"potting" vs. "garden" soil
#1
04-23-06, 04:14 PM
"potting" vs. "garden" soil
Newbie question:
What is the difference between "potting" and "garden" soil other than the price difference? I have a big bag of leftover garden soil that I wanted to use is some pots, but the bag says "do not use for potted plants." Is there a reason or do they just want me to buy the expensive stuff?
Thanks.
What is the difference between "potting" and "garden" soil other than the price difference? I have a big bag of leftover garden soil that I wanted to use is some pots, but the bag says "do not use for potted plants." Is there a reason or do they just want me to buy the expensive stuff?
Thanks.
#2
04-23-06, 10:20 PM
Hi JKH,
Potting soil is usually peat moss based with perlite and sometimes some bark bits added. It it sterilized and used for indoor plants. Because it's sterilized it doesn't contain any micro organisms or bugs and you need to fertilize your plants.
Garden soil is soil and has mircro organisms in it and isn't sterilized. If you are potting plants for outdoors, you might want to add some perlite to keep it from compacting and go ahead and use it. I wouldn't use it for indoor plants though.
Newt
Potting soil is usually peat moss based with perlite and sometimes some bark bits added. It it sterilized and used for indoor plants. Because it's sterilized it doesn't contain any micro organisms or bugs and you need to fertilize your plants.
Garden soil is soil and has mircro organisms in it and isn't sterilized. If you are potting plants for outdoors, you might want to add some perlite to keep it from compacting and go ahead and use it. I wouldn't use it for indoor plants though.
Newt
