With Memorial Day behind us, the summer season has begun. The last few years in Ohio have seen some major droughts and I am not looking forward to the possibility of another drought this year. Unfortunately, it has meant lots of money spent on watering my gardens. This year, I am taking a tool I commonly use indoors with my houseplant collection outside to put it to work in my pollinator and vegetable gardens.

Testing soil moisture is a great way to narrow in on the water needs of your plants without the guesswork. I’ve used this long probe soil moisture meter from Amazon for years to quickly check the soil moisture of my houseplants and I suspect it can help me outside this summer, too.

Let’s dig in and see how a moisture meter can help you water your garden efficiently, save your plants and save on your water bill this season.

Benefits of Using a Moisture Meter Outside

Testing soil moisture by hand works well when you are just checking a houseplant pot or two, but it doesn’t give you a full picture of soil moisture levels across a wider garden bed. This is where a soil moisture meter comes in handy. Just stick it in the soil, check the reading, wipe it off, and move to the next spot. You can quickly see if one part of your garden bed is soggy and map the parts where the soil dries too fast.

Measuring your soil moisture means you can pinpoint exactly where the bed needs to be watered and where it needs to dry out. This knowledge will help you save your plants from over-watering or under-watering and save you money on your water bill.

You can set up fancy smart irrigation systems, but they won’t be able to tell you the conditions on the ground. A simple soil moisture meter can tell you a lot. I like that the XLUX soil moisture meter from Amazon has a long probe at almost 16 inches (40 cm). This gives you a soil moisture reading even through deep layers of mulch, compost, and soil so you can get an accurate picture of what your garden needs.

How to Save Money on Water

Now that you know what your soil moisture is, what can you do to keep your garden properly watered and save money while doing it? Here are a few methods to pair with your soil moisture meter.

Mulching

Generally speaking, one of the best ways to maintain proper soil conditions for your plants is to apply mulch. A good layer of mulch will retain moisture, keep plant roots cool even during heat waves, and also suppress weeds. A good organic mulch like Miracle-Gro’s All Natural Mulch, available from Home Depot, is dye-free and safe to use around edible plants.

Collecting Water

Another way to reduce the amount of municipal water you use on your garden is to install a rain barrel. You might be able to purchase a rain barrel from your local soil and water conservation district office or you can find a 50 gal. rain barrel at the Home Depot.

Rain barrels can hook up to or sit under a downspout to collect rain water. The rain water can then be accessed via a spigot towards the bottom of the barrel. You can then use a watering can to transport the rain water or you can hook up a hose to easily water your beds. You can even try the punctured rain barrel hack that has become popular with gardeners in the UK. A few small holes allows strategic release of water directly from the barrel into your garden.

Smart Irrigation

Using your soil moisture meter will help you better utilize an irrigation system. A smart hose timer like the Orbit B-Hyve XD, available from Amazon, is a great way to manage your water usage and keep plants happy. Instead of just setting a timer for irrigation, the B-Hyve has an app that allows you to control the system remotely, set schedules, skip watering when rain is in the forecast, and fine tune your garden irrigation.

I wish you a drought-free summer and happy gardening!

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Raised bed gardening can be combined with composting to give you the benefit of healthy plants and sustainable waste disposal with the help of something called a ‘keyhole garden’. A round, raised garden bed with a notch in the center allows gardeners to deposit organic matter into the center pit in the bed to break down and create wonderful compost.

Keyhole gardening incorporates in-ground composting into your garden so the nutrients go directly into the soil you’re growing in. I’ve thought about building my own keyhole garden, but have always been a little intimidated by the project. Then I saw that Costco has 4’x4’ pre-made keyhole garden beds for sale. Sign me up!

I love that you can throw leaves, kitchen scraps, plant prunings, and other yard waste right into the composting section and let the garden go to work for you. It is so simple and it is perfect for my backyard raised vegetable garden.

Why Use a Keyhole Garden?

Keyhole gardening is a technique that was developed in Africa to help address low soil fertility. It is a compact and efficient way to garden that increases soil fertility and health and it has become popular in the U.S., too. Keyhole gardens are essentially raised beds and in-ground composters in one.

The Vita keyhole composting bed from Costco is a great entry point for curious gardeners looking to improve their soil and boost their plants. You can use a keyhole garden for vegetable beds, ornamental beds, cut-and-come-again flower beds or anything you choose. This innovative method of gardening makes it so you don't need to fertilize to get the garden of your dreams. You also won’t ever have to lift a pitchfork to turn compost again.

Composting in your keyhole garden can reduce household waste by up to 30% and all the energy from food scraps and yard waste gets transferred directly into your garden. I especially love that this keyhole garden from Costco uses a BPA and phthalate-free polymer so you don’t have to worry about chemicals leaching into your produce. Compost-fed soil also requires less water since the water from the scraps is being added directly into the bed.

How to Use the Vita Keyhole Garden

The Vita keyhole bed has a generous basket in the center of the bed which is where you will do your composting. Like with all composting, you need a healthy mix of “greens” and “browns.” Greens refer to items that are high in nitrogen like grass clippings, tea bags, kitchen waste like fruit and vegetable peels (no meat, fat, or dairy), and freshly pruned plant matter. Browns are high in carbon content and can be things like paper, dried leaves, small twigs, saw dust, wine corks (not the rubber kind), and coffee grounds.

When you set up your new keyhole garden, just slide the boards into the posts and set the basket in the center. It requires no tools and comes together super quickly! You can begin to fill in the bed with organic matter like logs, sticks, leaves, grass clippings and even cardboard to help fill it up. Water the layers as you add them to help them begin to break down – it’s just like filling a hügelkultur bed! Then add 6-8 inches (15.2-20.3 cm) of top soil to finish it off.

