Cereus-validus..... wrote:
Here we go again.

"Top soil" is ANYTHING that makes up the surface layer of the soil
and does not have any specific chemical or biological composition.
It can be good for growing plants or it could be toxic. Buying "top
soil" is buying a "pig in a poke". You may not only be wasting your
money but you can actually be doing damage to your garden by using
it.
If you instead buy "humus", "loam" or "peat", you know exactly what
you are getting and how to use it.

Please define humus and loam. Who sets the standard for them and who
enforces that standard?

--

Travis in Shoreline (just North of Seattle) Washington
USDA Zone 8b
Sunset Zone 5


"Janet Baraclough" wrote in message
...
The message ghY%d.22081$oa6.14080@trnddc07
from "Travis" contains these
words:
The name "top soil" has no meaning.

It's a well-known term throughout Europe, meaning the fertile
layer above subsoil. When people here buy/sell a lorry-load of
soil for horticultural use, it's normal to specify topsoil.

Janet.