Healthy landscaping starts with the soil beneath it. Whether you are building a new garden bed, planting trees and shrubs, improving an existing lawn, or correcting poor soil conditions, choosing the right soil product can directly affect drainage, root development, nutrient availability, and long-term plant performance.
ARS Landscape Materials & Supply provides soil products for residential and commercial landscaping projects throughout the Denver metro area. Garden compost, garden mix, planter’s mix, and fill dirt each serve a different purpose, so understanding how they work can help you choose the right material for your project.
Key Takeaways
- Garden compost improves existing soil by adding organic matter and supporting soil structure.
- Garden mix provides a balanced growing medium for garden beds and other planting areas.
- Planter’s mix is suited to trees, shrubs, grass, and broader landscape planting applications.
- Fill dirt is better suited to grading, leveling, and elevation changes than plant growth.
- Choosing soil based on the project, drainage needs, and existing site conditions produces better long-term results.
- Bulk soil delivery can simplify larger landscaping projects throughout the Denver metro area.
Why Quality Soil Products Matter
Soil does much more than hold plants in place. It provides roots with access to water, oxygen, nutrients, and the physical space they need to spread.
Poor soil can create several problems at once. Compacted soil may restrict root development, while poorly draining soil can hold excessive moisture around plants. Soil with insufficient organic matter may also dry out quickly or provide limited nutrient availability.
Using a soil product designed for the intended application can improve these conditions before planting begins.
For example, an established garden with poor soil may benefit from compost. A new raised bed may require a complete garden mix. Trees, shrubs, or turf may need a planting soil with enough mineral content to provide structure while still supporting healthy root development.
The goal is not to find one soil that works everywhere. It is to match the material to what the landscape actually needs.
Garden Compost for Improving Existing Soil
Compost is one of the most useful materials for improving existing garden soil.
ARS Garden Compost is described as being aged for three years, allowing organic materials to break down before the compost is incorporated into a landscape.
Mature compost can increase organic matter and help improve the physical characteristics of soil. Depending on existing conditions, it may help soil retain moisture more effectively while also supporting better structure and biological activity.
Compost works particularly well in established beds where the existing soil needs improvement rather than complete replacement.
It can be incorporated into flower beds, vegetable gardens, or other planting areas before the growing season. It may also be used periodically as part of an ongoing soil improvement strategy.
Compost should generally be treated as an amendment rather than structural soil. Using very large amounts without considering the existing soil conditions is not necessarily better.
Garden Mix for New and Existing Planting Areas
Garden mix provides a more complete growing medium than compost alone.
ARS Garden Mix combines approximately 30% topsoil, 50% compost, and 20% sandy loam. Each part of the mixture contributes a different characteristic.
Topsoil provides mineral structure. Compost contributes organic matter, while sandy loam helps create a workable texture that can support drainage and root movement.
This combination makes garden mix particularly useful for vegetable gardens, flower beds, raised beds, and planting areas where existing soil is poor or insufficient.
|
Component |
Approximate Share |
Primary Function |
|
Topsoil |
30% |
Provides soil structure |
|
Compost |
50% |
Adds organic matter |
|
Sandy loam |
20% |
Supports texture and drainage |
Garden mix can also be used to improve existing beds when a substantial amount of new soil is needed.
Before adding several inches of material, consider how the new mix will interact with the soil underneath it. Creating a gradual transition between soil layers can help roots move beyond the newly installed material.
Planter’s Mix for Trees, Shrubs, and Grass
Trees, shrubs, and turf have different requirements from vegetables or annual garden plants.
ARS Planter’s Mix is formulated with approximately 60% topsoil and 40% compost. The higher proportion of topsoil gives the mixture more mineral structure while still providing organic material.
That combination makes planter’s mix useful for many landscape installations where roots need both stability and access to suitable growing soil.
It may be used when establishing planting areas for trees and shrubs, preparing new lawn sections, or improving areas where the native soil is difficult to work.
However, proper planting technique remains important.
A tree planted in a small pocket of rich soil surrounded by dense, compacted native soil may still struggle if its roots cannot move outward or excess water becomes trapped in the planting hole.
For larger trees and shrubs, consider the condition of the surrounding root zone rather than improving only the immediate planting hole.
Garden Mix vs. Planter’s Mix vs. Compost
The easiest way to choose among these soil products is to focus on the purpose of the project.
|
Soil Product |
Best Used For |
Main Benefit |
|
Garden compost |
Improving existing soil |
Adds organic matter |
|
Garden mix |
Garden beds and planting areas |
Creates a balanced growing medium |
|
Planter’s mix |
Trees, shrubs, grass |
Provides structure plus organic matter |
|
Fill dirt |
Grading and leveling |
Creates stable elevation changes |
Garden compost works well when usable soil is already present but needs improvement.
