What Soil To Use For Container Vegetable Gardens

You don t need to worry about the weight of pots that will be sitting on the ground but you do for hanging planters.

What soil to use for container vegetable gardens.

Choose instead a soilless mix quick draining and lightweight or use compost alone or combined with a soilless mix. It consists of peat moss composted green waste wood shavings and perlite. But if you use garden soil you might be importing weeds into your containers. Organic options include kelp alfalfa and fish meals which break down slowly releasing their nutrients to plant roots.

Use potting soil in indoor or outdoor container gardens. Potting soil is for container plantings indoors or out. Do not use soil from the garden. Before deciding which soil to use in container gardens think about where you want to put your plants.

Don t use soil from your garden because it will compact in the containers and won t drain water properly. Soil taken from your yard or a garden bed is too dense to use in a pot or raised bed. I strongly suggest buying potting soil or container mix soil from your local garden center. It is too heavy can become waterlogged and brings disease and insects with it.

Also one of the reasons to garden in containers is largely to avoid dealing with weeds. For best results use only bagged commercial topsoil not the backyard garden fare. Instead for containers you ll want to use potting mix also called potting soil a lightweight and fluffy alternative. Good container mix soil will contain organic matter that provides nutrients like worm castings bat guano manure or compost seaweed etc.

I prefer organic potting soil because i know it s free from pesticides or other chemicals. Plants in containers need the best possible soil aeration and drainage for healthy root growth and optimum harvest. If you add garden soil to your potting mixture you run the risk of introducing disease causing organisms to your container mixture. Soil and compost mixes are heavier but are perfect for use in pots sitting on the ground.

Many vegetables such as greens tomatoes and peppers are naturally suited for container gardens while new patio or dwarf varieties make it possible to grow squash and fruit trees in pots. Organic harvest potting mix soil for vegetables herbs and flowers made from natural and organic ingredients this potting soil is formulated for growing vegetables herbs and flowers in containers. High quality potting soil is important for vegetables. For raised beds you ll want to use a slightly heavier soil made specifically for that type of garden.

Make sure your container has a drain hole in the bottom and a saucer to protect.