Expensive or cheap top soil for lawn?

[GAZ2785]

Hi there,

I have dug up a flower bed down one side of the garden and the path down the other. I am rotavating the ground and then topping up with top soil before seeding to extend the lawn right up to the edges.

An aggregate supplier close to me where I purchased millwaste from is selling top soil by the tonne for £20.

I've also seen high quality top soild being sold at around £120 a tonne.

I'm going to need around 4 to 5 tonnes so £120 per tonne is out of the question I'm not expecting golf course quality lawn. The lawn at the moment has a lot of moss and weeds which doesn't really bother me. However I would like to think that with the cheap top soil the grass seed will at least stand a chance of growing. Please tell me the cheap stuff will be ok?

 

[Diyisfun]

The cheap top soil may well be full of stones/rubble/rubbish

 

[GAZ2785]

I intend to call by tomorrow and try and check the quality. I'm guessing any nasty bits can be picked out by hand providing it isn't full of them

 

[chapeau]

You can get the sieved graded stuff round here from the skip hire company for the cost of delivery. They'd rather give it away for free than pay to put it in a hole. Of course if they can get money from you then they will take it but they look on that as a bonus.

 

[r896neo]

cheap top-soil will be nutrient wise no better but Its much harder to level un-screened soil. It requires a lot more raking and picking crap/stones out of generally.

The other thing to consider is the reputation of the company, I have got cheap soil in the past which was basically sandy sub-soil and terrible for growing but was mainly used for fill. I also know someone who got a load of top-soil from a skip hire company and he said you could smell the oil/diesel from it as it was tipped. If you had an oil leak in your garden and had to dig out lots of soil due to contamination would you tell the skip company?

If you do go for the unscreened do it on a dry day, it will break up and rake much easier.

 

[Crispier]

I bought cheap top soil and regretted it. I checked the first 2 tones that arrived which looked ok before ordering the balance which was so full of weeds, stones, bits of wood etc it drove me mad trying to pick out all the rubbish.

At the very least you should fill with the cheap stuff and use good quality top soil to finish.

 

[GAZ2785]

Thanks for your replies, everything is noted.

When I went to this particular supplier for millwaste I asked to see it first and they had no problems showing it to me. I intend to do the same with the top soil.

I could also ask them if it's "screened" - I presume this means stones and rubble are removed?

If all else fails I might use tonnes of the cheap stuff and then buy one bag of more expensive soil to finish off.

Thank you all

 

[r896neo]

120 is pretty bonkers price wise where i am I get quality screened for 30 per ton. Sorry to rub that in as it may be very different round your way.

Don't rule out adding a good dose of sand. When seeding or turfing I always add a good 15% sharp sand or sometimes more depending on soil. If your sprerading 5 tons you could happily substitute one for a ton of sharp sand or grit which will also make it easier to level as its improves the structure. Just be sure to spread it around and mix it in well you don't want areas of mainly sand. Plus Sand is a good deal cheaper.

 

[GAZ2785]

120 is pretty bonkers price wise where i am I get quality screened for 30 per ton. Sorry to rub that in as it may be very different round your way.

Don't rule out adding a good dose of sand. When seeding or turfing I always add a good 15% sharp sand or sometimes more depending on soil. If your sprerading 5 tons you could happily substitute one for a ton of sharp sand or grit which will also make it easier to level as its improves the structure. Just be sure to spread it around and mix it in well you don't want areas of mainly sand. Plus Sand is a good deal cheaper.

Thanks r896neo. Excuse my ignorance - doesn't sharp sand have a lot of stones in? This is ok mixed in with the soil? I will be getting a tonne of sharp sand anyway for the patio so it shouldn't be an issue to do this. Thanks!

 

[Diyisfun]

sharp sand has grit...not stones..thats ballast

 

[r896neo]

sharp sand is course sand, it is graded and should never have stones in it, does building sand come with stones in?

 

[zuki79]

i dont know where abouts you are in the uk

but i got screen top soil (grade 2) for £160 for 18 tonnes from Here

im nothing to do with the company but i can tell you they bent over backwards to have it delivered when i needed it

even adding horse muck for free