Best Potting Soil for Every Type of Plant
If you’re cultivating containers of indoor or outdoor plants, herbs or vegetables, you need potting soil. Potting soil is different from topsoil and garden soil in a number of ways.
Typically, topsoil is what you already have in your yard, or you might purchase some to fill a large lawn or landscaping area. Topsoil can be of any quality — sandy and low on organic ingredients, or extremely rich in organic matter derived from dead leaves, vegetation and animals. Garden soil is what’s known as a “soil amendment;” it’s mixed with topsoil to enrich the latter and create a better growing environment.
Potting soil, as its name suggests, is for potted plants or plants grown in containers. It’s formulated to create a chemically balanced, aerated, well-drained habitat for plants that will spend all or most of their lives in containers. For all potted and container plants, be they indoors or out, potting soil is a must.
What To Look for When Buying Potting Soil
Most potting soil is packaged in sealed bags, so you probably won’t get to run your hands through it first. But here are a few things to look for:
- The bags should feel soft, like the soil isn’t too damp or tightly packed, nor so lightweight that it’s dried out.
- Ingredients should include a mix of peat moss, ground pine bark, and perlite or vermiculite. These latter two make the soil lighter and provide aeration.
- Potting soil should contain a small amount of plant food or fertilizer. It may also contain limestone and a wetting agent to keep the moss and pine bark from drying out.
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