Top Soil Issue

Question

I tried to plant some veg in our garden last year but knew the soil wasn’t good enough but tried it anyway. So this year, I have dug the patches up and replaced it with cardboard, leaves, old veg cuttings etc. with rich compost on top. I need to add top soil apparently, can I use the old soil which is basically rock soil and very lightly grey. Or should I use a different type of soil on top to mix?

Answer 1

You should, definitely, use a different topsoil. You may need to solarize it, as well. These articles will help:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/projects/how-to-solarize-garden-beds-to-eliminate-garden-pests-in-the-soil.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/special/organic/the-importance-of-soil-for-an-organic-garden.htm

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/garden-how-to/soil-fertilizers/improving-garden-soil.htm