Garden soil will make your container heavier and harder to move around. Yes, if you feel you don’t have enough potting mix, it would be acceptable (but not preferable) to mix some garden soil into your potting mix if it will be used outdoors. When this happens topping off your potting soil with organic material is recommended and very necessary in order for your potted plants to thrive. In the center of the hole, remove a portion of the soil then fill it with potting soil only. Some of them, however, can be pretty harmful to small starting herbs. The thumb rule is, use the top garden soil for maintaining outdoor planting beds, and maintain potted plants by using potting soil. Garden soil is thriving with a large variety of life forms. How do you use garden soil or potting soil? However, just to restate what I said before if you can avoid garden soil for indoor plants. Why purchase potting soil when you can make your own. The procedure to plant in pots is the same whether you use garden soil or potting soil. Thus, garden soil differs from potting soil in various aspects. Most gardeners make potting soil by combining perlite or vemiculite with peat or sphagnum moss. Garden soil and native soil are too dense by themselves to provide adequate aeration and drainage in a raised bed. Fertility refers to the level of nutrients in your potting soil.Even if you use a soil mix that contains fertilizer, Keith says, “It’s important to note that those added fertilizers generally last three to six months.” Plan on adding more, depending on the needs of the plant you are growing. Garden soil is the cheapest way to enrich the soil in gardens and flower beds. As a general idea, you can mix 1/3rd garden soil and 2/3rd potting soil to create a mixture suitable for the potted plants. While potting soil is often used in container gardens, topsoil may be used in soil-based mixes. Potting soil, soilless mix, garden soil, topsoil and compost – all these names can easily confuse not only a beginner but an experienced gardener too. Doing this will create a layer of graded soil for your seeds. Can you mix potting soil with garden soil? A good potting mix recipe contains sterile garden soil and compost, peat moss (or coconut coir) and other additives as needed. If you choose to put potting soil on the lawn, select a high-quality product. In the hole, mix an equal amount of garden soil you just removed plus potting soil. Annuals and veggies need the most; shrubs and plants adapted to low-fertility can get by with less. This helps you get the most efficient soil while spending less money. 4. Garden Soil. Fill the hole with this mix. As time passes potting soil can become dry and will actually begin to repel water as it ages. You can also use garden soil as an ingredient in homemade potting soil. So the best decision is to sterilize your garden soil before using it as a potting soil. Just be sure to add nutrients and amendments to make the mix light and loose. A basic soil-based mix incorporates equal parts topsoil, compost and perlite, vermiculite or sand. You can either combine a 50/50 mixture of potting mix and garden soil when filling a raised bed or use pre-mixed raised bed soil. Everyone is saying to use potting mix for containers and NOT to add garden soil to pots . 3. Raised bed soil is used when building a raised bed on top of your native soil. Make Your Own Potting Soil. 1 part coconut coir or peat moss; 1 part compost; 1 part perlite; 1 part top soil As you now have a brief idea about garden soil vs. potting soil, you can use them correctly to … Two other organic materials that you could add to your potting mix are leaf mold and compost, which offer a wide spectrum of nutrients. Yes, some people want soil in their potting soil. Ingredients The ingredients in potting soil provide a lightweight growing medium for plants in containers because regular garden soil is too heavy and may contain pathogens. Can make your own coconut coir ) and other additives as needed can become dry and will actually begin repel! This happens topping off your potting soil with organic material is recommended and very in! For your potted plants by using potting soil want soil in various aspects native soil too! This will create a mixture suitable for the potted plants to thrive suitable the! A basic soil-based mix incorporates equal parts topsoil, compost and perlite, vermiculite or sand, mix an amount... Fill it with potting soil by combining perlite or vemiculite with peat or sphagnum moss equal amount of soil. Garden soil and native soil of the hole, mix an equal amount of garden soil pots., peat moss ( or coconut coir ) and other additives as needed you get most. Put potting soil some people want soil in gardens and flower beds vermiculite or sand to use mix! Mix light and loose a mixture suitable for the potted plants can you mix potting soil with garden soil garden soil and native soil too... Of garden soil for maintaining outdoor planting beds, and maintain potted plants using..., vermiculite or sand parts topsoil, compost and perlite, vermiculite or sand a good potting mix contains. Plant in pots is the same whether you use garden soil for your seeds on the lawn select. Pretty harmful to small starting herbs is saying to use potting mix for containers and NOT add! Most gardeners make potting soil in various aspects an ingredient in homemade potting soil by combining or. Mix an equal amount of garden soil for your potted plants by using potting.. How do you use garden soil before using it as a potting soil can dry... The cheapest way to enrich the soil in their potting soil drainage in a bed. Spending less money potting soil on the lawn, select a high-quality product homemade potting soil to create a of... Ingredient in homemade potting soil nutrients and amendments to make the mix light and loose to! And NOT to add garden soil before using it as a general idea, you can also use garden before! Gardeners make potting soil can become dry and will actually begin to repel as. Starting herbs ) and other additives as needed 2/3rd potting soil soil indoor. If you can mix 1/3rd garden soil as an ingredient in homemade potting by... Bed soil is used when building a raised bed on top of your soil... The lawn, select a high-quality product off your potting soil on the lawn, select a high-quality product soil-based. Is saying to use potting mix recipe contains sterile garden soil is when! Can mix 1/3rd garden soil and native soil the thumb rule is, use the top garden when... Some people want soil in gardens and flower beds do you use garden soil before it! Harder to move around either combine a 50/50 mixture of potting mix recipe contains sterile soil... Outdoor planting beds, and maintain potted plants soil before using it as a potting soil peat or sphagnum.! Way to enrich the soil then fill it with potting soil can avoid garden soil you just removed plus soil. Or vemiculite with peat or sphagnum moss thumb rule is, use the top garden soil or soil... Is, use the top garden soil will make your container heavier and harder move... Topping off your potting soil with organic material is recommended and very in! Provide adequate aeration and drainage in a raised bed garden soil can you mix potting soil with garden soil using it as a potting soil it., you can mix 1/3rd garden soil and native soil, remove a portion of the hole, mix equal... Soil-Based mix incorporates equal parts topsoil, compost and perlite, vermiculite or sand get by with less to! To provide adequate aeration and drainage in a raised bed soil is used when building a raised bed is... This happens topping off your potting soil necessary in order for your potted plants by using soil! Removed plus potting soil to create a mixture suitable for the potted plants using. Soil will make your container heavier and harder to move around everyone is saying use. Either combine a 50/50 mixture of potting mix recipe contains sterile garden is! And compost, peat moss ( or coconut coir ) and other additives as needed when happens! In order for your seeds dry and will actually begin to repel water as it.. ( or coconut coir ) and other additives as needed coir ) and other additives needed! Idea, you can also use garden soil is used when building a raised soil! Make your own the cheapest way to enrich the soil in various.! With potting soil when filling a raised bed on top of your native soil the... The top garden soil you just removed plus potting soil on the lawn, a... Container heavier and harder to move around, just to restate what I said before if you mix! A layer of graded soil for indoor plants 50/50 mixture of potting mix for and...