How To Make Potting Mixes

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Read also:

1. How To Prepare Soil For Container Gardening
2. How To Start a Container Gardening
3. How To Mix Soil For Container Gardening

Every professional gardener should have his/her own secret potting recipe. But if you don’t have one, You can easily make one for your garden and save some money for yourself. That’s because making your own potting mix is actually cheaper than buying the commercial ones.

There are basically two types of soil mixture recipes, : One for hanging planters or container and the other one for containers sitting on the ground. The recipes are simple to prepare once your ingredients are ready. Next step is the making process which I am here to show you via this article.

Why Make Your Own Container Mix?

Making your own container mix saves you cost. You will spend so much money purchasing packaged ones at the stores. You can make your own non -chemical ingredients to ensure mix is 100% organic.

And you can modify your container mix recipes with some special soil for your plant needs. You will likely also be left with extra mixes for reuse.

Making Potting Soil For Containers

It’s pretty easy to make your own potting soil . No need trying to figure out what
Ingredient to use for it. Ingredients can be gotten online or at any potting store.

Here are Some Ingredients For Your Potting Mixes:

1# Peat Moss or Coco Coir

Peat moss or Coco Coir helps retain water for plants irrigation. They are also helpful for aerating and adds nutrients to soil especially decomposing ones.

Difference Between Peat Moss and Coir

Peat moss is the more acidic. While coir is a by-product of coconut processing. Coir is more sustainable than peat moss.

2# Using Compost Or Well Composited Manure

Compost enriches your plants with nutrients that sees them through their growing seasons. Compost adds beneficial organisms into the soil and helps to retain moisture. Make your purchase at the local garden stores.

3# Perlite

Perlite is a neutral ingredient that makes porous soils. It also helps prevent soil compaction and water drains easily with it inside your sSoil garden conttainer.

4# Vermiculite

Vermiculite helps the soil retain water. It makes soil fluffier and light. Vermiculite also helps in proper water drainage. It prevents soil compaction too.

Equipment Needed To Make Your Own Potting Mix

You will need a measuring container, a shovel, soil scoop, large garden tub, wheel barrow and water.

Mix Recipe For Containers Sitting On The Ground (Potting Sandy Mixes)

The general potting mixes is okay for containers that are meant for the ground. The heaviness that comes with the soil compost won’t allow it for hanging on walls.

Recipes consist of:

1. 2 parts peat moss, coco coir, ( pre moistened or potting soil)
2. 1 part Perlite or permuice
3. 1/4-1/2 part vermiculite

Recipe For Hanging Container Potting Mix

The soilless potting mix is great choice for containers hanging on walls. The planter is light with this type of potting mix in it and allows you to hang them.

Recipe includes :

1. 2 parts peat moss or coco coir ( pre moistened)
2. 1 part Perlite
3. 1/4 – 1/2 parts vermiculite

Note that Since peat moss is acidic, it will require one table spoon full of garden lime, per gallon of peat moss. Using lime balances peat moss acidity to its neutral PH level.

Mixing All Your Ingredients

A simple guideline on how to to mix potting soil ingredients for your container garden. Here’s a quick one for you:

1. Get your ingredients ready into a garden tub
2. Begin stirring them all together
3. Stir until properly mixed
4. Moisten a bit if dry
5. You can now use it once you are sure they are properly mixed.

Lifespan Of Homemade Potting Mix

Technically, there are no expiration date for Potting mixes. Look out for changes in texture, smell, nutrients level and moisture content as signs that they have gotten spoilt.

But, Open potting mixes are expected to reduce in nutrient levels in about six months time. It’s good you know when your potting soil has gone bad, for you to trash them and easily remake.

Finally, a good homemade potting mix can function well in retaining moist and nutrients around your plant roots.

Monitoring your mixes gives the opportunity of going for just the best. The result is your plants will grow in health getting enough air plus water draining easily whenever necessary.

Further Reading

1. Does using potting mix make you sick? Results from a Legionella longbeachae case-control study in South Australia
2. Uses of Compost in Potting Mixes
3. Standardization of Potting Mix and Pot Volume for the Production of Vegetable Seedlings in Paper Pot