Different Mediums You Can Use For Your Plant Babies
Loam Soil
A loam soil contains a nice balance of silt, sand, and clay along with humus. The factors that make this soil type so desirable and good for growing plants because of its Higher pH level: The best PH for most plants is between 6.0 and 7.0. The PH level affects the plant's ability to grow such as basil that thrive in rich soil with lots of organic matter and needs a high PH level. Other popular vegetables that will grow well in loamy soil include sweet corn, okra, radishes, eggplant, carrots, pole beans, greens and spinach.
Garden Soil
This is topsoil, enriched with compost and other organic matter so it’s nutritious for plants. It has a heavier texture and holds water longer than potting mixes. It’s more affordable than potting soil because it doesn’t have pricier ingredients like perlite, vermiculite or moss. It’s mostly soil, and soil is dirt cheap.
Use it when you’re planting or maintaining flower beds. Garden soil is the cheapest way to enrich the soil in gardens and flower beds. You can also use garden soil as an ingredient in homemade potting soil. Yes, some people want soil in their potting soil. Just be sure to add nutrients and amendments to make the mix light and loose.
Don’t use it in containers. Since it doesn’t have vermiculite, perlite or pumice, it lacks the drainage required for containers. Garden soil won't let plant roots breathe.
Soilless Mix
Soilless Potting Mix is the best soil for containers as it gives the right texture and moisture retention for growing plants in a small space.
Soilless potting mix might look like soil, but it’s actually a mix of organic matter like peat, wood chips, or coco coir, perlite and/or vermiculite, and often a slow-release fertilizer.
Aside from being inexpensive most gardeners use it because soilless mix provides a cleaner medium and gives you more control. Besides being free of pests and diseases and other contaminants, you can blend in additional ingredients for preferred drainage, water retention, nutrition, and airspace.
How to create your own potting mix:
- Coco peat - For water retention and aeration
- Rice hull - Adds silico and improve aeration
- Vermicast - Improves soil, enhances soil fertility
- Organic compost - Nutrient rich and enriches soil
- Carbonized rice hull - Multiplications of microorganisms for plant growth