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soil Top soil question

DatilDaddy

DatilDaddy

Banned
Just trying to understand the real purpose of it. It doesnt seem to have any real usefulness as far as I know, but then again I dont know much.

What I dont see is what it is really used for. Does it just sit on top and look pretty? or is there any real use. The reason I ask is because I was going to plant some things today using MG garden mix, some manure, and top soil. I usually just use the top soil as a filler because I dont have money to buy mix all the time (and like I said, dont understand its real purpose). I dont really understand the ratios to use with all of these together and would like to know exactly what the TS is for.
 
I do believe that top soil is usually just a mix of sand and loam and is what you would generally just consider "soil". Manure is self explanatory... "I put that sh*t on everything". Top soil is probably going to be a different mix of soils depending on your location. It doesn't really serve any particular purpose, the only reason to use it would be if you have difficult rocky or clay soil in your garden and you wanted to start with something workable. It also will probably have less NPK than manure, if any at all.
 
I think it is just a "filler" for beds and pots. It does help with the growing process by filling the gaps and cutting the cost of material, but other than that, I don't think so. Could be wrong though.
 
What is the usual NPK of manure anyway, or how would I find out. The bag itself is pretty plain. May not have info on it.
 
It really depends on what animal the manure came from. Some animals have hotter poo than others, and usually the composted manure from big box stores do not specify where it came from. Sometimes it even contains human poo in the form of milorganite.


I forgot to mention, you can google search the NPK of manure, you will get approximate values for different animals. It will still vary depending on what diet the source animal is eating.
 
DatilDaddy said:
What is the usual NPK of manure anyway, or how would I find out. The bag itself is pretty plain. May not have info on it.
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Someone a while back ago had a great website that compared all organic fertilizers and compost mixed (maybe I googled it) but cow manure, saying that it's the bagged and not fresh out of the cow, is very low in terms of NPK. Somethine like 1-1-1. I'm using Peat moss, cow manure (the yellow bag brand can't think of it), and vermiculite for my potting mix and my plants are doing great so far. The weather has been a nice factor in this as well though.

EDIT:

Found a site that kind of supports what I just said about the ratios haha

http://www.allotment.org.uk/grow-your-own/fertiliser/npk-values-of-manures
 
I use containers and dont really dig the yard. Since this is kind of a hot topic though, I think I could ask what about MG soil in combination with MG ferts. I guess thats maybe overload of nutes but maybe they make thier soils so everything works in balance.

I dont know.
 
Capsicum said:
No reason to use top soil. Just work with the native soil you have.
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BS! You need to stop posting things as fact without looking them up! Top soil and top dressings add nutrients to the soil beneath it.

From Wikipedia:
Topsoil is the upper, outermost layer of soil, usually the top 2 inches (5.1 cm) to 8 inches (20 cm). It has the highest concentration of organic matter and microorganisms and is where most of the Earth's biological soil activity occurs.
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CarvinGuitarist said:
BS! You need to stop posting things as fact without looking them up! Top soil and top dressings add nutrients to the soil beneath it.

From Wikipedia:
Click to expand...

So what did you think I meant by "no need to use topsoil" ?

Wow!?!?! hahaha I think you may of misunderstood. I meant no reason to buy bagged topsoil.

Thats just the thing, I actually have experience growing I dont "look" them up. :surprised:

"Top soil and top dressings add nutrients to the soil beneath it."

Yes I NEVER said topdressing did not add to the soil beneath- No till farming involves an organic system of topdessing to never have to till as the micro life do it for you. Conventional farming involving tilling then fertilizing, they farm soil that could never grow a plant without the till and the added fertilizer.
Can you show me a farm that buys bags of top soil, then tills it in ? hahahaha Please explain why farms till the land then just plant away and add fertilizer? A side from economics, once you till you add air to the soil.
If it works on a lrge commericial scale you can bet it works for the hobbiest.

I am saying there is NO reason to buy bagged topsoil when you can work with the soil..

The question was about topsoil which would make me think bagged topsoil for use in the garden, not in a container like the OP asked, which it is not best to use topsoil in a container. If you talk to a lot of experienced organic gardeners they will tell you they never buy topsoil for their garden.





"You need to stop posting things as fact without looking them up"

Understand that it cost nothing to grow plants. No need to buy topsoil ever. Just work in compost and work with the land.

Please look up "greening the dessert". They turned sand into rich soil with topdressing.
 
Just to find out for myself, I put my serranos in a pot with just Earthgro topsoil. After 2 years they are doing great and overcame a freezing winter in my garage that only warmed up to 56 degrees at the most. Last year I fertilized them only once.

This year I am playing around with soil mixes using the topsoil. Only down side is I have seen different soil in the bags when I purchased one or two a couple months apart. So one cannot be certain the consistency of the soil will remain the same.
 
Capsicum said:
I think you may of misunderstood. I meant no reason to buy bagged topsoil.
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Sure there is. What if he doesn't have nutrients in the existing soil and he doesn't make his own compost?
Some good bagged topsoil is going to amend the soil for him. I put it in my existing soil and it's been great.
 
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