How to make potting soil

Impressive garden, but who made your dirt?

Your basic potting mixture

Use for potting rooted cuttings started in sand

• 2 parts sharp sand
• 1 part loam
• 1 part leaf mold

Try replacing leaf mold with peat moss if the plant is acid tolerant.

Potting soil for mature plants

Plants like the garden geranium, fuchias, chrysanthemums and palms grow well in this mixture.

• 1 part sharp sand
• 2 parts loam
• 1 part leaf mold or humus
• 1/2 part dried cow manure
• A 5-inch flower pot of bone meal

Plants such as begonias, ferns, and primulas need the humus or leaf mold doubled.

Hardwood plants

Azaleas, Ericas, Daphne, and some ferns like a little peat moss.

• 2 parts sharp sand
• 2 parts loam
• 2 parts peat moss
• 1 part leaf mold or humus
• 1/3 part dried cow manure

For the tougher ones

Cacti and succulents thrive in this one.

• 2 parts sharp sand
• 2 parts loam
• 1 part broken flower pots or small pieces of soft brick
• 1/2 part leaf mold or humus
• A 5-inch pot of bone meal
• A 5-inch pot of ground limestone

Acquiring these ingredients may be something of a chore, but once you have them on hand you’ll be fully prepared for any potting need. Remember to clean pots thoroughly before planting and to soak new clay pots for several hours (or weeks for the meticulous gardener) so they won’t steal water from the plants.

If you suspect that maybe having all the materials for every different type of potting soil is too much, many commercial varieties are available. Foxfarm offers a first-rate potting soil based on earthworm castings and bat guano. Pro-mix is an indoor and outdoor potting soil made from Canadian peat moss. Aussie Gold has created an organic soil that is insect resistant and will not compact on your plants’ root systems. These brands are all affordable and offer professional results to those who aren’t looking for complete autonomy in their garden.