I'm looking to fill in my garden beds, but I've got a lot of fill dirt left over from nearby construction. Is it good enough to just mix in compost with the fill dirt, or should I dig it out entirely and buy some topsoil instead? I can screen the fill dirt myself if necessary.
3 Answers
Adding compost to your fill dirt is definitely a smart move! Generally, fill dirt from residential areas is decent quality, so you should be fine. You could potentially grow in just fill dirt, but mixing in plenty of compost will really boost your plants' growth.
I’ve found that buying topsoil can often feel like a waste since it’s more like mulch around here. I mix in compost with my existing dirt every year, and after four years, my soil has improved a ton!
Using fill dirt at the bottom of your beds and topping it with compost works well. Most plants only focus on the top six inches, so that should be sufficient!
Definitely consider having a soil test done just to make sure there aren't any hidden issues in that fill dirt.