Question
Hi Jim,  I had a small retention wall built around the foundation of my house, and i need to add dirt to this area.  Actually I have one on each side of my entrance door.  I was quoted $150.00 to add some dirt and put gravel around the wall (to keep water and soil from making the wall dirty) and along the foundation of the house (to prevent leaks).  To be honest, I really can't afford this right now, so I was considering getting the dirt in bags and spreading it myself.  I will wait until spring to add the gravel, as I have a bush that needs to be dug out first.  I would appreciate any input that you can give me regarding this matter.  What kind of dirt should I use, what should I mix with it?  How much do bags of dirt cost?  Also, what would some good plantings be?  The two areas are about 9x4 ft.  I live in the Chicago land area.  I NEED ADVICE!!!

Answer
Hi Karen, the type of soil should be a blend of 60-70% your native soil and the balance organic matter (ground bark, compost, etc) blended with it.  Usually, bagged top soil is not good to add to elevated planters by itself, you need some clay for water retention so you should try to find some of your native soil. Check with a local bulk soil company.  I'd have 2 yards of your local top soil delivered and then buy finely ground pine bark, cotton burr compost or something similar to blend with it.
You didn't say how deep the planter is, but if it's 1 foot deep, you'll need 36 cubic feet of soil for each planter. You'll have to check locally as to price.  I think $150.00 is quite reasonable when you consider the labor involved and I'd go with it if the soil type is right.  Jim