Amending existing soil for perennials?

[Beth_B]

I've decided to turn part of my vegetable beds into more perennial beds. I got all hummingbird and pollinator-friendly plants: butterfly bushes, coneflowers, milkweed, daisies etc.

Yesterday i did a thorough weeding and turning of the soil. Our soil is very good, plus there are several years worth of compost and aged straw mixed in. Is there any benefit to amending it with some bought soil to bulk it up before planting? If so, is topsoil good enough or should l get the "good stuff"? Removal of giant mats of creeping charlie root systems left it slightly lower than the adjacent lawn. I plan on mulching it too. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[Chuck]

I've decided to turn part of my vegetable beds into more perennial beds. I got all hummingbird and pollinator-friendly plants: butterfly bushes, coneflowers, milkweed, daisies etc.

Yesterday i did a thorough weeding and turning of the soil. Our soil is very good, plus there are several years worth of compost and aged straw mixed in. Is there any benefit to amending it with some bought soil to bulk it up before planting? If so, is topsoil good enough or should l get the "good stuff"? Removal of giant mats of creeping charlie root systems left it slightly lower than the adjacent lawn. I plan on mulching it too. Thoughts?

Thanks!

No! Why take a chance on breaking something that works. Never ever bring in topsoil. Gardening mixes are usually composted and/or sterilized. Topsoil is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your are going to get. Usually you get a bunch of imported weeds or worse. If you must level it out use compost and sand or compost and mulch and rake level.

 

[DrCase]

If I don't have any compost.
I buy the bags of it and mix it in new areas

 

[Beth_B]

Thanks guys! I did buy some more compost and a few bags of organic garden soil (not cheap topsoil) just to bulk up the beds and make them level.

On a related note, what do y'all use to fill containers?

 

[Chuck]

Thanks guys! I did buy some more compost and a few bags of organic garden soil (not cheap topsoil) just to bulk up the beds and make them level.

On a related note, what do y'all use to fill containers?

potting soil

 

[Beth_B]

potting soil

Ok ha. Wasn't sure if you considered all bought soil bad or just topsoil.

 

[zigs]

You never know what might be in the topsoil, might end up with something worse than creeping Charlie

Spent mushroom compost is a good soil improver, you can buy it in bulk bags and the worse you're gonna get with that is mushrooms

 

[Beth_B]

I've seen 'shroom compost here but never bought it. Hmmm l have several types of mushrooms here...at the base of my trees, growing on the bark, and lots pop up in my straw bales. I should toss them in the compost pile.

 

[zigs]

I've seen 'shroom compost here but never bought it. Hmmm l have several types of mushrooms here...at the base of my trees, growing on the bark, and lots pop up in my straw bales. I should toss them in the compost pile.

They'll add trace elements to the compost