You can plant your garden and begin adding compostables to the central basket as soon as it is assembled. Easy peasy!

The Vita keyhole composting garden bed is so quick and simple to get started using and it is virtually maintenance free. I also love that it comes with a 20-year warranty for material defects, and Costco is also known for standing by their products and superb customer service.

I can’t wait to get started on my own keyhole garden!

More Keyhole Gardening Setups

If you have ever rooted a cutting in water, you may have wondered about just leaving it growing there. If a plant roots in water, why not grow it without soil? It’s easier and less messy than potting soil. Well, in some cases, your houseplants will love that idea.

Growing houseplants in water means that you can eliminate the spills of potting soil and the anxiety of how often to water. Your foliage or kitchen herbs can live in sparkling glasses or vases of H2O: no fuss, no muss, just happy plants.

Simple Hydroponic Growing

Yes, it’s called hydroponic growing, but that sounds more complicated than it has to be. Hydroponic plants are plants grown without soil. They live in water, their roots supported by substances like clay pebbles or coco coir that do not provide any nutrients.

Water doesn’t provide nutrients either, yet both edible and non-edible hydroponic plants require nutrients. Where do their nutrients come from? To provide those nutrients, you need to add a product to the water, a balanced, water-soluble hydroponic nutrient for plants, also called hydroponic fertilizer. The fertilizer trio from General Hydroponics, available on Amazon, allows you to custom mix your nutrients depending on what stage your plant is in.

Benefits of Hydroponic Growing

There are many advantages to growing hydroponic plants. First, it’s so clean! You don’t have to deal with bags of potting soil, fungus gnats that live in moist soil and circle the houseplants, or mold. They also look cool, giving your room a clean, modern vibe. Exposed roots in see-through vases are perfect for fit into minimalistic, contemporary living spaces.

In addition, while these “naked” plants are striking, they are low-care. Maintenance is minimal, making this type of plant easy for those who travel regularly or have busy work lives.

Making the Move

It’s not hard to transfer a plant from a soil planting to hydroponics, but it’s best to go slow and be patient. If you’ve just brought home a potted plant, let it acclimate for several weeks before starting the process. Only transfer healthy, vibrant plants. If a plant is ailing, nurse it back to health first.

When the plant is ready, tip the plant on its side and remove the roots and surrounding soil from the container. Then gently take off the soil with your hands, then carefully wash off whatever remains. Use a vase or glass full of clear water, and add a balanced nutrient solution as needed.

5 Houseplants That Prefer Life Without Soil

You can grow any of a number of plants hydroponically, including herbs and even vegetables. But there are popular houseplants included in the group. Here are our favorites.

1. Peace Lilies

If you’re looking for an easy-care houseplant with elegance and charm, you can’t do better than the peace lilies (Spathiphyllum spp.). Its large shiny leaves alone are pleasing, and when the white spathe “flowers” appear, the plants really light up a room.

These classic houseplants grow very well in water, as long as you make sure the base of the foliage is above the water line while the roots are below it. A narrow vase works well. Place the vase in a spot that gets bright, indirect sun to help those “blooms” to keep coming.

Change out the water twice a month and keep an eye on it in the meantime. If the water line dips, add more so that the roots are always in water.

2. Pothos

Pothos (Epipremnum aureum) is one of my favorite houseplants - and I am sure I am not the only one thrilled by its easy-care ways and gorgeous cascading, heart-shaped green or variegated leaves. I’ve rooted many a pothos stem in water (I have five large hanging baskets of pothos in my apartment) and am totally won over by its ability to grow fast and thrive in low-light conditions.

To grow pothos in water, just make as if you were rooting a cutting. Cut a pothos vine with three or four nodes, strip off the bottom leaves, then place it in a pretty vase. Add water to cover the vine below the lowest leaf. Swap out the water every week or two.

3. Lucky Bamboo

Lucky bamboo (Dracaena sanderiana) is so happy in water that it’s often sold without soil. Of course, it’s not a real bamboo plant, but a member of the Dracaena clan like the corn plant, but grows in stalks like bamboo, with a tuft of leaves on top.

To grow this houseplant without soil, just pop it in a clear glass container with water up to the lower leaves, and add some colored pebbles to keep the stalk upright. It will probably be happy for years if you change out the water regularly, even if you don’t add any hydroponic fertilizer to the vase.

4. Spider Plants

Spider plant (Chlorophytum comosum) is another great favorite of mine, and who can resist the long, green and white leaves forming an arching mound or the tiny baby plants that appear on long stems.

To grow one of these in water, simply remove one of the babies from its stem and situate it in water, keeping its foliage dry but its roots wet. Change out the water twice a week and add occasional hydroponic fertilizer. Warning: every spider plant will grow fast and effortlessly, quickly producing babies of its own.

5. Chinese Evergreen

There must be an unwritten exception to the rule to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth: it doesn’t seem to apply to houseplant names. Just like the lucky bamboo is not bamboo, the Chinese evergreen (Aglaonema commutatum) is not an evergreen tree. It’s a tropical beauty with large green leaves that grow on stalks that fit perfectly into a thin vase of water.

Snip off stem sections about as long as your hand, then remove the lower leaves. Place the stems in water, and change it out twice a week. Add a little hydroponic fertilizer once a month and keep the plant in indirect sunlight.

Shop Houseplant Hydroponic Essentials

Some plants have extensive root systems and require big pots filled with quality potting soil. Think tomatoes or a patio Meyer lemon tree. Other plant roots aren’t that expansive, and just use the top third of the soil. Summer annuals like marigolds and petunias fall into that category, as well as vegetables like carrots, radishes, and even beets.

