How to make the right potting soil

Make the right potting soil

Potting soil is never enough for you and it can actually affect your wallet.

But did you know that you can make your own clay pot?

Make your own DIY earthenware pot at home, avoiding all the hassle and travel of going to a home improvement store. This is great for your plants and great for your bank account.

Why potted plants and pot gardens need potting soil.

"Why can't I use earthen pots in the ground?" This is the first question I ask about pot plants. There are a lot of nonsensical reasons for using garden soil in your pots.

Garden soil is often rich in clay, sand, insects, bacteria, mold, and mildew. All of these are not friendly to plants trying to grow in an artificial environment.

When plants grow outdoors in nature, they will naturally grow in areas with soil, light, and water to suit their needs. If the plants do not find the water or nutrients they need, they can search for it and dig their roots deep into the ground.

When plants grow in pots, soil, light, and water are the only resources you give them.

Why create your own potting soil?

Price

In the beginning, high-quality potting soil was very expensive and you can save a lot of money by making it yourself. This is especially true if you can already make your own compost.

If a large-scale project such as elevated bed gardens requires 50 or more potted soils, the savings are really noticeable.

Control

The truth of the matter is, there may be something in the store-bought pot soil. If you are trying to garden in a natural way and avoid chemical fertilizers and additives in your soil, it is better to create your own.

This way you have complete control over the quality of the products. This soil feeds your plants, which feeds you, so the ingredients are really important.

Another good thing about making your own potting soil is that you can change the amount of each ingredient so it will be useful for different types of plants.

For example, cactus and most succulents thrive in well-drained and waterlogged soils. You can change your potting soil recipe to be perfect for these types of plants.

High quality

Home-made potting soil with your own compost is of a higher quality than the store-bought type. Dr. Some organic potting soils like Earth are of the highest quality, but also the most expensive. You can get high-quality soil on your own.

What is in potting soil?

Pot soil has three basic components - something to aerate the soil, retain water and feed the plants. When these three components work together, the resulting soil provides food, water, and root space for your plants.

Ventilation

The best material to use for ventilation is perlite. The volcanic glass contains perlite, light, and pores, which help to keep the air in the soil and allow excess water to escape from the pot. Do not let too much water sit in your soil as it will cause root rot.

Water stagnation

A good source of water retention is beet moss, which is the result of decomposing algae in swamps, which are readily available at most home improvement stores and are cheap. When you first take the charcoal out of the bag, it will be light and airy, soak it in water before mixing it into your pot soil.

There is some debate about the environmental impact of harvesting charcoal. Coconut milling is an environmentally friendly alternative.

Nutrition

Plants need to eat, and they get nutrients from the soil. Some plants need fertile soil with high organic matter, and some plants do not need any nutrients to thrive.

The best way to add nutrients to your potting soil is with compost and beet moss.

If you have already made your own compost in your backyard you can definitely use it. In some cities and towns, there is compost that can be taken for free or cheap. Ask around and make sure you have good compost nearby.