You can apply topsoil anytime, but most gardeners like to add it in spring before planting. In the fall, it may also be added as a top dressing that will allow nutrients to break down into the soil.
A constant, fresh supply of organic matter is necessary to keep it growing healthy. While routinely adding an extra layer of topsoil to your lawn can be helpful, fall is the most opportune time to do so. This is because the winter can be a particularly difficult time for the plant life on your property.
Consider the specific requirements of the plants you want to grow. For example, if you're planting cool-season grasses, laying topsoil in the fall is ideal. Alternatively, if you're planting warm-season grasses or certain vegetables, early spring may be a better option.
Top dressing is the addition of a thin layer of top soil worked into your lawn, primarily in the early fall, when there are still three to four standard mows remaining before the winter.
Add compost
Whether you have a compost pile of your own or you purchase organic compost from your garden centre or from a nearby farm or supplier, adding compost to your garden beds in the fall is one of the easiest and most popular ways to add organic matter and nutrients to your soil.
If you're planning a new bed for perennials, groundcovers, shrubs or trees to plant next spring, the path to success starts with a good foundation. It's easier to improve soil before plants are in place, so the time to do so is now.
Fall is the best time to prepare garden soil, says Kansas State University Research and Extension horticulturalist Ward Upham. The soil is often too wet in the spring to work without forming clods that will be present the rest of the growing season.
You can top dress a lawn when it is in active growth. Lawns can be top dressed twice yearly, but if you are only going to do the job once, for best results, top dress warm-season grass in spring, and cool-season grass in fall.
Applying topdressing in the fall improves your lawn's soil quality by reintroducing lost nutrients as the compost breaks down over time.
One final point: although North American gardeners have become used to repairing and revitalizing their lawns in the spring, the right season to do is always early to mid-fall, from late August to mid October in most climates.
Some topsoils sold in bulk will have compost added. Or you can buy it in bags, usually weighing 20 to 40 lbs. You can apply topsoil anytime, but most gardeners like to add it in spring before planting.
You must top dress in the growing season, NOT in winter. It is usually best to top dress in spring or as soon as you have reached your regular weekly mow. The earlier in the growing season the better. Generally late spring to early summer is best.
Those nutrients usually need to be replenished every so often for the healthiest growth, no matter which type of soil you have. This is especially true for the soil where you grow annual flowers and vegetables, which suck up a lot of nutrients to fuel their rapid growth.
Aerate Your Soil Before Adding Topsoil
If left untouched, your soil can become compacted and too tight for nutrients and water to go through. One way you can help the soil regain health is by aerating it. Aeration is the process of making small holes in the ground to make the soil loose.
To start off you will need to clear the existing area before laying down your new soil. Then lightly turn over approximately the top 5 inches of the existing soil, this will loosen the ground and help make sure you get the best from your new topsoil.
A rototiller also does a good job of loosening the soil but you still need to level it. If you are adding topsoil, while it may cost a bit more, it is worth it to have the landscaper loosen the soil first, then apply the topsoil, and then have the landscaper return to mix the 2 soils together.
Many think that putting topsoil over the seeds would protect it, but in fact, that will actually suffocate the seedlings rather than doing any good. We suggest that straw, hay, or any other type of mulching material be used.
Shovel out a small amount of your material, working in small areas, a few square feet at a time. Using your shovel, “fling” the materials with a smooth, sweeping motion similar to hitting a hockey puck, spreading the topdressing over the lawn to a depth of ⅛ to ½ inch.
Lawns are best top-dressed during periods of grass growth, so in the UK, that's anytime between April and October. Traditionally topdressing is carried out either in late spring or early autumn. This is done to correspond with the mainspring renovation or the autumn renovation programs.
You can topdress with compost at any time when the ground is not frozen, but if you topdress right after aerating a lawn, you will see even better results. Another great time to topdress with compost is when overseeding a lawn. Applying compost and seeds at the same time will improve germination and moisture retention.
"No-till farming greatly reduces soil erosion," Mirsky said. "Intact soils also maintain root channels that facilitate greater water infiltration and storage. No-till tends to increase soil organic matter in the top several inches of the soil. On the other hand, tillage can act to bury carbon and increase its storage.
Tillage breaks up soil structure and destroys residue.
With no-till, the improved soil structure and moisture conserving residue cover makes more water available for crop production by improving infiltration and decreasing evaporation from the soil surface.
“Farmers and custom applicators normally have more time to apply fertilizer in the fall than during the busy planting season, and the soil conditions are generally less wet and more conducive to being in the field with less risk for compacting soils than in spring.”