2 Best Dirt For Filling Holes In Yard | Cleaner Than The Rest

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A lighter, peat-infused topsoil that fills washes without compacting into mud.

You get the benefit of a premium blended soil that is noticeably lighter than heavy clay-based topsoil, which matters when you are filling a hole that needs to stay loose enough for grass roots to spread. Scotts mixes organic materials and peat moss into this 0.75 cu. ft. bag, and they specifically advertise it for leveling and filling holes in lawns and gardens. It is a ready-to-use blend that does not contain sewage sludge or bio-solids, so you can spread it near vegetable beds without concern. One reviewer described it as a “small bag perfect for filling in erosion from heavy rainfall,” which matches the bag’s best use: spot repairs rather than whole-yard resurfacing.

The trade-off is that owners mention the soil “does contain some large sticks that need to be removed.” Unlike some higher-end screened mixes, this one occasionally includes debris you have to pick out by hand before seeding. For a small patch that is not a huge problem, but if you are filling several holes you might want to dump it into a wheelbarrow and break up clumps while pulling out the bigger pieces. Compared to the heavier 50-pound Michigan Peat bag below, the Scotts is more portable and easier to carry to the far corner of the yard — the 0.75 cu. ft. bag weighs about 45 pounds total but feels less dense because of the organic content.

With a 4.3-star rating from over 430 reviews, this is the most popular pick for a reason. The inclusion of peat moss gives it better water retention than plain fill dirt, so the repaired spot stays moist longer while new seed germinates. If you have one or two problem areas after a storm or a season of foot traffic, this bag gets the job done without leaving you with 30 pounds of leftover soil.

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A screened mix of peat and sand that delivers bigger coverage for the dollar.

This is the bag you grab when you are past single-spot fixes and need to fill a series of holes, level a low patch, or top-dress a whole garden bed. The blend of reed, sedge, peat, and sand gives it a texture that loosens heavy soil rather than adding more weight, which is exactly what you need when your yard has compacted clay underneath the grass. A return buyer noted “my third order for a total of 18 bags,” which tells you this is the kind of dirt people rely on for consistent quality across multiple projects. It comes in a 50-pound bag — about 11 inches by 6 inches by 17 inches — so you get plenty of volume for the money.

Reviewers frequently call it “cleaner than most ‘clean’ brands” and praise its “rich soil with minimal wood products.” One buyer gave it 5 stars and said it “improves drainage and nutrition for all plants” — a direct benefit when you are filling holes where you plan to reseed. The peat component helps the soil hold moisture, and the sand fraction improves drainage so your patch does not turn into a puddle after the next rain. However, you will find some dissent: a 3-star review reported that the bag contains “half mix of wood chips and stones,” so quality can vary from batch to batch. Another buyer said it is “full of large twigs” and requires manual sifting before use. This is the biggest gamble — a cleaner bag saves you time, but a rougher batch means extra work with a sieve.

At a 4.2-star average from over 340 ratings, the Baccto top soil is the volume king here. Compared to the smaller Scotts bag, the 50-pound bag gives you roughly double the material for a moderate price increase, so the per-pound cost is lower.