Plan Your Dream Garden with Our Free Topsoil
Calculators
Are you a passionate gardener looking to create the perfect garden? Estimating the right amount of topsoil can be tricky, but it’s crucial for the health and beauty of your plants.
I’m Jennifer, a professional gardener and founder of TopsoilCalculators.com. After years of struggling with topsoil estimations myself, I developed a set of landscaping calculators to simplify the process for every gardener.
These free topsoil calculators take the guesswork out of determining your topsoil needs. They are:
- Accurate: Get precise calculations for various gardening and landscaping projects.
- Easy to use: No complex formulas or manual calculations needed.
- Time-saving: Quickly estimate your topsoil requirements and get back to gardening.
- Versatile: Suitable for different project types, from raised beds to large landscaping areas.
Gardners know what is topsoil and its importance in making the yard look beautiful and healthier. It is also essential to know the correct volume of topsoil needed.
Use the below Topsoil Calculator to calculate the topsoil you will need for your garden or yard:
Topsoil Calculator
To Get The Area in Square Feet:
Length (in feet) x width (in feet) = area in sq. ft.
Once you get the area just enter it in the above Topsoil Calculator and add the required thickness in inches.
These calculators tell you how much topsoil to buy and help optimize your soil for better drainage, nutrients, and more.
I’ll also share how to use each calculator. You will find the instructions on individual calculator pages. Now, get ready to geek out on soil science!
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Below are the six types of topsoil calculators tailored to gardening needs:
Topsoil Coverage Calculator
For new garden projects, this Topsoil coverage calculator is my go-to tool.
Most plants thrive with about 6 inches of quality topsoil, and this calculator makes it effortless to calculate the accurate cubic yards required for gardens of all sizes.
It helps determine how much topsoil you need to cover a given garden or planting area at a certain depth. Just input the area and thickness, and it will tell you the cubic yards of topsoil needed with other units of measurement. It’s the most versatile and vastly used topsoil calculator for gardeners.
Learn below how this calculator actually works and determine the amount of the soil needed.
Here is how the Topsoil Coverage Calculator works:
The formula for calculating topsoil: Area(sqft) multiplied by Thickness(in) = cubic feet of topsoil
Detailed Video On How to Use the Topsoil Coverage Calculator
- cubic feet of topsoil
- cubic yard of topsoil
- 1.5-cubic foot bag of topsoil
- 2-cubic foot bag of topsoil
- 3-cubic foot bag of topsoil
Pro Tip: Always estimate about 10-20% more than what the calculator tells you to account for settling and grading. It's better to have extra than run short halfway through spreading!
Topsoil Amendments Calculator – Enhance Soil Fertility
To boost fertility, I’ve learned from my experience to mix compost and other organic amendments into my topsoil. The Topsoil Amendments calculator makes this process seamless by giving you accurate total amendments needed. Eliminate the guesswork from soil preparation and enrich your vegetable garden or any other garden with ease.
This calculator seemingly estimates the amount of soil amendments like compost or manure to mix into your existing topsoil that will provide nutrients for plants.
To use this calculator, simply input the garden Area (sq ft) size, Depth (in), and Amendment Rate (lbs per sq ft), and you will get the Total Amendments Needed in lbs.
Pro Tip: Loamy topsoil with approx. 40% sand, 40% silt and 20% clay is ideal for most plants. But you can customize for specific crops or projects.
Getting your soil texture right makes a huge difference in drainage, water retention, and root growth. Don’t skip this step!
Topsoil Cost Calculator – Stay With Your Gardening Budget
Bulk topsoil can be pricey, and I learned this the hard way during my initial landscaping projects. That’s why the Topsoil Cost calculator is a lifesaver, helping you tally up estimated totals.
This calculator lets you input your coverage needs for the garden and the cost per cubic yard to estimate the total spend. It’s great for budgeting topsoil purchases.
Just input Area (sq ft), Thickness (in), and Cost per Cubic Yard ($) to get the Total cost of topsoil.
