Patterson Landscaping has over 10 years experience creating outdoor living spaces in the state of Colorado.

Whatever Mother Nature's gifts to Colorado, rich soil is not among them. Rainfall, or in Colorado's case, lack of it, plays a major role in creating deep, rich layers of top soil. Eastern states get more rainfall, resulting in more vegetation for organic matter. This leads to deep, dark, rich topsoil. With less vegetation in Colorado, wind erosion takes its toll on much of the top soil.

Front Range soils are largely heavy clay. To improve this type of soil and create better drainage, some people add sand. Research has shown, however, that you'll need to add anywhere from 50 percent to 80 percent, by volume, of sand to improve clay soil. Anything less will result in the formation of adobe. A better way to improve a clay or sandy soil is to add organic matter. Organic material helps break up the soil for better air and water penetration; organics also will improve the water-holding capacity of sandy soil. Organic materials include peat moss, grass clippings, old leaves, compost, chopped straw or well-rotted manure.