Topsoil is the most nutrient-rich layer of soil strata or profile because it’s the first to receive the nutrients from decaying organic matter. However, the layer can vary in thickness depending on a number of factors.
The depth of topsoil can reach up to 10 inches. The thickness and nutrient content of topsoil is determined by the biological activity above its surface and how long it has been undisturbed. As time passes vegetation and animals will keep adding to the soil surface through decomposition, adding to its thickness.
This article will explain how deep topsoil is, what contributes to its thickness, how you can find nutrient-rich topsoil, and how you can amend your own soil to make it as rich as possible.
How Deep is Topsoil?
We have learned in school that topsoil is called humus and is usually created from organic matter such as decaying grass, trees, dead animals, and other types of organic material.
According to Wikipedia, humus is the dark organic matter in soil that is formed by the decomposition of plant and animal matter.
In gardening, humus is often regarded or called topsoil. By definition, humus is full of nutrients, minerals, and organic matter, but as the soil is worked during gardening the nutrients are consumed by plants that were sown on the soil.
Topsoil can be up to 10 inches thick in some regions, however, some experts claim that it only reaches 6″ deep.
What we have found is that naturally topsoil or humus can range far deeper than 10″ depending on the region, ecosystem, and environmental conditions.
Forested areas where there is a great deal of tress that shed their leaves and eventually die giving way to a thicker region of topsoil than more arid or barren areas where there is little vegetation.
Regions with lesser vegetation will have fewer trees, grasses, and animals that will eventually contribute to the top layer of the soil when they die and as a result, the topsoil or humus layer here will be much thinner than the more forested or vegetative areas.
Is it safe to say that wildlife on the whole with their expansive ecosystem contribute to how thick topsoil or humus layer is and as such, the fertility of the soil that comes with it?
When the soil surface is disturbed (when the top vegetation has been removed) for natural or unnatural reasons the top layer of soil can become eroded and removed making it thinner and less fertile.
What is Topsoil?
Topsoil is the layer of soil closest to the surface. It contains organic matter and nutrients that help plants grow and thrive. The deeper down you dig, the poorer the quality of the soil becomes.
All topsoil is not necessarily fertile, however. There are different types of topsoil, some of which are very fertile and others that aren’t.
Soil fertility depends upon many factors including climate, location, and type of plant. Some soils may be naturally infertile because of poor drainage or compacted layers.
Other soils are naturally rich and fertile because of the presence of certain minerals, organic matter, or microorganisms.
The soil beneath the topsoil layer is called subsoil, and it’s usually considered too poor to farm. However, this doesn’t mean it’s totally worthless.
Subsoil has many uses, including building roads and foundations, making concrete, and storing water. So, although subsoil may be useless for farming, it still has value.
How to Replenish Topsoil?
Replenishing topsoil, or more specifically, garden topsoil can be done by mixing in nutrient-rich amendments such as matured manure, matured compost, worm castings, decomposed leaves, and shredded bark.
Generally, any organic material that has been properly decayed can be used to amend nutrient-depleted garden soil.
However, it is important to note that these materials must be applied at the correct rate to ensure that the soil doesn’t become overloaded with nitrogen or phosphorous. This would promote excessive weed growth.
Along with applying organics to the soil, consider using slow-release fertilizers so that the nutrients don’t leach out too quickly.
The optimum time to apply materials such as compost and manure is in spring before the planting season begins. If you wait until after the planting season to apply the amendment, you risk having the added substance washed away during heavy rains.
If your topsoil has been used for some time, you can improve its quality by adding the above-mentioned organics.
However, you should never be quick to add fertilizer on topsoil when it is replenished because it can create an overdose of nutrients for the plants that cause burns and can potentially kill the plant.
Instead, add compost or manure to the top of your garden beds or containers to encourage root growth and nutrient absorption.
By the way, topsoil isn’t just found in gardens. It’s everywhere.
Can You use Perlite or Vermiculite to Enrich Topsoil?
Yes! You can use anything organic if you know what you’re doing. Perlite and Vermiculite are excellent to use to increase water retention and therefore help retain moisture in the soil.
The best thing about these amendments is that it contains no chemicals so it won’t harm your plants.
In fact, it helps with the creation within the soil with promotes oxygen. Plant roots absorb oxygen from the air through the process of respiration. When there’s less oxygen available, the roots begin to suffocate.