Pro Tip: Call around for quotes, as prices can vary quite a bit between suppliers. And don't forget to account for delivery fees based on your location and access.
This calculator prevents budget surprises down the road. Know what you’re getting into upfront when planning a new garden or landscaping area.
Topsoil Weight Calculator
This calculator estimates the weight in lbs for a given volume of topsoil. It is useful for gardeners ordering loads based on weight rather than volume.
Input the garden Area (sq ft) size, Thickness (in) and Density (lbs per cubic ft) and you will get the weight of topsoil in lbs unit.
Pro Tip: Concentrated piles of soil can run 2204-4410 lbs per cubic yard. Make sure storage and staging areas are on solid, level ground.
You also need to know the weight of large deliveries, as overweight trucks can cause serious damage to driveways. Run the numbers first.
Soil Erosion Calculator – Estimate Erosion Rate
Erosion can be detrimental to your garden, after heavy rains washed out my hillside perennials. I only had 2 to 3 inches of topsoil left in those areas! To combat erosion and maintain proper topsoil levels, the Topsoil Erosion calculator has been an invaluable tool.
By inputting slope, rainfall, and current topsoil depth, you can now determine how much depth could be lost annually. It really helps plan prevention steps to protect gardens.
You will need Rainfall (in/year), Slope (%) and Topsoil Depth (in) to get estimated topsoil loss: inches/year
Pro Tip: Follow the 3 S's - slopes, swales, and spillways when grading. Direct water safely off-site and prevent topsoil from leaving your property.
Stopping erosion ensures your investment in topsoil lasts for many seasons of bountiful harvests to come!
Soil Texture Chart
Facts And Myths About Topsoil That You Should Know
Facts about Topsoil | Myths about Topsoil |
---|---|
Topsoil is the uppermost layer of soil, containing most organic matter and nutrients. | All dirt is topsoil. |
Healthy topsoil is composed of 45% mineral matter, 25% water, 25% air, and 5% organic matter. | Topsoil is naturally abundant and unlimited. |
Topsoil forms at a rate of only 1 inch every 100 to 500 years. | Bagged topsoil is just as good as bulk topsoil. |
It can take 500 years to generate just 3 cm of topsoil naturally. | Sandy loam topsoil is ideal for all garden uses. |
Topsoil erosion is a major environmental threat – the UN estimates we are losing 75 billion tons of topsoil each year. | Once depleted, topsoil can be easily restored in a few seasons. |
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about calculating topsoil needs:
Q: How many cubic yards of topsoil are ideal for a 10×20 vegetable garden?
A: For a 10ft x 20ft = 200 sq.ft garden, with 12 inch depth, you will need about 7.4 cubic yards of quality topsoil for optimal growth.
Q: What is the most cost effective way for a homeowner to order topsoil?
A: Ordering 10+ yards in bulk when not peak season, from local suppliers to save on delivery is the most cost effective approach.
Q: What ratio of compost is ideal when amending garden topsoil?
A: A good mix is 25% compost amended with 75% existing or new topsoil to provide an enriched, loamy texture for plants.
Q: Is topsoil sold by weight or volume more suitable for gardens?
A: Volume in cubic yards is simpler for estimating home garden needs. But ordering by weight can sometimes get better bulk rates from suppliers.
Q: How can I calculate the number of tons of topsoil needed for my vegetable garden?
A: Use a topsoil weight calculator to know exactly the yard of topsoil weight. Input the total cubic yards needed and the soil’s density in lb/cubic yard. It will provide the equivalent tons.
Conclusion:
Estimating the ideal quantity of fertile topsoil and planning a garden used to be frustrating until I developed the topsoil calculators.
With the help of these calculators, I can accurately calculate coverage, amendments, costs, weight, erosion and delivery logistics to get the perfect amount of quality topsoil to enrich my home garden and nurture my plants.
I hope these tips will help you take the guesswork and waste out of your next gardening or landscaping project using my topsoil calculators. Let me know if my calculators make the planning process easier for you as a homeowner as well! Happy gardening!