Improving soil results

hey, and welcome. I am no expert but just to know, is there by any chance a pine tree of some sort growing next to your bad patch of soil?

Hi Bettyr
If the soil is poor then manure would be of great benifit but make sure it is well rotted and incorporate throughly. Just by covering with top soil may help but what type of soil have you got in the first place?
If you have a s Dalene says a pine tree growing then she is correct in that this is taking all the goodness from the soil and the first actio to take is to remove this

Hi Bettyr,
The problem is that the actual roots of the shrubs will pass through the top soil into the poor soil.If you were planting perennials you might get away with it but if you want to plant shrubs you need to dig in lots of organic compost to at least a shovel deep and when you first plant the shrubs give them a good start by mixing a good planting mixture with soil and organic compost and a handful of bonemeal.If you mulch with organic compost around the area it should improve too.

Were you thinking of buying in topsoil? If you were, DON'T. There is no guarantee that it is good or that it has been sterilised, so you may be buying weed seeds or no-nutrient soil. Much better to add compost and well-rotted manure as Susie advises. I use chicken manure pellets in a mixture of home-made compost and bought compost whenever I plant anything, too.

Very wise advice from Spritz there Betty.I once bought a ton of so called top quality top soil and got a free gift of bindweed which overtook the garden,never again.I also use chicken pellets and I get well rotted manure from the local stables for free.Just bought two new compost bins to get going on.Leaf mould is great too.