"First, if you need top soil but don't buy it bagged, how do you know that's what you've bought?"

The short answer is you don't. 'Topsoil' is really a very generic term that when applied to any bagged soil could mean anything. Technically, topsoil is the top 4-6 inches of undisturbed, indigenous soil - what occurs naturally before any cultivation or development takes place. It could be any soil of any quality as long as it fits that definition - very rocky soil, clay soil, soil devoid of any significant organic matter or soil that is filled with roots and weeds. There is no magic formula for topsoil nor any necessary advantage to having, obtaining or even planting in it.

It IS possible that what is sold as bagged "topsoil" may be just that.......or it could be fill or anything else the supplier filled the bags with and is calling topsoil. Since there are no regulations governing what is sold as bagged soils - or even bulk soils for that matter - there is no guarantee that what you are going to get is going to be at all suited to your soil improvement or planting needs. And as stated previously, topsoil itself is no magic elixir for plant growth.

btw, unless the bag is labeled clearly for container use or as "potting" soil (actually a soil-less mix), then you do not want to use for any potted plants. It will not offer adequate drainage or aeration necessary for container growth

Thanks, Gardengal48. That explains a lot.

You can make topsoil, by adding organic material to what you have, or you can buy good soil if you know what to buy. But buying something called "topsoil" is not a good thing to do most often. Perhaps this article might be of some help.

http://www.ncagr.gov/agronomi/pdffiles/sfn14.pdf

Most people I have talked with over the years think that "topsoil" is loam and it is not. Loam is composed of sand, silt, and clay mineral particles and organic matter, but for gardens the most important part of the mix is organic matter. Take a good look at the soil you have, especially the amount of organic matter, and work on making that better by adding enough organic material so you end up with about 6 to 8 percent organic matter in the soil.

Organic material is what you add to soil, the vegetative waste. Organic matter is the residual of that after the Soil Food Web digests that organic material.

kimmq is kimmsr

Very important to examine whatever you're buying first, whether it's in bulk or in a bag.

As you can see there are two components to soil: the mineral part and the organic matter. You got a truckload of the former without much of the latter. Fortunately it can be improved with additions of compost and other organic matter.

You can certainly add that bagged topsoil to the garden beds, but don't use it for potting. You also need a lot of compost. Get a truckload - LOOK AT IT FIRST :-] to check for trash and make sure it's fully composted and nicely screened. You shouldn't be able to see uncomposted stuff in it - sticks, leaves, etc. Or buy it in bags, but again, find a torn bag and look inside. Basically you get what you pay for with compost. The cheapest is not always the best. Till this in. If it's a veggie bed, do that every year. At least an inch per year. Use decomposable organic mulches on your beds, pile them on year after year - shredded leaves, grass clippings, shredded yard waste mulch, wood chips. The soil food web will digest them and improve your soil even if it's planted with perennials and you can't till or dig it. It takes time, but it will get better.

Read up in this forum on 'clay soil' and you'll find some other things to do and not to do.

Good luck and report back and let us know how you're doing.