u/Brave_Dirt6631

Hi everyone. I'm in lower Westchester County, NY state, zone 7a.

I just spent many thousands of dollars putting in trees, outdoor French drain, catch basins, regrading with a layer of (manufactured topsoil) on top. Everything is great except for the manufactured topsoil. It's pure garbage. It's just sand mixed with who knows what. It dries out in a minute. To put it in terms all of us will understand - this manufactured topsoil cannot make mud when wet. I have my virgin topsoil visible in one part of the yard and it makes mud when wet. The difference between the virgin soil and the manufactured "topsoil" is black and white. One is gold, the other is garbage.

I am trying to germinate perennial rye grass. Started Monday, April 13th. So far only growth is in patches. I'm in zone 7a, which I know is better for fall germination, but I've overseeded in Spring before with my virgin soil and never had a problem. I water it multiple times a day and so far nothing.

I can't afford to pay someone to remove the top 3 inches and lay down a 3 inch layer of virgin topsoil. If I had the time I could do it myself by hand, but I don't. It's a heck of a lot of work as well. Maybe 3,000 square feet of area, which for a layer of 3 inches would be about 750 cubic feet of virgin topsoil, which would be approximately 27 yards of virgin topsoil. Plus I would have to remove the same amount of the existing bogus manufactured topsoil first, so it would be approximately 54 yards of soil - removing and laying down. There must be a better way.

I know there are amendments they use in Australia to turn their sandy soil into a more clayish soil. I'm a little afraid of that only because I don't know of anyone doing this so I don't have any examples to follow. I've thought of sprinkling virgin soil on top and using a scarifying attachment that I have for my de-thatcher. Both of these remedies would potentially mess up the grading the landscaper's worker did, which was done beautifully.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Hi everyone. I just spent many thousands of dollars putting in trees, outdoor French drain, catch basins, regrading with a layer of (manufactured topsoil) on top. Everything is great except for the manufactured topsoil. It's pure garbage. It's just sand mixed with who knows what. It dries out in a minute. To put it in terms all of us will understand - this manufactured topsoil cannot make mud when wet. I have my virgin topsoil visible in one part of the yard and it makes mud when wet. The difference between the virgin soil and the manufactured "topsoil" is black and white. One is gold, the other is garbage.

I am trying to germinate perennial rye grass. Started last Monday, April 13th. So far nothing. I'm in zone 7a, which I know is better for fall germination, but I've overseeded in Spring before with my virgin soil and never had a problem. I water it multiple times a day and so far nothing.

I can't afford to pay someone to remove the top 3 inches and lay down a 3 inch layer of virgin topsoil. If I had the time I could do it myself by hand, but I don't. It's a heck of a lot of work as well. Maybe 3,000 square feet of area, which for a layer of 3 inches would be about 750 cubic feet of virgin topsoil, which would be approximately 27 yards of virgin topsoil. Plus I would have to remove the same amount of the existing bogus manufactured topsoil first, so it would be approximately 54 yards of soil - removing and laying down. There must be a better way.

I know there are amendments they use in Australia to turn their sandy soil into a more clayish soil. I'm a little afraid of that only because I don't know of anyone doing this so I don't have any examples to follow. I've thought of sprinkling virgin soil on top and using a scarifying attachment that I have for my de-thatcher. Both of these remedies would potentially mess up the grading the landscaper's worker did, which was done beautifully.

Does anyone have any suggestions?