Use only soilless mixes for starting seeds
Every time I go to the garden center or nursery, I’m amazed at the number of soil products available. There are bags for seeding, bags for potting, bags for containers, transplanting, cactus, violets, with fertilizer and without, etc. You get my point. Who would have thought dirt would come to this?
As astute gardeners, we can appreciate that all soil was not created equal, and for good reason. But do we really need so many options? Designer soil lines seem to be one of the hottest products in home gardening. You can credit that to good marketing and our busy life styles. The answer is, no we don’t need so many choices. If you look at the ingredients on most of these products, you’ll be surprised to find they all include most of the same components.
Potting soil or soilless?
One of the biggest terms to note is the difference between “soil” and “Soilless” blends. Soilless blends are used for starting seeds and seedlings. These mixes are usually a combination of peat moss, perlite, and vermiculite. It is called soil less because it does not contain organic material that might contain harmful pathogens that could harm or kill tender seedlings. These products have been pasteurized, or heated to a very high temperature so that any potentially harmful pathogens have been killed. Soilless mixes are the best choice for starting seeds. They are also the lightest in weight and density, which is necessary for giving seeds the best chance of a good start.
The rest of the soils including potting or container mixes usually include peat moss, perlite, and “composted natural products”. This last component varies from region to region. It depends on where the product was made, and what was available. Consider it a catchall phrase. The biggest variable is the percentage of each. These products are designed to be light enough to allow for good drainage, yet maintain some water holding capacity. This is a good combination for container type plants. To customize designer soils even more, manufacturers add variables such as slow release fertilizers, and water holding polymers that absorb water and make it available to the plant roots over extended periods.
In my opinion, the biggest advantage to the wide range of designer soils available today is convenience. To be sure, they are fine products. If you’re looking to save time or don’t want to think about it, designer soils are just what you need. However, a basic understanding of soil, plant needs, and fertilization can get you a lot of mileage in creating your own custom blend and save a few dollars in the process.
About Joe Lamp'l
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
hi joe! im worth! ? about indoor growing and using coco coir.never used. always used cheapest dirt from dollar store to keep NOSEYY people from knowing my business and always had so so luck and problems with fungus knats. want to try something different.need some good results this year. need your expertise on what percent of coir to mix or if i should even use at all. have been growing in soil for many years and kind of intimadated by coir since i dont know anything about.know to wash from what i have read.just curious could i use a mixture of 50/ coir 50/ perlite and nothing else? like hydro except i am going to hand water. would you go that route?have no set amount to spend. just want to go with something i kinda know so i can take what you advise and go with it my way. will be growing 10 plants or less under mars 900w/ 600w. been super cropping and training for years. want to know should i go with a mixture of 30/ coco coir 30/promix 30/perlite?or should i stay away from coco coir and go 30/ pro mix or good peat moss 30/ mushroom compost 30/ perlite? do i need vermiculite in this? i will add nutes in liquid to feed. the promix comes with lime.do i still need to add lime to mixture if i feed with liquid? please give me a simple 2/ 3/4 combo of these if my ideas are any good and if not, any and all that you can give that are simple with soil. with no bat poop and kelp/ worm poop, etc. i know these are good but dont want to use in my combo.thank you for your knowledge! may have other ? later if OK! thank you worth!
this is a very helpful website. can you tell me how to get rid of wild violets in the lawn without killing the grass? thank you!
As an organic gardener, I would use a flame weeder. Over the course of about 3 weeks and 3 applications, the violets should be dead. But they’re tough and persistent! Also, a lush lawn will help choke them out. If you are inclined to use chemical controls, you’ll need a “broadleaf weed control”. There are many on the market. Read the package and make sure it lists violets. And also make sure the product is safe to use on the type of grass that you have.
I am wanting to grow ferns from spores and am wondering which kind of soil would be best to do so?
greetings,
thank you for the helpful article.
i want to know which one should i buy if i want to grow button mushrooms in my basement.
Hi Joe,
We’re about to plant perennials in our front yard for the first time. I think our soil isn’t clayish or sandy, light brown color, but has small rocks/stones cost this land is new construction. Do we need to mix topsoil with our current soil for planting? Is compost, manure or peat moss necessary? Coz we’re told that compost & manure are for fruits & veggies, so we should use peat moss. Do you agree with that?
Hi Edmond. With new construction you have likely lost all of your topsoil so I do think it is very important to improve the remaining soil so that it is more hospitable to growing anything. Topsoil would be a good place to start and till in several inches into the top 6 inches or so of the remaining soil. But you should also not miss the opportunity now to include as much organic matter as you can. That may included rotted or composted leaves, aged manure, fine bark mulch, or plain compost. Many times you can find a company in your area that sells bulk soil amendment products that are pre-mixed with several of the above to give you a ready made mix.
In regards, to compost, it’s great for anything you are growing. Never shy away from using it. It’s the single best thing you can add to any soil, bar none.
