people overlook when they are setting up a garden is sterilizing their potting soil. Soil can harbor diseases and pests, not to mention the seeds of pesky weeds that could crop up later and threaten the garden. Therefore, for the most optimal plant growth and health, it is essential […]

For any gardening endeavor to be successful, it is important to ensure that the soil is not compacted. When soil does not have enough air space within it, water and nutrients will be unable to circulate, which means that the plant’s roots will have nowhere to grow. There are lots of ways that soil can […]

For concrete structures to perform well, it is necessary to build them on firm soil. Soil is made up of solids interspersed with voids of air or water. These voids will compress when soil is loaded by heavy objects. When soil contains fewer voids, the chances are lower that it will experience excessive settlement or […]

Soil compaction takes place when the small open cavities, or pores, in soil are squeezed out. This usually occurs when pressure is applied to the surface of the soil – such as from foot traffic, hard rain or equipment – and it can reduce the size of the soil pores or even eliminate them altogether. […]