1) Find out what the material is, and where it came from. Top soil has no standards that I know of. A company that specializes in compost would be a good place to order mulch, compost, and top soil.

A soil test would be another way to get information, but a rather inconvenient way.

A soil test is really the only way to find out what's going on with your soil. Rutgers does a pretty good job of walking you through the steps of collecting a good sample and will provide you with the bag and mailing envelope. It's not what I would call 'inconvenient', at all! Essential might be a better word.

Click on the attached link to take you to the Rutger's soil testing site. You ARE familiar with your state's Extension Service, right?

Here is a link that might be useful: click here for Extension information

Talk with the people at your counties office of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service about having a good, reliable soil test done so you know what your soils pH and nutrient levels are and also dig into that soil with these simple soil tests,
1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains� too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.
to see what else, if anything, you might need to do to make that into a good, healthy soil.

I heard about the Rutgers soil test but didn't know about it until now. I'm on my way to pick up a kit right now. Only minutes away for me. Thanks!

In the mail!

Good for you! Be sure to make friends with the folks in your local office; they can be very helpful.

Below are the results I just received (with personal info edited out). A lot of this information is way over my head so I'm hoping someone can interpret this a little better for me and tell me what (if anything) I need to add before planting as well as during the growing season. Thanks!

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No one asked what veggies Coeng was planting.

Would that be a revlevant question?

Rutgers, and every other soil testing lab, would want ot know if you are going to grow vegetables (not specifically which ones), a lawn, or Rhododndrons/Azaleas/Hollies/Blueberries because those need a different soil pH, kind of.
coeng, that soil test looks very good to me. The suggestion that you apply 2 pounds of Nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is very common on every soil test report I ahve seen in the last 50 or so years and if you think about it is a very negligable amount, and not necessary. Your soil test does not have any thing about the level of organic matter and that is something you can determine fairly easily with these simple soil tests,
1) Structure. From that soil sample put enough of the rest to make a 4 inch level in a clear 1 quart jar, with a tight fitting lid. Fill that jar with water and replace the lid, tightly. Shake the jar vigorously and then let it stand for 24 hours. Your soil will settle out according to soil particle size and weight. A good loam will have about 1-3/4 inch (about 45%) of sand on the bottom. about 1 inch (about 25%) of silt next, about 1 inch (25%) of clay above that, and about 1/4 inch (about 5%) of organic matter on the top.

2) Drainage. Dig a hole 1 foot square and 1 foot deep and fill that with water. After that water drains away refill the hole with more water and time how long it takes that to drain away. Anything less than 2 hours and your soil drains� too quickly and needs more organic matter to slow that drainage down. Anything over 6 hours and the soil drains too slowly and needs lots of organic matter to speed it up.

3) Tilth. Take a handful of your slightly damp soil and squeeze it tightly. When the pressure is released the soil should hold together in that clump, but when poked with a finger that clump should fall apart.

4) Smell. What does your soil smell like? A pleasant, rich earthy odor? Putrid, offensive, repugnant odor? The more organic matter in your soil the more active the soil bacteria will be and the nicer your soil will smell.

5) Life. How many earthworms per shovel full were there? 5 or more indicates a pretty healthy soil. Fewer than 5, according to the Natural Resources Conservation Service, indicates a soil that is not healthy.

I would think what you have is good and ready for planting.

That test looks pretty good compared to what Ive seen. I dont know what you want to plant but your test results look pretty decent.