Can I Put Potting Soil in My Compost

What's the Difference Between Topsoil, Compost and Potting Mix?

- horticulturist and gardening skilful
Jan four, 2020

You hear and read it all the time "Quality soil is the foundation of beautiful, productive and healthy gardens and containers". Information technology is something I include in most presentations and when answering gardening questions. Healthy soil is key to gardening success but what should you buy or add to your soil to create platonic growing atmospheric condition for your plants?

Much of gardening comes from feel but agreement the basics of soil and amendments can aid shorten the learning bend. Let'south compare topsoil, potting mixes, and compost; three common planting media. Understanding their differences and best uses volition help y'all invest wisely and reach the gardening results you desire.

What is Topsoil?

Topsoil is used to create new or raised planting beds and ameliorate existing garden soil. True topsoil is the uppermost portion of the ground beneath our feet. It contains organic matter that gives it the typical darker color. Its structure makes it easier to cultivate and better able to absorb water. The higher level of biological activity, insects and microorganisms, reduces compaction and increases soil health.

Unfortunately, this upper layer is the beginning to be harvested past companies that sell topsoil. One time the first layer disappears the lower levels that incorporate more sand, clay and lime are also sold every bit topsoil.  These lower depths, called subsoil, tend to exist compacted or fast draining and difficult to till. This makes them less ideal for gardening, although some can be amended to amend plant growth.

How Practice I Select a Topsoil?

Most states practice non take regulations on the makeup of topsoil beingness sold. That means you need to be an informed and discerning consumer. A visual inspection is a good place to start but this alone is not enough. Night soil may indicate a desirable level of organic thing merely it may too signify the soil was dredged from acidic wetlands. These types of soil do not work well in a typical garden setting. In addition, some vendors add wood ash to subsoil to darken the color without improving the soil.

Subsequently a visual inspection practise the feel examination. Take hold of a handful of moist soil and gently squeeze. It should crumble into smaller pieces. So wet a handful and run it through your forefinger and thumb to create a ribbon.  Sticky samples contain a high percent of slow-draining dirt, gritty soil has a college percent of sand that drains rapidly and silt feels like flour. A soil that contains some of all three is amend for gardening.

(Bagged Garden Soil)

Some topsoil is harvested from farmland being developed for businesses and housing, forests beingness cleared or abandoned fields. This soil may contain lots of weed seeds, invasive plants, and jumping worms or herbicide residue. No 1 wants to spend money on unwanted surprises that result in more than work or problems to manage.

The best option is to ask the topsoil vendor for soil test information. Most do not test their soil before selling.  Yous may determine to take a sample and transport it to the University Extension or a State certified soil testing lab for analysis. Ask for the basic testing and if y'all are growing edibles consider having them cheque for heavy metals besides.

This approach may not be practical. Once you get the test results the soil yous tested may have been sold and new topsoil from a new location or subsoil is now available.

The most applied solution is to know your topsoil supplier. Ask friends and family for recommendations on where they buy topsoil and if they have been satisfied with the product. And ask the vendor you select for information about the soil they sell. Get information on where the soil was nerveless, was information technology amended and screened to remove large stones and debris and did they amend subsoil to create planting mixes. And accept a whiff.  Don't buy soil with a chemical smell or off-smell.

When ownership bagged soil you will demand to depend upon the sales staff. Enquire the aforementioned questions and run across if they have a cleaved bag you tin can examine.  Just like buying bulk topsoil the soil in the numberless may not exist consequent from one handbag to the adjacent.

How Do I Employ Topsoil?

One time you select a topsoil or blended topsoil mix exist certain to use it properly for best results. Incorporate it into the top 8 to 12 inches of soil when adding an inch or two to an existing garden. This creates a consistent soil mix in the root zone for improve drainage and moisture-holding ability.  Make sure berms and raised garden beds of purchased topsoil are deep plenty, preferably 12 inches or more than, to provide adequate drainage and support the plants yous are growing.

Exercise not use topsoil lone in containers. Information technology can become compacted and saturated with water limiting air space that is important for healthy plant growth. Topsoil is occasionally added to potting mixes in big containers for increased wet-belongings and added weight needed to back up big plants.

What is Compost?

Compost is an astonishing soil amendment made from organic materials such as institute-based nutrient scraps, decomposed plant trimmings and animal manure combined with a bit of soil or finished compost and fertilizer.  This subpoena is added to soil to improve aeration and drainage in clay soils while increasing the water and nutrient retention of sandy rocky soils. It feeds your plants and the good soil microorganisms to create a healthy growing foundation for your gardens.

(Soil Subpoena)

Use compost to better garden soil, topdress your lawn, as a component in potting mixes or for mulching gardens and houseplants. Growing straight in compost is not commonly recommended. Water retention and back up may be lacking in a 100% compost growing medium.  Mixing compost with topsoil or potting mixes provides all the benefits of compost and your garden soil or potting mixes.

You lot can brand your own compost or purchase information technology in bulk or bags. The raw ingredients used to make the compost, its historic period and the processing (composting) method used influence the nutrient value and quality. This means the end result, compost, can vary from batch to batch.

How Do I Select a Compost?

Just like buying topsoil, ask the compost vendor for details most the ingredients, processing, and quality control used when creating their product. Review any available exam data and ask about potential of pesticides, weed seeds, and invasive plants or pests.  Some states have strict standards for composting.  Contact your local Extension Service to observe out if your state has standards to ensure compost vendors are producing a quality production.

Accept a look at the compost. Finished quality compost is nighttime and crumbly and has a mild earthy smell. It should be moist not overly dry or wet. Avert extremely hot compost that is nevertheless in the midst of the composting process.  Finished compost may be warm and give off some steam.

