Installing a new landscape can be a fun transformation for your property. Out with the old and in with the new. When reworking a landscape, it typically means many new plants. I occasionally will get the questions about how the plants are going to be back filled. The most common back filling question is about bringing in new soil to do the back filling.
Back filling is the task of replacing the soil around the root ball of the plant when installing a new plant. It is one the final parts of the installation process. But it is a very important part of the project. The material that you use to do the back filling can make a big difference.
It is best to use the native soil on the site for the back filling. Bringing in new soil just to back fill can cause harm to the plants by creating a bowl effect on the planting. What that means is the original soil can hold water around the new plant like a cereal bowl because of the different soils and the differing drainage rates. Many plants do not like to be standing in water. This is what can cause the harm to the new plant. By using the native soil, you eliminate the bowl effect. The water can drain at a constant rate.
The back filling is the final, but a very important step in the planting process. Doing it right with native soil is what is best for your new landscape plants.