Victoria Day is celebrated in honour of Queen Victoria’s birthday (which was May 24, 1819, by the way).

This year, Victoria Day falls on Monday, May 18. A long weekend in the heart of spring, Victoria Day is a great time to enjoy the outdoors; whether you’re firing up the BBQ, going to a fireworks display or working in the garden.

Victoria Day is an ideal time to mix it up and focus on your garden’s soil needs. After all, as we explained in our Earth Day blog, soil is a vital and amazing component of your garden which requires ongoing care.

So, if you can’t wait to play in the garden during the day (and then enjoy the fireworks at night), here are some Victoria Day soil tips you can apply over the long weekend.

Top dress your garden with quality triple mix soil

If the soil in your garden (or your lawn) is looking a little dull and bumpy then it may be time to top dress it.

Top dressing involves applying a thin layer of triple mix soil to smooth out and level the surface, and to improve the current condition of the soil.

More reasons you should top dress this Victoria Day are:

- Control the appearance of thatch

- Protect from extreme temperatures (especially with the hot summer coming)

- Strengthen the soil around the roots

Remember: When you top dress your lawn or garden, use the best soil mixture available on the market – courtesy of Van Beek’s Garden Supplies.

Have topsoil delivered to you

For many people, the Victoria Day long weekend is the perfect opportunity to stock up on topsoil. That way, whenever they want to apply topsoil to their garden during the year, they can.

If you don’t want to fight the crowds at your local landscape supplier (or transport topsoil in your car), then don’t. You can arrange to have a topsoil delivery service bring it right to you.

Usually, soil delivery is available in two options for you to choose from:

1. Soil bags: Having soil bags brought right to you is a convenient way to have the soil you need for the season neatly stored in an easy-to-access container. Plus, you can cover up the bag whenever you wish.

2. Bulk soil delivery: Many homeowners and gardeners choose bulk soil delivery where the soil is dumped on your driveway because they find it easier to shovel from the ground than from a bag.

Lay down new sod

If you’re going to be working with new soil this Victoria Day weekend, then you may also wish to lay down new sod on your lawn too.

Victoria Day is the perfect time to lay down new sod. It shouldn’t be too hot or rainy on the long weekend.

When you select your sod, there are a few things you should first consider:

- Traffic: How many people will be walking on the sodden area

- Sunlight: Is your lawn in direct sun, or in partial or total shade

- Soil: Is the soil strong enough to support new sod on top of it

And if you aren’t sure how much sod you need on Victoria Day, just follow this simple calculation:

- Length of area to be covered X width = Square Measurement

Let us help you in the garden this Victoria Day

If you’re looking to mix it up in the garden during the Victoria Day weekend, we’d be happy to help with all your soil and soil delivery needs.

Contact us and tell us about the soil you’re looking for, how much you need and how you want it delivered. And we’ll make sure you get exactly what you need in time for the long weekend.