top soil

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I need a few lorry loads of top soil.   

Gardener's question time says "you need to get good quality top soil".  But she did not say what she meant by that.  What did she mean by that?  How do I know what I am going to get when the supplier is probably over 200 miles away? 

Many Thanks

Farway

Good quality means no stones, lumps of clay, plastic etc.

You can look for reviews of supplier on the web, but if over 200 miles away I'd try more local for a start, fuel costs alone must drive that price up

Try and find where the supplier sources the topsoil from, a lot just skim off the top of fields or soon to be building sites

And a moments online search came up with this British Standard, maybe use the BS as a guide?

https://www.topsoilshop.co.uk/bs3882-topsoil

twopenny

You can buy topsoil from builders merchants quite cheaply but it isn't likely to be steralised ie you may get perrinal weeds that will be difficult to deal with.

If you buy from a nursery you can ask about the quality and it should be much better quality though will be more expensive.

If you are sending for some from a supplier you need to ask them. 

Eldi_Dos

Look at local planning notices and check local media to see where a site is just starting up and approach them, they might be glad to sell you a few lorry loads and you would have the benefit of local soil.

Nobbie1967

Why are you buying from 200 miles away? Surely there must be more local suppliers that you can go and check what you’re getting. If you take samples, you can check them at home easily by mixing with water and allowing to settle out showing the composition of sand/silt/clay/stones/organic matter. 

[Deleted User]

I've bought it, and bark, from miles away too, when comparing to local suppliers they're often cheaper - and that's including the delivery costs !!! 

I always compare prices (whatever i purchase) and do all the necessary homework before paying out my hard-earned.

Scumblepancake

Our local tip sells compost. I got 900l for £70 delivered. It is a nice quality and it was warm when I got it. 

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I saw a house had a kerbside delivery from a local supplier, I stopped to check it, must have been about 15 bags /15 tonnes.  Was disappointed to see the amount of loam it contained as opposed to being pure soil. 

The British Standard was changed to allow the top category pure soil to include an amount of loam.