Check the characterization when purchasing bagged compost. More than particular is now being provided since consumers are requesting assurances the production they purchase is organic. Look for words on the label such every bit organic, free of pesticides and contaminants and OMRI listed. The Organic Materials Review Institute (OMRI) is a private, nonprofit arrangement that determines if a product meets the organic standards of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Organic Program. The OMRI list on the handbag means the compost is approved for organic use according to USDA rules.

(Compost Pile)

How Do I Use Compost?

Incorporate 2 to 4" of finished compost into the height 12 inches of soil when starting a new garden. Brand yearly additions of 1 to 2" to existing annual flower and vegetable gardens. This can exist tilled in or spread over the soil surface in no-till gardens.

You'll be adding a variety of essential nutrients that will exist available to the plants over fourth dimension, assist suppress disease and insect pests that are common in poor soil and improve water infiltration, absorption, and drainage. All this means a good for you garden that requires less water, fertilization and ongoing maintenance. Plus incorporating compost into garden soil helps continue h2o where information technology falls conserving and improving h2o quality and recycles landscape trimmings and kitchen scraps keeping them out of landfills.

Spread a 1 to 2" layer of compost over existing perennial gardens every few years to provide nutrients and improve soil drainage and water property power. Insects and microorganisms will move the compost into the soil near the plant roots. Speed upwardly the process with vertical mulching. Spread the compost so use an auger scrap on your drill to create 4 to six inch deep holes throughout the garden bed. You'll aerate the soil while incorporation the compost into the soil.

Coarse mulches can be used as mulch in gardens and planting beds. Organic mulches like this help suppress weeds, conserve moisture, moderate soil temperature extremes and improve the soil as they suspension downwards.

Ameliorate your lawns health and vigor with a layer of compost. Spread a one-half an inch of compost over the soil surface. Use a leafage rake to spread information technology across the backyard.  Consider applying compost after aerating or dethatching the lawn to maximize the benefits.

Compost is often an ingredient in blended garden and potting mixes.  Some gardeners add their own to farther amend the growing weather condition. Check with the vendor or read the label for insight into what the mix contains before adding whatsoever additional amendments.

What is Potting Mix?

You'll find a variety of bags labeled as planting mix, potting mix, container mix and more.  Check the label to run into what the handbag contains and recommendations for its apply.

For now, let's focus on potting mixes. These usually contain inorganic and organic materials and may also include sand and mineral soil. They may or may not be sterilized to impale weed seeds and pests.  If information technology doesn't say sterilized it probably isn't.

Many potting mixes are labeled as "Soilless". They consist of peat moss, sphagnum moss, and compost for wet retention, vermiculite or perlite for drainage merely practice not contain mineral soils such as sand or clay. They are lightweight and composite to hold moisture while draining well.

Some potting mixes are modified to accommodate the needs of certain plants. Orchid mixes often contain more bawl for ameliorate aeration, cacti, and succulent mixes have more sand or perlite for better drainage and African Violet potting mix contains more than organic thing to create a moist rich growing medium.

Organic potting mixes are as well available. Many gardeners prefer to know the ingredients are costless of pesticides and other contaminants. Check for the word organic and OMRI on the label.

(Potting Mix)

How Do I Select a Potting Mix?

Once again, check the label on the purse for more details on the potting mix.  Some potting mixes incorporate a "starter accuse" of fertilizer. This minimal amount of fertilizer is usually gone after two or three waterings.  Some include boosted fertilizer that provides small-scale amounts of nutrients over a longer menses of time. The label may say controlled-release, fourth dimension-release or slow-release fertilizer providing nutrients for a certain amount of time.

Natural or constructed wetting agents are often included to reduce the surface tension of water so it is ameliorate able to penetrate and evenly moisten the potting mix. Organic mixes often use yucca extract as a wetting agent.

Moisture retaining products are supposed to hold water near establish roots and reduce the frequency of watering. Research has not shown them to exist effective but many gardeners feel they are benign. Be careful not to overwater and do non add more water-retaining products to mixes that contain these products.

Potting mixes should be low-cal, fluffy and moist. Avoid bags that are waterlogged and heavy. The mix can break downwardly, get compacted and some of the boring-release fertilizer may be pre-released and damage young seedlings when saturated with water.

How Practise I Use Potting Mix?

Use potting mixes for indoor and outdoor containers. They are not designed for in-ground gardens where you volition walk on the planting bed or cultivate the ground with equipment. The drainage materials like perlite and vermiculite will break downward under the pressure level eliminating the benefits they provide.

Moisten the potting mix with warm water before potting plants. This helps ensure even moisture throughout the pot. If the potting mix becomes overly dry you may need to do a flake more piece of work to rewet all the mix in the pot. Set the container in a container of warm water and await for the potting mix to rehydrate. Or h2o thoroughly, wait 20 minutes and h2o again. Repeat until you achieve success.

I cull to supervene upon the potting mix in my annual planters each year. I utilise an organic mix and recycle it into my compost and somewhen planting beds. That way I repurpose the mix for long-term benefits in my garden. If you don't replace your potting mix consider refreshing information technology with 50% new potting mix each year. Definitely supercede any mix from containers that suffered from disease or insect problems that tin can comport over to side by side season.

Whether buying topsoil, compost or potting mix exercise your research before making a purchase.  Yous'll save time, money, and frustration in the long run by avoiding issues a poor quality production tin can create.

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Source: https://www.milorganite.com/blog/garden-landscape/whats-difference-between-topsoil-compost-and-potting-mix

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