And as for peat moss, don’t add this. While it’s good for retaining moisture, once it dries out, it’s even harder to rehydrate it. And if your soil already holds moisture adequately, this can actually make it hold too much. Just stick with the other natural soil amendments I listed above and avoid the peat. Also, ask for suggestions from trusted sources like an independent garden center or Master Gardener at the County Extension Service for where to buy good quality bulk soil amendments. Good luck!
I use lots of potting soil and its getting expensive . How can I make my own?
If you look on the bag for the ingredients Joan, you’ll see that they typically list components such as peat moss, perlite, vermiculite, slow release fertilizer, regionally sourced soil amendments, etc. The last part would be basically composted pine park, finely ground wood chips, leaf mulch and other organic matter.
You can make your own compost or buy it, and you can also find these other ingredients separately and make your own by blending them together. There’s a bit of an art and science to it but my suggestion is that if you want to do this, buy a bag or refer to the store bought soil as your baseline guide, and then try to mix and create a similar look and feel with the ingredients that you buy separately.
I would like to start an organic garden using raised beds. What soil do you recommend? I intend to use earthworm castings and I have started my own compost bin. What I’m looking to do is avoid chemicals and I’m not sure if store bought soil has chemicals. Thanks for your help!
If you go to our site if you’re not already there, http://www.GrowingAGreenerWorld.com and type “soil” in the search field at the top, you will get several articles that I’ve written that address this. There are even a few podcasts I’ve done that cover this topic. If you don’t see it in the search results, search my podcasts or find the listings from the “More” menu option at the top and then find the Podcast choice.
I need some help i live in palmdale ca its a desert and the soil in my house is horrible you cant grow anything so we want to make boxes and plant inside them now i was wondering what is a good soil that i can go buy at like lowes or home Depot? ? I need all the help and advice i can get thank you !! 🙂
Lupe, rather than guessing at Lowes or Home Depot, play it safe and find a local independent garden center in your area and ask for their help. Those stores are almost always staffed with excellent, knowledgeable staff who are passionate about gardening. And they know your local challenges. While there are soil mixes that may be packaged for specialty purposes, seek a knowledgeable, local expert at the non box-store garden center or see out a local Master Gardener through your county extension service.
Hi! I’m a new gardener and I need some help! I’m going to plant tomatoes, zucchini , cucumbers, okra, eggplants and peppers in a big container beds. I bought potting soil from Ace and cow compost. Should I use this compost or it will be overkill? I bought my plants from Home Depot and some of them already pretty big ( tomatoes and eggplant are blooming already). Thanks!
Hi Elena. Compost is always a good soil amendment to supplement with your other ingredients. It’s only overkill when you use too much. A little goes a long way so add about 25% to to the total volume and mix in well. But if nothing else, make sure it’s mixed into the top 6 inches so the roots have access to it. Good luck.
I am looking to buy sterile soil. Last year I found it with no problem but alas I can’t remember the brand and can’t find any this year for my strawbale garden. Do you know of any brands that carry it? Thanks
I don’t know by brand Jilly. But sterile soils would be seed starting mix mostly. It consists primarily of peat moss. Other ingredients might include perlite and vermiculite. But to start, if you want sterile mix, then find what the store has for starting seeds. It will say something to that effect on the package. Several companies offer such a product and they are readily available.
you really helped me with my science project thank you you tought me a lot!!!!!
Great info! What soil would you recommend for starting seeds in colorado in early spring? The ground soil out here tends to be dry and clay like.
Please give your local county extension agent a call with this question. They know your local conditions best. However, if you are wanting to start seeds indoors before planting outside, your best bet is still a sterile “seed starting mix”. Bagged product you can find at your local nursery or garden center or big box will have this. Once you plant outside, make sure the soil is rich, loose and drains well. The addition of organic matter such as compost, shredded leaves, composted manure, will help with that.
What is the proper term for store bought soil? Do they sell peat soil in stores?
or are peat soil and store bought soil the same?
Hmmm Andrew, you got me pondering this one because I often reference “store bought soil” as a way to distinguish it from the kind in the ground that you go dig up. Depending on the context or subject I’m trying to explain, I may get more specific, like “sterile soil” or “soil-less seed starting mix”, or “container mix” or “potting soil”, etc. But typically, the reference to “store bought soil” connotes sterile or engineered, non-backyard, pathogen laden soil. At least, it’s composted, and often has peat, perlite and/or vermiculite. And yes, you should be able to find bags of peat readily available in stores.
What is in store bought soil?
The contents of “store-bought” soil varies regionally based on what’s available locally. But depending on what the soil was created for, from container mix to garden soil, it can contain a blend of composted bark, peat moss, coconut fiber (coir), perlite, vermiculite, compost, etc.
If you look on the package, it will always give you a general listing but it’s never very specific.