There are different types of soil. Knowing the differences between potting soil and garden soil will make you more confident when you shop at garden stores.
The gardener in our family is my wife. I dig the dirt as a grunt. I don’t use the word “dirt” anymore because gardening grows on me.
A chemist and professor at Texas A&M Agrilife Extension in College Station, Dr. Tony Provin, explains why soil is called soil instead of dirt: dirt is a four-letter word. As is soil, of course, but…”
The soil isn’t all the same, and garden soil isn’t the same as potting soil. These are the compositions, costs, and uses of each.
Garden Soil
You typically buy more of garden soil at Ace Hardware than potting soil because it costs about $1 less per bag.
What is garden soil?
Depending on your climate and environment, soil naturally forms under your lawn. Plants need minerals and organic matter in the topsoil, which is between six and eight inches deep.
Natural soil in your backyard differs from garden soil in a bag. Compost, peat, bark shavings, or fertilizer are added to garden soil to make it less variable and rich in organic matter.
“The amount of clay in your garden soil determines how much garden soil you should add,” says Daniels. There is a high amount of hard clay in the soil, so plants have a hard time getting established and growing. Sand is not able to hold water, so you have a lot of it. In order to make the soil more water-retaining, you would amend it with garden soil.”
What is garden soil used for?
In general, it is best to use garden soil when planting outside, in the ground. There are different types of garden soil. Among 30 bags he purchased from one pallet of a garden store, another pallet contained 30 bags of a different garden store, “and they were completely different.”
In garden soil, he says, you often find undesirable properties. As I look through the pallet, I keep an eye out for broken bags. If there are clay balls with wood chips surrounding them, I check the contents to determine what I’m purchasing. These types of variations are less common in local stores. However, you should buy one bag and test it out.
A local soil supplier is a good place to go see a pile of soil if you’re building beds and require a high supply. Your driveway can be delivered by them. Consider buying a bag of garden soil if you live in an apartment. Next, get the rest of the pallet and compost it yourself.” You don’t even need a garage or basement to compost.
Do a soil test
Ensure that your soil is pH, salinity, and nutrient-free before buying any garden soil.
Soil Sage’s CEO and principal scientist, Judy Daniels, tells us to make sure you know what is needed. A soil test kit costs $30 to $50, and Daniels says results usually take two weeks to come back. Universities have extension services that conduct soil tests, and other soil testers can be found online.
In addition to addressing soil test issues, Provin advises addressing other issues as well. Keep an eye on the big picture. Right from the start, it’s much easier.
The number of times we receive individuals who try to solve observed problems with money is incredible. It’s like going to the drugstore to treat an illness without first getting a soil test and finding out that the pH is 5.2. ‘Gardening without soil testing is much like walking into a drugstore and picking up anything off the shelf.”
Potting Soil
A bag of potting soil at Ace Hardware costs about $1 more than a bag of garden soil.
What is potting soil?
A potting soil mix or potting media is not a true soil. It is called a potting soil mix for a reason. Blends of materials like perlite, vermiculite, coir, sphagnum moss, bark, etc.
The soil used for potted plants is sterile and safer than the soil used for gardens. Compost and moss are both organic fertilizers for plants. Perlite or vermiculite keep the mix loose so roots will not be compacted and water will not accumulate, leading to plant death.
What is potting soil used for?
If you want to grow plants in containers or start seeds, you should use potting soil, but not if you want to make flower beds or raise them. There are too many nutrients lacking in it for plants to be fed season after season and it is too expensive for large areas. A large plant may tip over in the wind when the soil dries out because potting soil is lighter than garden soil.
Provin says potting media is what he uses for starting seedlings from seed. There is no problem with roots penetrating potting media. Water is well retained by it, and it transplants easily into more traditional garden soil.”