Given the cost of good potting soil, it may occur to you that filling bigger containers with potting soil is a waste of potting soil and money. Since you aren’t the first to consider this, it will come as no surprise that gardeners have found hacks to fill planters and grow a container garden on a budget. Yes, you can fill the bottom half of plant containers with different materials - and here are some options for you that won't sacrifice your plants' health and beauty.

How Deep is Too Deep?

Plant containers are far from standard. I have tiny plastic plant pots, bigger ones, standard size, large, and jumbo. There are half-barrel sizes plus oodles of decorative pots for use with indoor plants. One of my most elegant indoor pots sits on the floor and is as tall as the dining room table. (Oversized pots can be cool!)

Many plant containers are intended for plants with roots that fill them. But some are clearly not - like my oversized, decorative container. A plant pot is the perfect size if the mature roots are just a few inches shorter than the depth of the soil. Any deeper, and you are wasting expensive soil.

Filling the Gap

The plant won’t be offended (or damaged) if you fill the bottom of a too-deep container with something other than potting soil. There is no one “best” filler, so let’s consider the cheaper fill options.

While it’s important that the material you choose is free - or almost! - some other factors come into play. You also need a filler that allows drainage and isn’t very heavy. You also want to be sure that nothing toxic is added to the pots.

Plant Pot Fillers

There are many substances that fit these qualifications to serve as pot fillers. Here are a few to get you started.

Go Natural

Many of us prefer to use natural materials for our planter pots rather than using plastics or manufactured materials. If you are a natural gardener, try one of these fillers.

1. Pine Cones

One of the great advantages of using filler instead of soil in the bottom of over-large planters is weight. A large pot filled with soil is heavy to lift, and moving a supersize decorative planter filled with soil can require two people.

Filling the bottom half of the container with pine cones reduces the weight of the pot considerably. Pine cones resist mold and cost nothing - if you have, or can access, a pine tree. They are totally natural and allow for great drainage.

2. Peanut Shells

Who doesn’t like to shell and munch on peanuts? Just save those shells and you have a great, natural filler for your planters. While perhaps a bit heavier than pine cones, peanut shells are lighter by far than soil and will cost you nothing.

Peanut shells actually make your soil better, since they break up compacted areas and create pockets of air in the soil, making extra space for the plant’s roots.

3. Coco Coir

Coco coir is a material constructed entirely from fibrous parts of coconuts. It is often used for hanging baskets because it can absorb water and then release it to the plant in regular doses, preventing overwatering.

Why not use coco coir as pot fillers as well? It also resists fungus and is pH neutral, so it will serve well for most plants. If you have old coil baskets or can get some from your friends, this filler is free. Even purchasing new coco coir material won't break the bank. Organic coco coir from Back to the Roots can be purchased from Amazon. A compact brick becomes more than 2 cubic feet of of coir when you add water to it!

A Use for Plastic

Plastic has become a dirty word of sorts in modern day, but these man-made materials can be perfect for plant pot fillers. Here’s what to use.

4. Packing Peanuts

These aren’t natural like peanut shells, but they are free and light - and usually end up in the garbage. But they are great as fillers for unnecessary space in planter pots - as long as they are the type of Styrofoam that doesn’t break down in water. Obviously, if they do, your plants will - sooner or later - sink and sag. Check it out first by tossing a few in a bucket of water for a few days.

Assuming they don’t, use the Styrofoam packing peanuts to fill the bottom of the container. This is what I used in my indoor decorative pots, making them so much lighter to move when I am sweeping.

5. Plastic Bottles

Yes, you can toss empty plastic bottles into the city recycling center, but you don’t get any guarantees that anything good will come of it. Instead, you can fill up your containers with these lightweight products.

These “fillers” are just as free as packing peanuts, and you were going to dispose of them anyway. You’ll need less plastic bottles than packing peanuts. Just start tossing them into the space, and soon enough, it will be full.

6. Nursery Pots

Do you store your empty plastic plant pots by stacking them up, the biggest one on the bottom, in your garage or garden shed? I do, and many of them will never get used again. But these make great fillers in oversize plant containers.

Rather than crunching these up like you do for plastic bottles, plastic plant pots can be used whole. Place big ones upside down in the bottom of the container - it raises the “floor” of the container while not adding much weight at all.

Shop Container Gardening Essentials

Most seed-starting mixes sitting on store shelves share one thing in common: peat moss. It’s light, it holds moisture well, and for a long time, it seemed like the obvious base for anything you wanted to germinate indoors. But when you get a sense of where that peat comes from, the convenience starts to lose its luster.

Peat comes from bogs that took thousands of years to form. These ecosystems are the world’s most efficient carbon sinks, and home to specialized wildlife. When we harvest peat, we’re mining a non-renewable resource that accumulates at the agonizingly slow rate of one millimeter per year. Once those bogs are gone, they’re gone, along with the carbon they were storing and the wildlife habitat they supported.

The good news is that starting seeds indoors doesn’t actually require it. It’s possible to create an easy, three-ingredient peat free seed compost mix that can rival peat-based blends for successful, healthy germination and early seedling growth. It also costs noticeably less to assemble, and uses materials that are either renewable or recycled. It’s the kind of swap that makes sense on pretty much every level.

This homemade recipe is such a satisfying project to tackle, because it’s one of those rare triple wins: it's better for the plants, better for the wallet, and better for the planet. Here’s how to make the sustainable upgrade your indoor garden has been waiting for.

