What is the difference between garden soil and potting soil?
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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 Sal J: What is the difference between garden soil and potting soil?
I am very new to gardening and should have purchases a book for dummies before I dove into flowers, strawberries, tomatoes and herbs! Haha! I must have failed to mention to the person helping me at the nursery that I was doing mostly container gardening this year and he gave me gardening soil. I didn’t realize it until after I had about half of my flowers and some strawberries planted and now I’m curious if I should go back and get potting soil instead and replant. At this point I’m not sure if digging things up and disrupting is advisable or not a problem. Thanks in advance for any help! 🙂
What do you think? Answer below!
3 Responses to What is the difference between garden soil and potting soil?
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there could be a variety of differences but will depend on the brand on potting soil vs garden soil.
In short potting soil is less dense and doesn’t compact as much as your top soil or garden soil so it makes it easier to work with in planters.
If you already planted your plants there is no sense or real reason to remove them and replant them in pots with potting soil just remember to fertilize.
tony
December 27, 2011 at 11:47 pm
The difference between the two is that potting soil is a growing media..usually steril. It is peat moss,compost,perilite, and maby some kind of fertilizer mixed so it wont compact in a pot. garden soil is usually top soil and or compost used to mix with the existing soil in your garden.ie compost to lighten clay soils , peat for alkaline soil, and just pure loam for those areas scraped off when your house was built. no perilite.
You are right about not disturbing your new plantings, they should be fine for the season. Gardening is a very forgiving hobby there are about 120 different ways to do any one thing so relax and enjoy! Just don’t over water.
m c
December 28, 2011 at 12:41 am
Basically garden soil compacts really hard and the water does not get through to the roots properly. Potting mix is less compact and water penetrates more easily.
You can make your own potting mix by adding sand and compost to normal soil. Both garden soil and potting mix get deprived of nutrients as the plants use them so you need to fertilizers periodically.
Don’t worry about being a beginner at gardening. You have some hits and some disasters but most plants are pretty tough. Just enjoy it and have a go.
Sue W
December 28, 2011 at 12:58 am