If you find it shocking that there ’s no actual malicious gossip in potting soil ( also known as potting commixture ) , you ’re not alone . Much of the discombobulation is believably because horticulture experts do n’t employ the word " grease " the same fashion that even hoi polloi do . " Soil is a broad term and is often used interchangeably with planting culture medium . Soil in oecumenical is composed of minerals and constituent matter ( decomposing industrial plant , creature or microbial matter ) , " explains Paul Cunningham , hard trade good vendee forPike Nurseries & Armstrong Garden Centers in an electronic mail audience . " A planting medium concern to a variety of materials used for planting in containers or the ground . Depending on the formula , pot soil is soil because it contains all ingredients mention . "
pot grime usually contains a compounding of Canadian sphagnum peat moss , composted or aged bark , compost , earthworm castings , horticultural gradeperlite , pumice or cinders and controlled - departure fertiliser , allot to Cunningham . " Single - factor items like peat moss or bark are not technically soil because they do not hold in the full admixture ; however , they can be used as planting mediums for potted plants , " he say .
So how add up " soil " gets leave out of pot premix ? factual soil is much heavy and less poriferous than potting soil . " redundant piddle drains quickly [ in potting soil ] and air and roots can move and arise more freely , which better works development and reduces etymon and bow diseases , " netmail Jon Traunfeld , extension specializer and director and State Department master nurseryman coordinator with the Home & Garden Information Center at theUniversity of Maryland Extension . By compare , " topsoil come in in a container stay blind drunk and restricts air bm . The more shallow the container the bighearted the negative core , " he suppose .
Potting grease also needs to be lightweight to keep shipping toll down and protect the backs of avid gardeners , say plantsman and horticulture expertMelinda Myers . " Eliminating soil from the premix reduces the danger of soil borne and free-base insect and disease problem , " she adds .
But careful gardeners looking to save a few long horse should never relinquish pot intermixture for pronto available dirt . " Do not dig up the soil from your garden and localise it in a pot . It will not drain well ( even if it is well - drained garden dirt ) when restrain to the small space of a container , " Myers says via email .
So when should you use potting grunge ? " We generally recommend potting soil for any indoor or outdoor container horticulture – glazed pots , hang basketball hoop , window box and even erect layer , " Cunningham explain . " Your local garden centre can confirm which pot soil is the best planting culture medium based on plant selection . "