Why Peat Blends Aren't Sustainable

Peat moss earned its place in the garden center through genuinely good qualities – sterile, consistent, and excellent at holding both moisture and air in a way that fragile seedling roots appreciate. The industry that built up around it is massive and well-established, which is part of why it ended up as the base ingredient in basically every commercial seed-starting blend on the market. It worked, so nobody questioned it much for the better part of the 20th century.

What’s worked against it is the math. Peat bogs accumulate at roughly one millimeter per year, about the thickness of a fingernail. Harvesting operates on a different timeline, pulling out material that took millennia to build. The UK has already committed to phasing out peat in consumer horticulture, and other countries are moving in the same direction.

One major drawback to peat is its acidity. With a naturally low pH (between 3.5-4.5), it can be a shock to certain seeds, unless it's amended with lime. By making your own mix, you avoid this seed-starting mistake and control the environment from day one, ensuring a neutral pH that most plants prefer. Making peat free compost for seed starting projects is an easy way of doing your bit for a more sustainable garden. Here's how to make this budget-friendly, peat-free recipe for your spring seedlings.

My Peat-Free Seed Starting Recipe

The mix runs on three ingredients: two parts coconut coir, two parts fine compost or leaf mold, and one part perlite or vermiculite – that’s it. The individual parts can be whatever unit makes sense for how much you’re making (a yogurt container, a coffee can, or a two-gallon bucket), just as long as the ratios stay consistent. Scale up freely, depending on how many trays you’re filling.

Coconut coir does the heavy lifting here. It’s the compressed fiber left over from coconut husks, and it mimics peat’s moisture-holding and aeration qualities without the environmental baggage. It usually comes in dense dried bricks that expand dramatically with water and yield several times their compressed volume, so a little goes further than it looks in a peat free seed sowing compost.

Just ensure your compost is finely sieved. If you’re using homemade compost, I highly recommend pasteurizing it in the oven (180°F for 30 minutes) to kill off weed seeds or pathogens. Finally, the perlite or vermiculite keeps things from compacting down. I prefer perlite for most vegetables, because it provides better aeration, which helps prevent the dreaded damping off fungus that can claim young stems.

Coir bricks like the Legigo Pack of Organic Coco Coir Bricks from Amazon are easy to find, and a fraction of the cost of bagged commercial mix. The fine compost or leaf mold brings the actual nutrition into the mix, something straight peat never offered. And the perlite or vermiculite keeps things from compacting down as seedlings grow, and the mix gets watered repeatedly over weeks.

Source Your Seed Mix Ingredients

Now it's time for mixing, make sure you've got all the basic ingredients for our recipe. Here are some of the key raw materials and simple tools required to get your seed-starting mix just right without breaking the bank.

Mix and Use The Recipe

If you’re starting with a coir brick, soak it in warm water first and give it a full 15-20 minutes to fully hydrate and break apart before combining anything. Rushing that step means uneven moisture distribution in the finished mix, which shows up as dry pockets later and inconsistent germination. Once everything is loose and workable, mix the three components together thoroughly until the texture is uniform. Your DIY mixture should feel slightly damp, hold its shape loosely when squeezed, and break apart without much pressure. That’s the right consistency.

When you’re ready for seed starting with cells or trays, fill to just below the rim. Press lightly to close any air pockets without compacting the mix. Then sow your seeds at whatever depth the seed packet specifies. Seed starting trays like the MIXC Seed Starter Sets from Amazon help you to streamline the process. Water gently right after; a fine-mist bottle or a bottom-watering setup keeps the mix evenly moist, without washing seeds out of position or forming a crust on the surface.

I’ve learned that peat-free mixes can sometimes look dry, while still being plenty wet an inch down. Before watering your seed starts, use the finger test. If your peat free seed starting mix feels damp below the surface, hold off. Overwatering is the number one killer of indoor seedlings, and coir is exceptionally good at holding onto moisture even when the top layer turns a lighter shade of brown.

Is This Mix Right for Everything?

While this recipe is a powerhouse for 90% of what you’ll grow in a kitchen garden (such as tomatoes, peppers, kale, and zinnias), there are a couple of situations where you’ll need to adapt the recipe. Because this mix is generally more pH-neutral than peat-based options, acid-loving plants might need a specialized ericaceous amendment if you plan to keep them in this mix for long.

Additionally, very tiny, dust-like seeds (think snapdragons or begonias) will require a very fine seed-sowing grade of compost. If your compost is a bit chunky, the tiny seeds can fall into the gaps and never see the light of day. For these delicate starts, I pass compost through a fine kitchen sieve or a quarter-inch mesh screen first. The uniform crumb it creates makes a world of difference for germination rates.

What to Expect with Your Mix

Germination rates from this mix are comparable to commercial peat blends, and sometimes even better. The compost fraction introduces a low level of biological activity that supports early root development in a way sterile peat simply can’t. You’ll notice seedlings tend to transplant cleanly. The fibrous root systems that develop in a coir-based mix pull away from cells without the matted, rootbound look you sometimes get from overly dense commercial mixes.

Now you know how to make seed mix variations without peat, the savings add up fast, especially if you do a lot of seed starting. A single coir brick expands into enough material to replace a bag of commercial mix that costs several times more. Compost, if you make it yourself, is essentially free, and perlite can last multiple seasons. Sta-Green Perlite from Lowe’s helps to prevent compaction, boost drainage, and foster healthy roots. Once you’ve made this mix once and seen how it performs, going back to a bag off the shelf is hard to justify for price, plant health and sustainability.

Other Great Seed Starting Essentials

A great seed starting mix is just the beginning. To take your seedlings from sprout to sturdy transplant, make sure you have this propagation kit to hand to nurture and protect newly planted seedlings in any indoor setup.

