How to make potting mix for container gardening

Posted byMaheswari Sankar Posted onMarch 3, 2023 Comments0

Home » Blogs » Container Gardening » How to make potting mix for container gardening

best potting mix for container gardening

When you have a backyard garden all you need is well-prepared fertile soil to grow the food you want. But when you want to grow vegetables in pots you will need to fill the pots with a good potting mix. Potting mix is also referred to as soilless mix as it is a mixture of materials like vermiculite, perlite, compost, sand, coconut coir, lime and peat moss. The potting mix is lightweight and has better drainage and aeration. Making the best potting mix for container gardening can help plants grow healthy and produce better yields.

You might think of using garden soil to fill your pots as it is more cheaper, but when you fill your pots with just garden soil, it does not provide the proper drainage and aeration your plants need. You must mix the garden soil with other materials like vermiculite, perlite, compost etc to improve drainage and aeration.

You can purchase potting mix in stores or you can make your potting mix. Making your potting mix has benefits, 

  • It is cheap to make your potting mix rather than buying from garden stores.
  •  You can create your potting mix based on the type of plant you grow, as each plant requires a certain type of soil to grow well.

Materials that are used for potting mix:

Vermiculite

Vermiculite is a naturally occurring mineral that comes in glossy flakes. Using vermiculite in pots improves aeration and water retention capacity resulting in a healthier root system. It also contains certain levels of nutrients that benefit the plants. Vermiculite can be used for plants that require more moisture.

Perlite

Perlite is a naturally occurring mineral that is made from transformed volcanic glass. It has a  neutral Ph and can be added to pots without worrying about Ph levels. Perlite can be used in gardening for potting mix and seed starting. It has a porous structure and improves aeration and drainage. Perlite can be used for plants like cacti and succulents.

Peat Moss

Peat moss has better drainage and aeration. It has low Ph (3.5 to 4.0) and nutrients. Adding lime reduces acidity. Compost must also be added to improve nutrient levels.

Coconut coir

Coconut coir is a byproduct of coconut processing and can be used to make the potting mix. This can be used to retain moisture and improve aeration. It has a neutral Ph.

Coarse Sand 

Coarse sand is lightweight and contains fewer nutrients. It also does not retain moisture. You can add compost and coconut coir to improve nutrition and water retention capacity.

Best potting mix for container gardening:

Each plant has its requirement, so you can make the potting mix based on the type of plant you are growing.

Cacti and Succulents

Succulents grow well when water does not retain much. The potting mix for succulents includes 

  • 1 part of perlite
  • 1 part compost
  • 3 parts of coarse sand.
  • 1 part of garden soil

Vegetables and Herbs

Veggies and Herbs need sufficient levels of moisture and nutrients to grow well. The potting mix to grow them is

  • 3 parts of compost
  • 2 parts of coconut coir
  • 2 parts of coarse sand
  • 1 part perlite
  • 1 part of vermiculite
  • half part garden soil

Household plants

Household plants do not require much nutrition. The potting mix for household plants is:

  • 1 part perlite
  • Half part vermiculite
  • 2 parts of coconut coir

Seed starting mix

The potting mix for seed germination is:

  • 1 part vermiculite
  • 1 part perlite 
  • 3 parts coconut coir 

You can use a measuring cup, shovel or one gallon based on the amount of potting mix you need for your plants. You can store the excess potting mix in airtight bags and keep them in dry cool places. You can store potting mix for a year.

Category

Leave a Comment