How to Mix Topsoil

Topsoil is the top eight to 10 inches of soil. In order to grow a healthy and bountiful garden, it is essential to have plenty of good topsoil. It is not uncommon, however, to have weak topsoil that will not provide plants with the necessary nutrients required to keep plants healthy and capable of producing at harvest time.
Though the process to determine what components the topsoil may be lacking does take time and concentration, mixing topsoil is not difficult and is one of the best ways to guarantee a plentiful garden.

Things You'll Need

• Gardening gloves
• Shovel
• Soil sifter
• Clean 1 quart jar with tight lid
• Clean water
• Marker
• Sand
• Silt
• High clay soil
• Compost or cow manure

Instructions

1. Dig up with a shovel 8 to 12 inches of existing topsoil from the ground where the garden will be located.

2. Sift the topsoil with the sifter in order to remove any large rocks or other unnecessary debris from the soil.

3. Determine if the topsoil is composed of one-third sand, one-third clay and one-third silty soil by performing a jar test.
   Fill the jar two-thirds of the way full with clean water. Take a sample of the topsoil and put it in the jar with the water until the jar is almost full, leaving about one inch of space at the top. Screw on the lid tightly. Shake the jar vigorously. Let the soil settle for one minute. Use the marker to mark the side of the jar at the layer of soil that has settled. This is the sandy layer. Wait one hour. Use the marker to mark the side of the jar at the layer of soil that has settled. This is the silty layer. Let the soil settle for 24 hours. Place a mark on the side of the jar where the final layer has settled. This is the clay layer.
   Study the jar and the ratio of sandy to silty to clay soil. An approximate one-third sandy to one-third silty to one-third clay soil is desired. If any of these components is lacking, add that component to the topsoil until the topsoil has equal amounts of sand, clay and silty soil.

4. Add compost or cow manure to the topsoil until the topsoil is comprised of 20 to 30 percent organic matter.

5. Mix the various soils and organic matter with the shovel until the new topsoil is well combined.

6. Place the new topsoil into the gardening area with the shovel.

Tips & Warnings

• All items, including the clay, sand and silty soil and cow manure or compost, can be purchased at any gardening or home center.

References

• How to Make Good Topsoil
• Soil Types and Testing