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A container garden is a great way to grow plants in a smaller space or to spruce up a patio, balcony, or porch. You can grow everything from vegetables to annuals to small trees in containers. Enjoy a kitchen herb garden or grow a favorite perennial. Almost anything goes, but it’s important to understand how to avoid a container problem when growing potted plants.

Container plants are generally easy to grow but do require a little more care and consideration than those planted in the ground. It’s easy to get into bad habits with pots if you get busy, feel overwhelmed by gardening chores, or simply don’t have the right information.

Here are some common mistakes and bad habits that newbies to container gardening often develop, so you can avoid them and create a beautiful, lasting outdoor space

Ditch These Bad Container Habits

It’s easy to develop a container garden problem, or several, when you’re new to gardening this way. For the most part, plants need the same care no matter where they grow. However, potted plants have particular needs. It’s easy to make container gardening mistakes, but you can avoid them by learning from more experienced gardeners. And if you do develop some of these bad habits, rest assured, you can reverse course and save your potted plants on your patio or terrace.

1. Settling for Whatever Pots Are Available

It’s tempting to use whatever you have on hand for your container garden for convenience and to save money. It’s important to put some thought into choosing containers in which to grow plants. Problems with containers include the wrong size for the plant and poor or no drainage.

As long as you address it, this isn’t a big problem. You can always repot plants in different containers if you’ve chosen the wrong one. Most importantly, pots need good drainage. Without drainage holes in the bottom, water pools in the soil and can cause root rot, ultimately killing your plants. Size is another issue. Containers should be big enough to let the plant grow and to avoid them becoming root-bound.

2. Using Garden Soil or Topsoil

Many container gardening problems, from root rot to poor growth, begin with the wrong choice of soil. It’s tempting to use whatever soil is on hand or even to dig up soil from the garden to use, but resist the urge. Garden soil compacts readily in a pot, creating a dense mix that won’t drain well and makes root growth difficult. It probably doesn’t have enough nutrients for your plants, and it might even contain pests or disease vectors.

If you used garden soil, you can amend it easily by removing some and mixing in compost. Or, even better, remove the plant entirely, clean the container, and repot it with a high-quality potting mix. Use a good potting mix like this one from Miracle-Gro for outdoor containers, available at Home Depot.

3. Not Watering Potted Plants Enough

One of the biggest and most important differences between growing plants in the ground and growing them in pots is watering. Container plants' watering needs are more frequent. The soil in pots dries out much faster than soil in the ground. The roots of a plant in a pot can’t reach any deeper to find water. You must keep your containers well-watered.

Of course, the amount of water depends on the plant type, but most outdoor container gardens should be watered daily. During the hottest days of summer or in droughts, they may even benefit from watering twice a day. Unless you’ve really let them go, you should be able to revive parched plants with a thorough soaking. Water deeply, being sure to wet the soil, not just the leaves of the plant. You can monitor your soil moisture with a convenient moisture meter like this one from Amazon.

4. Neglecting to Feed Container Plants

If you buy good quality potting soil, you might think you don’t need fertilizer. Potted plants will deplete the nutrients from even the best soil faster than those that grow in the ground. It’s a similar issue to watering. The roots only have access to a limited amount of nutrients.

Your plants probably won’t die if you don’t feed them, but they’ll grow much better and flower more if you fertilize regularly. Start now, if you haven’t been doing it. Fertilize container plants with a product appropriate for the types of plants you’re growing. For instance, if you’re growing flowers, use a bloom-boosting product like this one from Miracle-Gro that can be found on Amazon. Follow the instructions on the package and fertilizer throughout the growing season for the best results.

5. Mixing Plants Without Considering Their Needs

You can and should get creative with how you combine plants in pots, but don’t let looks trump the plants’ needs. If you combine plants that have different water, sunlight, or nutrient needs, at least one will suffer and even die.

This mistake is easy to remedy. If you’ve already paired up inappropriate plants, simply repot them. Before you choose and mix plants, learn about their needs. Once you’ve sorted them according to sunlight and other needs, you can mix and match to create the most aesthetically pleasing combinations.

6. Never Trimming or Pruning Potted Plants

Different plants have different maintenance needs, but most potted plants need some degree of regular maintenance. For example, if you’re growing a small tree, you’ll need to prune the potted fruit tree and train it to keep it an appropriate size for the container. Flowering plants often need pinching or deadheading to develop dense growth and continue flowering.

It’s probably time for some pruning if your plants seem leggy, are overgrown, or aren’t blooming anymore. You can almost always help them recover from this type of neglect. If you’re not sure how best to trim a plant, do some research. Some plants can stand to be cut back a lot, while others need more delicate trimming. Need some new pruners? Our Editor in Chief swears by these sturdy Felco pruning shears which can be found on Amazon.

Container gardens are easy to grow if you know what to do and stick with regular care. Avoid these bad habits to enjoy your best potted plants yet.

Potting soil plays a central role in backyard gardening during the summer months. That’s when gardeners are installing new beds, refreshing old beds, and planting seeds and starts. Roll around to the end of August and the growing season is coming to an end, sometimes before the bags of potting soil are used up. And then there’s the potting soil used to grow annuals that have germinated, flowered, and died.

So, what to do with old potting soil? If you are wondering what to do with old soil, read on. We have a lot of good ideas for you.

Do You Throw Away Old Potting Soil?

The throw-away culture of yesteryear is now considered wasteful. Our nation has become more conscious of waste. As recycling came into its own, disposable straws disappeared from the coffee shops and one-use bags were banned from grocery stores. That new awareness means that tossing out old potting soil just isn’t an acceptable option.

