Magnolia Soils and Mulch

You can level low spots in your yard with masonry sand, topsoil, or bank sand. Mason sand has no nutritional value but filters through grass and disappears quickly. Topsoil has a microbial and nutritional value but also contains weed seeds. Bank sand is an option but it has some clay in it and may not disappear quickly. You can nearly cover actively growing grass when leveling and it will not kill the grass. Always leave a couple inches of leaf blade showing and never completely cover the grass when leveling low spots unless you intend to sod the area.

You typically do not need to add soil to install sod unless it will help grade the area for drainage purposes. If you want to amend the soil where you are installing the grass then we would recommend using compost and mixing it into the existing soil. The other option is to use a good garden soil. Some garden soils have wood waste in them and can lead to other issues later down the line. Topsoil is always an option but there is no guarantee that there will not be weed seeds within.

We carry three types of sand. Torpedo or sharp sand is used as the grading layer for pavers and is coarse and angular. Masonry sand is a white sand that is clean, fine, and excellent for mixing in mortars or concrete. Bank Sand is a yellow color and is technically 40% clay naturally blended through the sand.

Topsoil typically has a great consistency with soil and organic matter. It brings a good microbial complex with it which holds and converts nutrients well. Topsoils also tend to drain well. The downside is that they contain weed seeds. Topsoil by its nature is a surface soil and the only way to completely eliminate weed seeds is solarization which strips the microbial value from the soil. While topsoil is a great choice it does carry this one drawback.

We carry Heirloom Soils Garden Mix made specifically for gardens and beds. This nutrient rich soil resists compaction and manages moisture in the root zone of your plants. It has a high microbial content from the Leaf Compost which makes it ideal for nutrient retention and conversion.

Yes! Planting trees and shrubs is all about soil preparation. You can buy a perfectly healthy plant and put it in a terrible hole and it may survive but it will never thrive. Plan on amending the soil in your planting hole with a garden mix, leaf compost, cotton burr compost, or at least a liquid plant food such as Micro Life Super Seaweed.