Roswell Soil Delivery

I want to build raised vegetable beds in my backyard here in Roswell. What kind of soil should I fill them with?

For raised vegetable beds in Roswell, you want a soil blend that is rich in compost, drains well enough to prevent waterlogging during monsoon storms, and has enough body to hold moisture between irrigation cycles. A typical garden mix with 30 to 40 percent compost content blended into loamy soil works very well. Avoid filling raised beds entirely with pure compost or lightweight potting material, as these break down and compress significantly over one or two seasons, dropping your bed depth and requiring you to top off annually. A quality bulk garden soil blend gives you long-term structure with good fertility built in.

How does Roswell's low rainfall affect how quickly soil amendments break down and need to be refreshed?

Because Roswell only receives about 12 inches of rain per year and the air is very dry, organic matter in soil breaks down more slowly than in humid climates. This is actually an advantage in some ways because the improvements you make by adding quality amended soil or compost persist longer than they would in wetter regions. In your raised beds or amended planting areas, you will still want to add a few inches of compost to the surface annually in spring, but the base soil you establish will hold its structure and organic content reasonably well from year to year as long as you are mulching on top to limit surface breakdown from UV and wind.

Can I use bulk soil to fix the low spots in my lawn that collect water after those big monsoon downpours we get in July and August?

Yes, topdressing low lawn areas with a sandy loam topsoil blend is an effective way to level out depressions that pond water during Roswell's monsoon storms. The key is to apply the soil in thin layers of half an inch to one inch at a time rather than burying the existing grass with a thick dump. Apply the topdressing, work it gently into the grass with a rake, water it in, and let the turf recover before adding another layer if needed. Doing this in late spring or early summer when warm-season turf is actively growing gives the grass the best chance to grow through the added soil.

I have heard about caliche in the Roswell area. Should I be worried about it affecting soil I bring in for new beds?

Caliche can be a concern depending on where on your Roswell property you are working. If you are building raised beds above grade, caliche in the native soil underneath does not directly affect the new soil you bring in because the new soil sits on top and drains laterally before it ever reaches the caliche layer in most cases. However, if you are tilling or digging down to incorporate new soil into existing ground and hit a dense caliche layer, drainage from above can be impeded. In those situations, breaking through the caliche with a pick or auger before filling with amended soil makes a big difference in how well the new planting area performs.

What is the right time of year to have soil delivered and new beds built here in Roswell?

Early spring is the most popular time for soil delivery in Roswell, typically from late February through April after the last frost date passes around March 29. Building and filling beds during this window gives the soil time to settle and stabilize before summer heat arrives and planting begins in earnest. Fall is a strong second choice, particularly September and October, when temperatures moderate and you can establish beds that will sit and improve through winter before the spring planting season. Midsummer soil work is possible but harder on you and your plants given Roswell's intense July and August heat.

How many cubic yards of soil do I need to fill standard raised garden beds?

A typical 4 by 8 foot raised bed filled to a depth of 12 inches requires roughly 1.2 cubic yards of soil. Most Roswell homeowners underestimate how much soil it takes to fill even modestly sized raised beds, especially because bulk soil settles 10 to 20 percent after delivery and watering. If you are building multiple beds, calculate each one individually and add about 15 percent to your total estimate to account for settling and to have a little extra for leveling and topping off. Ordering slightly more than you think you need is always easier than scheduling a second delivery.