Yet you have to do something with old potting soil. Do you find yourself asking “Where can I dump old potting soil?” Or, “Can I put old potting soil on my lawn?” You definitely can recycle that potting soil yourself in your very own garden.

What to Do With Old Potting Soil

Potting soil doesn’t “go bad” after one use. That means that you can treat unused half-bags of potting soil in exactly the same manner as potting soil that was to grow pots of annuals or vegetables during spring and/or summer. Just be sure not to reuse soil that was used to grow potted plants that died from bacterial, fungal or viral disease.

Assuming that isn’t the case, you have options! Here are six great ones to consider.

1. Landscape hole filler or topper for current beds - Use old potting soil in the landscape to fill any holes on footpaths. It can also be used to top off existing flower and vegetable garden beds, and these stand-up garden bags with handles make it simple to move the soil where you need it. The soil acts as a sort of mulch to protect the old beds from temperature swings. Don’t use soil from potted plants that died from disease, however, without sterilizing it.
2. Starter soil for new beds - Are you installing new beds in your garden that will be used in spring for flowers or crops? Old potting soil makes a great base soil. In the spring, you will top it with new soil and add appropriate fertilizer. For crops, we recommend this Espoma Organic Raised Bed Mix from Amazon.
3. Compost heap - Here is the easiest option of all: Simply toss the old soil or unused half-bags of soil right on the compost bin. A good compost pile should be a balanced mix of green material, brown material and soil. As you blend in green and brown materials, the old potting soil will be incorporated into the compost to be used for future plantings.
4. Layered on lawn - Lawns need love in winter too. Why not spread a thin layer of the old potting soil on top of that lawn. Over time it will work its way into the soil, and, in the meanwhile, it will offer some winter protection.
5. Reuse in potted plants - Out with the old, in with the new! That attitude was typical for in years gone by when it came to old potting soil, but it isn’t the rule anymore. It is entirely possible to reuse soil recovered from container planting as long as you blend in about ⅓ new potting soil and add fertilizer for nutrients. Miracle-Gro Potting Mix, available on Amazon, is a great option for your new potting soil.
6. Make a potato bin - What is a potato bin? It’s a home-made container made of box-wire frame and up to 4 feet (1.2 m) tall in which potatoes will be grown. If you don't want to build one yourself, a much simpler option is this set of heavy-duty potato grow bags from Amazon. Start this project in the fall by layering newspaper in the bottom of the bin, then add used potting soil, shredded fall leaves, aged horse manure and compost. Let this sit all winter long and toss in seed potatoes in spring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Growing tomatoes in a bag of potting soil might seem like a wacky idea, but it has some merit. Before dismissing a bag as a container, find out why it benefits plants and gardens and how easy it is to do.

The Benefits of Growing Plants in Bags of Potting Soil

It’s a unique idea to grow plants right in the bags of potting soil you get from your local garden center, but there is also a lot of sense behind it. These are some of the reasons to try it and the benefits of growing plants this way:

• Better soil. One of the best reasons to consider this type of growing is that you get purely high-quality soil for your plants. Instead of simply amending a bed with a bag or two of good potting soil, give your plants the whole bag. This is especially helpful if you have difficult soil, for instance if it is heavy with clay or rocky.
• Save time and effort. Instead of putting in all the labor and time of amending difficult soil, just open a bag and start planting. Bag planting is an easier, time-efficient way to grow certain plants that need better soil.
• Work around roots. Another barrier to growing plants is the root system of nearby trees. If you have a lot of root systems, or just one area of the garden that remains barren because of the difficulty of working around tree roots, just throw down a bag of soil and be done.
• A cheaper container. A bag of soil is really just a container. It solves many of the same problems, like poor soil and tree root barriers. Containers cost money, though, and a bag of soil provides the soil and a build-in free container. It’s also a lot easier and less expensive than building a raised bed as a container.

Plants to Grow in Bags

There are two main types of plants to consider growing in a bag of potting soil: vegetables and annual flowers. These are the plants you might otherwise put in a raised bed or smaller container.

Planting vegetables in potting soil bags can be an easier way to start a veggie garden than creating raised beds or amending soil in large pots. Annuals look great in pots, but if you want them in beds with soil issues, just use a bag and they blend right into the bed. 

Steps for Growing in Potting Soil Bags

Planting in bags of soil is easy and requires few materials. All you really need is a bag of good potting soil, the plants or seeds, something to cut the bag with, and mulch.

Use a razor blade or sharp knife to cut a few slashes in one side of the bag. This will allow for drainage so the roots don’t rot. Turn the bag over so the slashes are on the bottom. Position the bag where you want the plants to grow, such as in a bed.

Cut a rectangle out of the top side of the bag. Leave an inch or so of the bag around the edge to keep the soil in place when you water. Put your plants directly into the soil. Or, sow seeds into the soil of the bag. Cover the soil and bag with mulch to match the rest of the bed.

You might need to recover the edges of the bag with mulch throughout the season to prevent it from showing. Otherwise, this is a low-maintenance way to grow annuals or veggies in your garden.

Whether you container garden due to space issues or just like the look of decorative pots, at the end of the season you will be faced with a significant amount of used potting soil. You might then wonder what to do with old soil from pots. Can you reuse potting soil? That's a good question, and we have the answer. 

Can you Reuse Potting Soil? 

The answer is a resounding yes. Not only can you reuse potting soil, but you should. Reusing potting soil saves money, time, and resources. If you reuse potting soil, however, you need to do a little tweaking to the medium. 

