For years, gardeners have been wondering what kind of potting soil is best for their plants. In recent years, interest in gardening soil has increased. Soil types have expanded to include rock gardens, raised beds, pastures, and container gardens. What is the composition of this type of soil?
Good potting soil, scientifically speaking, isn’t actually potting soil at all. It’s a mixture or a blend of various materials, including perlite, vermiculite, bark, coir, or silt, which feed and hold the plant’s roots. Often, the mixture contains air space, also known as pockets or spaces. Air space allows for moisture to enter the soil and remain there, while preventing the roots from drying out. Some good potting soil mixes are based on sand or perlite and have no air space.
So what kind of soil is best for an outdoor garden? First and foremost, a combination of hard and soft materials are recommended. This accomplishes two things: first, it ensures that the garden has a well-balanced composition of nutrients and water; and second, it prevents the development of harmful diseases that can attack plants if they’re not kept in the right environment. Some good combinations of materials include: clay / ceramic tile for a cool, moist environment for your herbs and vegetables, cork / terracotta for a medium temperature, shade tolerant, and water retaining.
Good potting soil mixes should have a balance of light, medium, and dark components. To make sure you’re creating the right set of ingredients, look at the ingredients list on the back of your garden center package or purchased at your local gardening supply store. Most kits include the basics like sand, compost, pine bark and potting soil mixes.
Sand is an ideal blend for increasing moisture in your soil, although adding it too often may compact the soil and destroy its nutrients. Sand, however, does well as a mulch. Pine bark is also a good option for your first few planting attempts because it acts as a predator of certain types of pests, like aphids. Another ingredient you may find in your kit, although rarely included in kits sold at your local gardening supply store, is what is called “micro-fiber” on the bottom of your sand.
Compost is the organic material left over from your last harvesting or raking and before your garden soil mixture has had a chance to settle. It contains valuable nutrients that are useful to plant life when mixed into the soil, and its rich, fluffy texture is conducive to flower beds. However, compost should be used in moderate amounts, especially if you’re planning on using it as mulch. Adding a layer of this fertilizer directly to the top of your flower beds can lead to plant diseases and harm the roots. Mulching with sawdust, newspaper, or straw will also help protect the roots of your plants.
Soilless mixes are made from finely ground, natural materials such as composted bark, wood chips, coconut husks, and decomposed garden waste, among others. There are many benefits to using this type of potting soil. These ingredients tend to retain moisture better than other supplies and they also hold the correct amount of nutrients needed for healthy plant growth. Sufficient moisture levels are important for your flower beds, especially if you plan on using flower bedding in order to attract bees and other insects to your garden.
Another benefit of a compost-based fertilizer is that it is non-toxic and suitable for both container gardening and outdoor gardening. Your plants won’t be affected by the harmful effects of many chemical fertilizers, and they will thrive even in the most drought-prone areas of your garden. This substance can also make your compost less acidic, which is an added benefit if you’re looking to add pH balances to your soil. Adding a small amount of organic fertilizer to your soil is a good idea regardless of what kind of gardening you do, and you’ll find that your plants will thank you.