Well I guess if you want to get all technical about it, we do not really eat topsoil. But it is a true statement to say that we all could not eat if not for topsoil. There are many people who do not even know what topsoil is or where topsoil comes from, but the fact remains that we are all benefitting from topsoil in many ways.

The first thing to discuss is what topsoil is. Topsoil is exactly what the name topsoil would suggest. It is the top layer of the soil, thus the name topsoil. It is a limited natural resource, which is a necessary component in the circle of life. Topsoil came about through rocks, broken down by the air and weathered over many years, eventually being transformed into soil. After there was topsoil, plants, trees, bushes, and the like were soon to follow. After there were plants, the animals came, and then there were finally people. Why did it have to happen like that?

It had to happen in that order because plants cannot survive without topsoil; and animals and people cannot survive without plants. This all sounds like it could have all happened five hundred billion years ago, but I assure you it is still going on right now in the circle of life. It could take thousands of years for nature to produce one inch of proper topsoil. Therefore it is safe to say that much of what we call topsoil is not real topsoil. Real topsoil goes through a process in which twigs, leaves, and other dead things decompose into the soil creating a layer of topsoil absolutely loaded in nutrients. This is the process which could take thousands of years to produce one inch of proper topsoil.

We all either eat plants or plant products, such as milk, cheese, eggs, meat, or pizza. What we eat depends on there being enough good topsoil in which to grow plants and trees and the like. If there are not enough of these essential nutrients in the topsoil, plants will not be able to grow healthily. This would have a domino effect which would result in people not having enough food to eat.

An alternative to topsoil, which is really nothing more than a replacement of the real thing as opposed to a real alternative, is what is underneath real topsoil. Topsoil is usually no more than two to eight inches thick depending on the region. Underneath topsoil are three other layers of dirt, also known as horizons. Only the top horizon (Horizon A) is suitable to sustain life. The other three layers are either too hard, too soft, or just lack the nutrients needed to sustain life. Unfortunately, much of the market's "topsoil" is nothing more than soil from these other layers. These subsoils are not suitable for planting, which can perhaps explain why we sometimes have a hard time planting even though we do everything right. If the soil lacking the requirements to sustain life, there will be nothing but dead plants no matter what we do.

You may be wondering where all the topsoil is going and why there is not enough topsoil on this planet to only sell the real stuff. This can be explained by pointing to wasteful farming practices and forestry methods. We have lost an estimated fifty million acres of some of our best topsoil and damaged over a hundred million more acres of topsoil due to wasteful farming practices. There is a common misconception that topsoil is nothing but dead dirt and that we can do with it as we please. This, as stated before cannot be further from the truth. Only when topsoil is left alone, and nature is allowed to take its slow yet successful course, will topsoil be able to reach its full potential. As a result of all of this waste, we are beginning to feel a shortage of good quality, natural topsoil. Farmers have been able to make their own topsoil, which actually can sustain life, but there is clearly no replacing the real thing.

If you ever find yourself staring at a bag labeled topsoil and wondering if it is real topsoil, there actually are some things you can do to ensure you will be able to plant what you want. There are composts you can add to topsoil to kill bacteria and fungi and add nutrients which will help your plants grow. And there are also a number of chemical tests you can perform on a sample of the soil if you are planning on ordering many bags and you do not want to take the chance of watching hundreds of plants die. These chemicals tests can be done at a minimal cost (usually about thirty dollars) but it could be very well worth the investment.

Visit www.1800topsoil.com for more articles and resources on topsoil and to use our topsoil calculator.

1800TopSoil The top choice in topsoil and top soil. Nationwide provider of topsoil and top soil in your local area for all your landscape supply. Years of experience in the topsoil and top soil industry to help you with topsoil and top soil for landscape supplies.

Source: www.isnare.com