Reusing Old Potting Soil: Step One

The first thing you want to do with used potting soil it to sterilize it. Sterilize old potting soil to rid the medium of soil-borne fungi which cause diseases and to kill any harboring pests. That said, if you know you have grown a diseased or pest infested plant in the soil it is best to err on the side of caution and get rid of the soil. 

The easiest way to sterilize soil is to let the sun do it. This process is called solarization. All you need to do is place the used potting soil in heavy-duty plastic bags and place them in the sunniest area of the yard. 

If you start this process at the end of the growing season, your potting soil will have solarized killing any potential pathogens and be ready to reuse in the spring. Some people skip this step and move onto step two of revitalizing used potting soil. 

Reusing Old Potting Soil: Step Two

If you have solarized the potting soil, the good news is that any harmful pathogens have been killed off. The bad news is that so have all the beneficial microbes. Even if you choose not to sterilize your used soil, the previous plants have likely depleted any nutrients from the soil so, regardless, you need to amend the used soil before reusing. 

Remove about half of the used potting medium from the container and amend it with half good quality potting soil or a ratio of one third compost to two thirds used soil. 

How long can you use the newly amended soil? You can reuse soil for at least three years, often longer provided you continue to put nutrients back into the medium and solarize to kill pests and detrimental pathogens.

Picking the correct potting soil for container vegetables is the key to a successful harvest. For veggies to grow and produce edible roots, foliage or fruit, the growing medium must provide both water and nutrients. The ideal soil will retain sufficient amounts of moisture without becoming oversaturated. Soggy soil creates anaerobic conditions that inhibit the uptake of nutrients. 

Meeting the Needs of Potted Veggies

Plants require water to absorb nutrients from the soil as well as for photosynthesis. However, too much water is as detrimental to plant health as too little. This makes good drainage essential whether garden veggies are planted in the ground or in pots. Yet, soil from the garden is seldom a wise choice for a container garden. 

When used in potted plants, garden soil tends to be very dense or heavy. It not only retains too much water, but also lacks sufficient aeration for oxygen exchange. Although soil in the ground is aerated naturally by earthworms as they tunnel in search of edible material, there is insufficient food to support an active earthworm population in a potted plant. 

As gardeners, we can create the correct balance of moisture and aeration by our choice of potting soil. The best soil mix for container vegetable garden plants is a soilless medium. These mixes contain a variety of materials which are designed to drain well and remain aerated.

Components of Potting Soil

When searching for the best soil to grow vegetables in pots, gardeners have the option of creating their own medium for potted plants or purchasing a commercial mix. Here are the types of materials used to promote aeration and drainage in container garden mixes:

• Bark – Ground bark is economical and can add weight to help stabilize top-heavy plants. It doesn't retain moisture as well as peat, but decomposes slower and uses less nitrogen. For added aeration, choose bark chips.
• Coir – Made from coconut husks, coir is composed of cellulose fibers which have a high capacity for absorbing and retaining water. It maintains soil oxygen levels without becoming soggy and decomposes slowly. Coir can be purchased in blocks which need to be soaked before using.
• Compost – Well-decomposed organic materials promote drainage and boost the nutrient levels in potting mixes, but compost can compact and reduce oxygen levels. Sterilize compost before adding it to potting soil for vegetables and limit this component to about one-third of the overall mix.
• Fertilizer – Including slow-release fertilizer in a soilless mix provides the necessary nutrients for a successful container garden. For flowering or fruiting veggies use a 5-10-5 granular product. 
• Perlite – Used for aeration and drainage, perlite is a light-weight inorganic material derived from volcanic rock. It doesn't provide any nutrients. 
• Sand – Known for its ability to drain water, sand adds weight to potted plants. It also compacts when wet and reduces oxygen levels. Avoid polymeric sand as this product can contain bonding agents.
• Sphagnum peat moss – This naturally-occurring bogland material is a popular component in soil for potted vegetables. It doesn't compress, but retains moisture and is lightweight. The downside is peat moss is a non-renewable resource. 
• Vermiculite – When used in potting mixes, this inorganic material helps retain moisture, nutrients and fertilizer. Vermiculite is a manufactured product that doesn't decompose and is sterile.

While it might seem like soil is the ideal medium to use as a potting mix for indoor plants, the inclination to do so is incorrect. The best soil for houseplants is not soil at all, but rather a soilless potting mix composed of various ingredients integral to the health of container grown plants. There are a plethora of soilless potting mixes on the market, or with just a handful of ingredients you can make your own indoor potting mix. 

What is the Best Soil for Houseplants? 

Potting mix for indoor plants must provide them with excellent drainage, air circulation, nutrients, and water retention. An indoor potting mix should also be free of pests, diseases, and weed seeds. 

To this end, commercial houseplant potting mix is often sterilized to kill pathogens and weed seeds, and is also comprised of ingredients specific to the needs of container grown houseplants. While ingredients vary, a good soilless potting mix will always contain an organic component such as compost, coir, bark or peat moss, vermiculite, or perlite to aid in moisture retention, sand, nutrients, and limestone. Some commercial brands may also contain fertilizer. 

How to Make Homemade Houseplant Potting Mix

Different types of houseplants have their own unique requirements, which is why making your own DIY soilless potting mix can come in handy. A DIY soilless potting mix can be adjusted to include more or less of a particular ingredient depending upon plants’ needs. 

The basic recipe for DIY soilless potting mix is 2 parts peat moss or coco coir, 1 part compost, 1 part perlite or pumice, and a tablespoon (15 g.) of ground limestone if using peat moss. 

If you wish to make your own indoor potting mix for cuttings, use 1 part peat moss or coir combined with 1 part perlite or coarse sand. You can also root cuttings in moist vermiculite which has good water retention. 

