Gardens usually thrive when the conditions are ideal for plant growth, and that begins with the soil. If you are new to gardening, you’ve likely heard that good fertile soil is essential. However, the soil volume also matters, especially if you are using planters, raised beds, and pots. The soil calculator will help you get the right amount of soil for your garden.
If you are setting up a garden in your backyard, it is important to note that the soil may not be ideal, especially if it has been in use for a long time and has never been replenished. You ought to dig out and replace the topsoil. In this case, you will need a soil calculator to determine how much soil you need.
Measure your garden, raised beds or containers
The only way to determine how much soil you need is by measuring the dimensions of the area your garden will cover. If your garden has an irregular shape, break it down into small, regular shapes you can easily calculate.
Get the length and width of the designated garden space. You must use the same unit of measurement. For instance, when you use metres, the volume of soil you need in cubic metres. Once you have the length and width, you can multiply these measurements with the depth. Topsoil is usually 5 -10 inches deep.
For example, if your garden’s length and width are 15m and 10 metres respectively, and the depth is 6 inches, convert the depth to metres, which is about 0.15metres. the area will be 15 x 10 x 0.15 = 22.5m3.
This area will not help you determine the number of bags you need to buy. The different brands of topsoil in the market are available in bags of different sizes. Compare the various products in the market, not only in terms of soil quality, but soil volume per bag. Knowing this will help you budget better and buy the amount of soil you need.
You can use the same procedure when calculating the soil volume for your raised garden and long planters for outdoors. It is, however, vital to note that over time, soil loses moisture, so the volume will decrease. Add a little extra to cover for this eventuality.
What do you intend to plant in your garden?
When calculating soil volume, besides looking at the size of the planter, bed and container to use, you also need to consider the crops you intend to plant. Some plants have deep roots, so they need enough soil to support the root growth, for example, root vegetables like potatoes need soil covering a depth of at least 40cm. Green leafy vegetables, on the other hand, only need a depth of 15-20cm of soil.
The soil calculator will be even more accurate if you get the right planter size for the crops you intend to plant. When planting, some seeds are best planted close to the surface, while others need to be placed deeper into the soil. When you use the soil calculator, you will save the time you would have spent buying more soil because your order had a shortfall. Instead, you can enjoy more time in your garden doing what you love.
