Click below to listen to my 2 min. Garden Bite radio show: Soil vs soil-less mixes
Yesterday we talked about repotting your pot-bound plants and I mentioned soil. There are so many types of soils and soil-less mixtures on the market, which do you choose?
Let’s first talk about the functions of soil or potting media:
- The first function of a potting media is to anchor the roots.
- The next is to feed the plant, provide it with minerals and nutrients.
- And finally, to allow air to reach the roots.
A soil based mix holds water better, anchors roots better for bigger plants and generally provides more nutrients (or food) for your plant. Soil based mixes work well for nearly every type of plant. Ideally, your mix would be part pasteurized soil, organic matter like compost or peat moss and drainage material like perlite or coarse sand. If the bag says ‘potting soil’ it most likely has this combination. Any difference would be in whether there’s a time-released fertilizer in it or if there’s a different ratio of the materials. Say for instance cactus. They require better drainage so you’d want a mix with more perlite or coarse sand. In the case of Black Gold, there are also regional blends. Sol Soils is a new company that has created blends of specialty soils for succulents. I’m not getting paid to mention this company but I like sharing small business info!
Soil-less mixes are lighter and almost always used for seed starting. Seeds need no nutrients from the soil to sprout, they’re all within the seed. Orchids are an example of a plant that requires a soilless mix.
The best thing to do is to know what you’re going to use the potting media for and then read the label carefully.