Houseplant potting mix can be tweaked a bit to adjust to the needs of succulents, orchids, or even seed starting but the basic ingredients remain the same. 

As home gardeners begin growing succulent plants, they’re told to use a fast-draining soil. Those accustomed to growing traditional plants might believe their current soil is sufficient. Perhaps, a better description of well-draining succulent soil mix would be extra drainage or amended drainage. Succulent potting soil needs adequate drainage to keep water from remaining on the shallow roots of these plants for any length of time.

About Succulent Soil Mix

Proper potting soil for succulents should encourage the entire pot to dry out quickly, as many issues come from wet soil on or below the root system. The difference in what we use for traditional plants and the media in which we plant succulents lies in the water retention aspect. Soil that is well aerated and well drained, while still holding moisture, is appropriate for other plants. The succulent soil mix, however, should encourage moisture to exit the container quickly. You should choose material coarse in texture, such as pre-packaged succulent and cactus soil mixes. However, these may be difficult to find in some spots and pricey to order online with shipping. Many specialists want faster drainage than even these provide and prepare their own soil mix for succulents.

Making Potting Soil for Succulents

Online recipes abound. Most use a base of regular potting soil or the bagged succulent potting soil mix. If you choose to make your own mix, use regular potting media without additives. We’ll explain further ingredients to add to this when amending or making your own succulent potting soil. Frequent additions to succulent growing medium include: Coarse Sand – Coarse sand included at one half or one third improves soil drainage. Don’t use the finely textured type such as play sand. Cactus may benefit from a higher mix of sand, but it must be the coarse type. Perlite – Perlite is commonly included in most mixes for succulents. This product adds aeration and increases drainage; however, it is lightweight and often floats to the top when watered. Use at 1/3 to 1/2 in a mix with potting soil. Turface – Turface is a soil conditioner and calcine clay product that adds aeration to the soil, provides oxygen, and monitors moisture. A pebble type substance, it does not compact. Turface is the brand name but a commonly used term when referring to this product. Used as both a succulent soil mix additive and as a top dressing. Pumice – Pumice volcanic material holds moisture and nutrients. Pumice is used by some in large quantities. Some growers use pumice only and report good results in trials. However, the use of this type of media requires more frequent watering. Depending on your location, you may have to order this product. Coconut Coir – Coconut coir, the shredded husks of the coconut, adds drainage capabilities and can be wet repeatedly, as opposed to other products which might not accept water well after the initial wetting. Until recently, nobody mentioned coir (pronounced core) to the average succulent grower. At least one well-known succulent distributor uses coir as part of their unusual mix. I use a mix of 1/3 plain potting soil (the cheap kind), 1/3 coarse sand, and 1/3 coir and have healthy plants in my nursery.

The soil you choose for your plants can impact their health and the rate at which they grow. Not all soils are created equal. Should you use potting soil or gardening soil, and why would it make a difference? The answer lies in the purpose for which the soil is intended. Plants in ground have different needs than container plants. There can be many reasons to use potting soil instead of garden soil when you're growing plants in containers. For the most part, potting soil will keep container-grown plants healthier. But there are some situations where potting mix is too expensive and garden soil, which is usually free, will work just as well. With outdoor container plants, you have the option of using either a potting mix or a homemade mix of garden soil plus amendments. Finding out when to use garden soil and what its benefits are against potting soil is important for this reason.

Garden Soil Pros and Cons

Bonnie's viewpoint: Garden soils are developed primarily for in-ground plants. Most garden soil is free but will need annual amendments to replace nutrients that were used up and keep the site from compacting. Those are just two of the garden soil pros and cons, but there are many more. Deciding whether to use garden or potting soil is an individual choice. That said, you will likely have better luck if you use amended soil or purchased garden soil outdoors. Let's walk through some garden soil pros/cons to see why. Benefits of garden soil. Potting soils are formulated to have average plant pH needs, provide drainage and usually have basic nutrients. Garden soils vary by location and how much amendment the gardener has put into the soil, unless you use a purchased product which can be expensive in large areas. These usually have a high amount of organic matter in the form of compost. One of the advantages of garden soil is that it is easily renewable. Simply saving kitchen scraps and incorporating them into the soil can improve the texture, composition and nutrient density. Another of the benefits of garden soil is that it packs well around plant roots, allowing them to develop a thick root base. When to use garden soil. Garden soils are ideally suited to outdoor plants. Most garden soils are either clay, sand or loam but their composition can be changed by adding natural amendments like compost. You can use them in containers but some perlite and peat moss needs to be added to increase porosity. Do not use garden soil in containers that will be brought indoors, as they may have insect eggs that could hatch. The pH of unaltered garden soil is best suited for native plants. That is because plants indigenous to the area are adapted to that type of soil and pH. Starting veggies outdoors or building a flower bed are excellent uses for garden soil. Adjusting garden soil. There are very inexpensive soil tests available at most nursery centers. You can use these to determine the pH of your soil and any nutrient deficiencies. The pH for veggies is between 6.0 and 8.0. This range is also perfect for fruit trees and most ornamentals. A few plants, like hydrangea, prefer a slightly more acidic soil which can be made by adding sulfur or gypsum. If your soil is too acidic, you can sweeten it with lime. Adding several layers of compost or well-rotted manure to the garden bed will enhance the nutrient content, porosity, and improve soil structure naturally.

Potting Soil Pros and Cons

Ilana's viewpoint: Using garden soil is all well and good for outdoor garden beds and the like, but it's just as important to learn about potting soil pros and cons and when to use potting soil for gardening. