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I'm redoing my lawn because it was extremely unlevel. I've already flattened the whole thing, scraped out all the old grass, and now I'm ready for top soil.

After calling a few local places, I've learned that some of them offer different mixes, involving soil, potting mix, and sand. Is there any reason to get such a thing for a lawn?

A related question, but perhaps too localized: There's an excavation place that had soil from job sites from around the area. They say they sift it for size, but that's it. Is there a likelihood that this soil is junk, or pretty much the same thing as other places that get their sifted soil from a local prairie?

I'm going to hydroseed, if that makes a difference.

J. Musser
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6937
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  • What's your native soil type? What's the subsoil look like? Excavated soil is likely to be almost entirely subsoil with little organic matter. Are we talking prairie, desert, or deep forest here? – Wayfaring Stranger Jun 19 '15 at 11:28
  • @WayfaringStranger Prairie probably. I guess the soil is medium colored, very few rocks, dusty when dry. – 6937 Jun 19 '15 at 15:49

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If you can afford enough of the mix, then use it. It is usually well blended for optimum drainage while retaining moisture, a brilliant combination when it comes to starting grass. It would be a great start, but especially if the soil underneath is heavy, make sure it is also loosened up, so the new lawn can root into it.

About the screened excavation soil, if they didn't say it was topsoil, it's not. Don't use it. Even with good lawn care lawns just don't flourish in subsoil.

J. Musser
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