Perlite and vermiculite both contain small air pockets that allow the roots to breathe while still being protected. They also hold a lot of air, making them ideal for retaining moisture.
You can find Perlite and Vermiculate at most stores that sell potting mixes.
Characteristics of Good Topsoil
There are two main components to soil; topsoil and subsoil. The topsoil is what you see above ground level. It usually consists of decayed organic matter and is full of nutrients and minerals from that matter.
Soils are generally classified into three groups based on their texture: silty clay loam, sandy clay loam, and heavy clay loam. They differ in terms of their structure, pH levels, nutrient content, water holding capacity, and ability to retain moisture.
The Texture of Topsoil
When you run your fingers through high-quality topsoil, it should feel slightly gritty, which indicates mineral content; and it should be dark to nearly black in color, which indicates the soil contains lots of organic matter.
Poor soil may feel and look sandy or it may have heavy clumps of clay that cause it to clog up and harden as it gets dried out. The layer below the topsoil, known as the subsoil, usually contains less organic matter and is not as high quality as the topsoil.
It may be more sandy or rocky than the topsoil. If you have poor soil, you can buy soil so your lawn has a greater chance of growing well.
The Look
Topsoil refers to the general top layer, about 2 to 8 inches, of soil. It is usually characterized by more fertility and is rich in organic material. It also has an active, thriving micro-fauna population that makes it deep brown or black.
The decomposition of these organic matters contributes to the deposition of organic waste that eventually turns to humus. Therefore, humus is a complex, carbon-rich mixture of degrading organic compounds in polymers form.
Degrading components contain water-extractable humic acids or humates, which are dark brown or black. They also contain remains that are black and insoluble in water.
Therefore, these by-products contribute to the dark color of the topsoil because they contain a high carbon concentration.
See our detailed article on why is topsoil dark in color.
Are All TopSoil the Same?
All topsoils are not the same.
Topsoil varies from region to region depending on the vegetative growth and ecosystem. There may be areas where there is flooding or excessive rainfall where the water runoff rate is high.
The topsoil in these regions will have less accumulation of nutrients because of erosion through water movement.
Other areas where the soil’s surface is exposed can also fall victim to wind erosion where the rich top layer of the soil is blown away due to high winds.
To find the richest topsoil, you will have to look for areas where the vegetation is thriving and there are signs of wildlife.
While most soils contain some type of topsoil, not all topsoils are equal. Some are rich and full of life, while others are barren and lifeless.
Types of Topsoil
Some types of topsoil include:
• Fertile topsoil – This soil is ideal for growing crops.
• Cultivated topsoil – This topsoil was created by humans through farming practices.
• Composted topsoil – This composted topsoil is made up of waste materials from farms and gardens.
• Muck soil – Muck soil is the mixture of decomposed plant material and manure left over after a farm or garden has been harvested.
• Uncompacted topsoil – Uncompacted topsoil is a layer of soil that hasn’t yet settled down. This is the type of topsoil found at construction sites.
• Loam topsoil – Loam topsoil is a mix of sand, silt, and clay particles mixed together.
• Sandy loam topsoil – Sandy loam topsoil is sandy soil that has a lot of fine sand particles. It’s often used in landscaping projects because it holds water well.
• Clay loam topsoil – Clay loam topsoil consists of large amounts of clay particles. Because of this, it doesn’t hold water very well.
Where to Find Fertile Topsoil.
These tell-tale signs that the topsoil will be fertile and worth seeking.
Good vegetation will add organic matter to the soil when trees and grasses die as well as the poop or feces from animals will also add richness to the soil where they live or feed.
You may want to replenish weakening topsoil within your garden because it has been exhausted from planting a season or through a couple of seasons. This concern is valid as the crops or plants grown can deplete vital nutrients from the soil as time passes.
Sourcing a good location to obtain topsoil can be tricky in your respective area but it does not have to be that hard to find. Just look for areas where you know there are grasses and wildlife feeding on the vegetation and there you go.
The Takeaway
– Humus is the natural soil condition that occurs when dead organic material decomposes over time and holds nutrients and minerals.
– Topsoil is the top layer of soil that promotes plant growth because of the abundance of nutrients it contains.
– The top layer of nutrient-rich soil can be up to 10 inches thick.
– Topsoil is the part of the ground that contains nutrients and minerals.
– Not all topsoil is considered rich in nutrients and is affected by environmental conditions and the natural ecosystem above the surface of the soil.
