What is topsoil and what is it used for? We clarify everything important about the advantages and alternatives of so-called mother earth.
Topsoil is often used in the garden - sometimes several cubic meters of dark soil are distributed. But what is topsoil and what makes this soil special? We clarify the concept of mother earth, its function and also the question of whether there are alternatives.
Definition of topsoil
The term "topsoil" means the uppermost, most fertile horizon of a soil. This contains mineral soil components such as sand, clay and silt, but also a large proportion of humus, many soil organisms and nutrients. Soil scientists call it "A horizon", farmers say "field soil" and in common usage it is simply spoken of topsoil, topsoil or topsoil.
Tip: In the case of soils that are rarely or not cultivated at all, there may still be a so-called humus layer above the A horizon. However, this does not count as topsoil because it is purely organic, i.e. has no mineral components.
What is the function of topsoil?
The topsoil is not only the uppermost, but also the most important soil horizon for plants. Because it is soft, stores a lot of water and contains all the necessary nutrients. Without fertile topsoil, plants grow less well.
By the way, the biologically active topsoil also filters pollutants from the rainwater, slows down its flow and releases it into the groundwater.
Tip: Even productive agriculture - and thus our nutrition - is not possible without he althy topsoil. That also explains the strange name of the top layer of soil.
Topsoil is an important resource that grows over several thousand years - so its preservation is particularly important.
Through erosion, sealing with paved areas or gravel gardens, the use of toxic pesticides and mineral fertilizers or one-sided planting the fertility of the topsoil decreases. This is mainly due to the fact that the humus content and thebiological activity will decrease as a result of this incorrect soil treatment.
However, he althy soil is an important prerequisite for strong plants. True to our motto "The power lies in the soil", we at Plantura therefore only use sustainable organic fertilizers such as our Plantura organic soil activator, which aims to preserve the fertility of the topsoil. The contained microorganisms revitalize the soil and ensure that nutrients are available for the plants.
If improving your garden soil is also important to you, we would be happy to show you how to build up humus in the garden.
Tip: Soil fertility is not only good for you and the soil. Humus build-up is also good for the climate, because carbon from the atmosphere is stored in humus.
Are there alternatives to Mother Earth?
If you only want to fill a smaller bed or a planter with fertile soil, you can of course also use topsoil. However, this does not necessarily contain many nutrients, cannot store a lot of water and is also very heavy - the work can be very difficult! High-quality potting soil such as our peat-free Plantura organic potting soil is more suitable here. The special composition of our pre-fertilized organic soil ensures that the plants are optimally supplied with all the necessary nutrients. Compared to conventional potting soil, our organic soil saves up to 60% CO2 in production, because we completely do without environmentally harmful ingredients such as peat.
If a lot of soil is needed for beds and lawns in the garden, there is no real alternative to topsoil. The A horizon as an organic horizon is the basic prerequisite for being able to speak of a soil at all. If your property lacks topsoil, for example due to previous construction work, recycling centers, builders' merchants or private builders will offer the top layer of soil for sale. It then comes from construction sites where the topsoil has been removed in favor of buildings or paved areas.
Tip: First of all, bought top soil is not particularly fertile. Through the removal, mixing and storage, a lot of humus is broken down, organisms die off and the important soil crumbs are destroyed. If you have distributed topsoil in your garden, it is therefore necessary to carry out soil-improving measures. Organic fertilizers like thatPlantura organic fertilizer, the use of green manure and the use of horse manure and compost are the most important measures to make the topsoil more fertile, in addition to rapid planting of the soil. When creating a lawn, which is a permanent crop that consumes a lot, it is often worth using lawn soil such as our Plantura organic lawn soil. They increase the proportion of organic matter by leaps and bounds, allowing a lawn to grow dense and he althy right from the start and giving weeds no chance in the lawn.