The place we have moved into was excavated before the house was built and so the holes we are diggin' are shale and clay... Not too nice lookin' to plant in but...
...we had 4 yards of "top-soil" brought in today and will mix permatil and pine fines into it to make planting medium... The top soil is tan... Not too sure it has anything in it in the way of nutrients??? Back in Virginia we knew that the top soil that I'd scoop up was real dark and it worked great...