why can’t I use garden soil in a container?
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The garden final takes some sort of shape – the compost heap goes to the back wall where it’s going to stay, the concrete slap is broken up and shifted out, the flower beds down the south fence starts to fill with soil, and the earth montain is nicely coming down in size. Both fences are treated and the base of the south fence is whitewashed.
Question by : why can’t I use garden soil in a container?
I’m trying to grow a few caldium plants in a container pot, and I used garden soil. The bag said not to use in a container. Why? What is the real difference between potting soil and gardening soil? Should I switch it out to potting soil?
Thank you very much.
It’s not soil I just pulled out from the garden. It’s Scotts Gardening soil. It says it’s conditioned and has nutrients added. So it’s not just some trash dirt I pulled up from the ground.
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
5 Responses to why can’t I use garden soil in a container?
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I’ll tell you why. Garden soil is so DRY. I would not put those beautifil caladiums in a pot with that because I am telling you, cheap dirt (excuse me but it is) has ZERO nutrients compared to a potting soil like Miracle Grow or Baccto or some other really good namebrand. Garden soil is good for your outdoor gardens that are going to be spread over alot more of an area. They are always used with a natural compost too. You really will be over watering those containers because they will be too dry which is horrible because you have nothing in there that is substantial to your plants needs. Miracle Grow liquid fertilizer will do little good with that either. Trust me, you would kinda think dirt is dirt but it isn’t. Quality Potting soil is so much more moist.
Cindy
December 29, 2011 at 1:44 pm
Think about this for a minute. Potting and starter soil hasn’t been on the market all that many years. How did people grow plants in pots before that happened? I expect they used soil from the garden. About the only real difference between good rich garden soil and potting soil is potting soil has aerators like vermiculite or perlite to keep it loose and help retain moisture. While some commercial potting/starting soils claim to be sterilized, fortified, homogenized, and probably deodorized, the people who tell you that you can’t use garden soil in a pot are the ones who are selling potting soil.
Hondu
December 29, 2011 at 2:20 pm
you can…. just be ready to work around the bugs that may hatch out of it…. the worms that may crawl out of it…. and the hard crunchy water-shedding surface that won’t let water sink in…. if you can deal with that, you can use anything!…. really!….
my trees are in garden soil…. one year a colony of ants came inside with the ficus…. not just because it was garden soil, but that was something to watch out for….
use what you like, use what you have…. but gardensoil will need the addition of some compost to make it ‘rich’ and some ammendment to make it ‘loose’….. after you buy that, you might as well have bought the potting soil, right?…..
edit….. ” It’s Scotts Gardening soil. “…. that’s a different deal!… since you’ve said that, sure…. go for it…. not much difference there betweeen it and a good potting soil…..
compare the contents..
http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?proId=prod70262&itemId=cat50154&tabs=help
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1082/is_3_43/ai_54851905/?tag=content;col1
from the bag label…
http://www.scotts.com/smg/products/Miracle-Gro/soil/in_ground_plants/pdf/MG%20Garden%20Soil%20for%20Flowers%20_%20Vegetables.pdf
Ingredients…
this product is regionally formulated with organic materials(derived from one or more of the following: peat, composted forest products, aged rice hulls or compost) sphagnum peat moss, manure (in FLA, cow manure) a wetting agent and fertilizer…
in CA, forest products, peat moss, manure, wetting agent and fertilizer
in TX, composted forest products, aged rice hulls, peat moss, maure, wetting agent and fertilizer…..
meanolmaw
December 29, 2011 at 2:39 pm
I use dirt right out of the garden in my pots and works fine. Most package mix I have bought is full of sawdust or other fillers and a waste of money.
Jasper
December 29, 2011 at 3:37 pm
amend soil yourself. peat moss, vermiculite etc. soil in containers should be loose and workable for your roots to take hold,
cabo
December 29, 2011 at 3:53 pm