Ok thanks. My soil went from sandy loam to rocky sand. :o(

• Black Cow? Yes, that is aged manure and compost.
• Peat? No - not that great for water retention.
• Garden Soil? Not the best - there is no real definition for "garden soil", but it is usually composted sawdust mixed with topsoil.
• Something else? Composted leaves or leaf mould is the best stuff ever. Of course if you have deciduous trees then you can make your own over a couple of years and you should. You can also often find a bagged product called "Leaf-Gro" that uses primarily leaf mould. Aside from that, you are looking for compost and aged (composted) manure.

You so have my sympathy. I experienced the same soil switcheroo and it's caused me a lot of heartache. Your lovely topsoil, like mine, got mixed with junk and resold.

Fortunately, much of the area is now under the driveway, walks, lawn (with septic), and patio. The sodded portion seems to be doing well so far, installed last fall. There are three smallish planting beds that are left with crummy soil to plant in, at least it’s not a big area to deal with.

They really should have piled YOUR topsoil up and reused it rather than bringing in crap. Someone else got yours. Water under the bridge now I guess.

With store bought compost you pretty much get what you pay for. Examine the product (find a torn bag or make a tiny hole if you have to). Does it have soil in it, does it smell earthy vs. bad, is it fully composted or are there pieces of wood etc. in it? I often get more than one type and blend them to compensate.

One of the best I have come across is Cotton Burr compost, it has high organic matter and nutrient content. Costs a bit more than the cheap stuff. You may have to be near cotton growing parts of the country to find it.

It's all regionally produced so the brands I see in my store may not be the same as yours, and even if they are, the contents of any two bags may be quite different.

Yes, it would have been nice if they had saved my topsoil, they took it away in multiple dump truck loads as I dabbed at my eyes and waved my handkerchief. There wouldn’t have been a place large enough to hold it, but you’d think they would at least bring back something decent. And pile it on a bit thicker. I hate them.

What to do depends on what the soil needs. The answers to these questions will help make those decisions.

How much organic matter is in the soil?

How well does the soil drain? How well does the soil retain moisture?

What does the soil smell like?

What kind of life is in the soil?

Perhaps these simple soil tests may bne of some help.

1.Testing for organic
matter. Put about 1 cup soil (enough to fill the jar to 4 inches) in
a clear 1-quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and
replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24
hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight.
For example, a good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the
bottom. about 1 1) Soil test for organic material. From that soil sample put
enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level
inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about
1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1-foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that
with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and
time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your
soil drains’ too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage
down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of
organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful
of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is
released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a
finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your
soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant
odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria
will be and the nicer your soil will smell, to a point. Too much organic matter
can be bad as well.

5) Life. How many
earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5,
according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that
is not healthy.

Developers do it all the time in new neighborhoods. Strip off the farmland topsoil, pile it up and sell most of it, and put back a small amount on the yards of the houses. :-\

If available in your area, Michigan peat, AKA reed/sedge peat is a good choice.

My RB soil:

Al