Potting Soil & Mix

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What's the difference between potting soil and mixes?

Potting mix and soil serve different purposes. Depending on whether you’re potting or repotting plants or starting seeds, you’ll want to choose the right medium for your container. Soil is heavy and made up of minerals, organic matter, and compost. It sometimes contains sand and may or may not contain garden soil. Potting mix, on the other hand, does not contain any real soil and is instead made of components that help improve drainage and aeration like peat moss, bark, and perlite – something that is crucial for potted plants. These mixes are lightweight and may contain fertilizer.

Is potting soil the same as garden and lawn soil?

Potting and garden soil have completely different formulas that cannot be used interchangeably. Garden soil has a heavier texture and holds water longer. It also does not contain ingredients like pumice, perlite, or vermiculite which are required for drainage for potted plants. Using this type of soil for container plants will cause too much water retention. On the other hand, potting mixes and soils are unsuitable for garden and lawn applications as they don’t include soil as an ingredient, which is required for growing outdoor plants.

To stimulate optimal growth for your potted plants, shop our selection of indoor plant food.