Garden mix is a stronger option when you need a complete planting medium for vegetables, flowers, or raised beds.
Planter’s mix may be more appropriate when creating larger landscape planting areas where trees, shrubs, or turf will be installed.
Understanding these differences can also help prevent unnecessary spending. Premium planting soil is valuable where roots will grow, but it may not be necessary several feet below the finished surface of a landscape.
When Fill Dirt Is the Better Choice
Some landscaping projects require structure rather than fertility.
If you need to raise a low section of a yard, fill a depression, change the grade, or establish the basic elevation of a site, planting soil may not be the most efficient option.
ARS Fill Dirt can be used for projects where stability and elevation are the main priorities.
Fill dirt generally contains less organic matter than garden or planting soil. Because there is less material that can decompose over time, it is better suited to creating lower structural layers.
A project may use multiple soil types together. For example, fill dirt can establish the new grade of a yard, followed by planter’s mix or suitable topsoil near the surface where grass or other plants will grow.
This layered approach allows each material to perform the job it is designed for.
Consider Denver Soil Conditions Before Ordering
Existing soil conditions can significantly affect landscaping results.
Properties throughout the Denver area can contain clay-heavy soils, compacted construction material, previously imported soil, or combinations of sand, silt, and clay.
Heavy clay can hold moisture for longer periods and may become difficult to work when wet. Highly compacted soil can restrict root growth and reduce water infiltration.
Before adding new soil, evaluate what is already present.
If the main problem is low organic matter, compost may be enough. If the existing soil is unsuitable for a new garden bed, garden mix may provide a better growing layer. When planting trees or establishing a larger landscaped area, planter’s mix may be more appropriate.
Drainage should also influence the decision. Adding a high-quality product will not correct a larger drainage problem if water naturally collects in the area.
How Much Soil Do You Need?
Estimating the correct amount of soil can help control project costs and reduce leftover material.
For rectangular spaces, start with:
Length × Width × Depth = Volume
If the measurements are in feet, divide the total cubic feet by 27 to estimate the number of cubic yards required.
For example, a garden bed measuring 12 feet long by 6 feet wide with a depth of 6 inches requires approximately 1.3 cubic yards of material before accounting for settling or project-specific adjustments.
|
Project Size |
Example Depth |
Approximate Consideration |
|
Small garden bed |
4 to 6 inches |
Often suitable for soil improvement |
|
New raised bed |
Varies by bed height |
May require several cubic yards |
|
Lawn preparation |
Depends on existing grade |
Consider final elevation |
|
Major landscape grading |
Often deeper |
Fill dirt may be more economical |
Irregular areas, slopes, and large elevation changes are harder to estimate accurately. Providing measurements to your landscape material supplier can help determine a practical order quantity.
Convenient Soil Delivery for Larger Projects
Bulk soil quickly becomes difficult to transport using a standard vehicle.
Delivery can save considerable time when installing new garden beds, improving large sections of a property, or completing contractor-scale landscaping work.
ARS Landscape Materials & Supply provides soil delivery throughout the Denver metro area for both residential and commercial projects.
Before arranging delivery, choose an accessible location where the material can be unloaded safely.
Consider driveway width, gates, overhead utilities, parked vehicles, trees, and the distance between the drop-off point and the project area. Placing soil closer to the work zone can reduce the amount of wheelbarrow or equipment movement required after delivery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between garden compost and garden mix?
Garden compost is primarily an organic soil amendment used to improve existing soil. Garden mix combines topsoil, compost, and sandy loam to create a more complete growing medium for garden beds and other planting areas.
Should I use garden mix or planter’s mix?
Garden mix is generally better suited to vegetables, flowers, raised beds, and general garden applications. Planter’s mix is designed for broader landscape planting applications such as trees, shrubs, and grass.
The best choice also depends on existing soil conditions and how deep the new soil layer needs to be.
Can I use compost as my only garden soil?
Compost is usually better used as an amendment rather than the only soil material in a garden bed.
Plants also benefit from mineral soil that provides structure and supports root development. A blended garden mix may be more appropriate when creating a planting area from scratch.
Does ARS deliver soil products throughout Denver?
ARS Landscape Materials & Supply offers delivery throughout the Denver metropolitan area. Delivery can be especially useful when a project requires several cubic yards of garden mix, compost, planter’s mix, or fill dirt.
Build Better Landscapes from the Soil Up
Successful landscapes are built from the ground up, and that means selecting soil according to its purpose.
Compost can improve existing soil, garden mix can establish productive beds, planter’s mix can support trees and shrubs, and fill dirt can provide the stable lower layers needed for grading and elevation changes.
Choosing the right material before planting can improve root development, simplify installation, and create healthier growing conditions for years to come.
For help selecting soil products and arranging delivery, Get a Quote from ARS Landscape Materials & Supply.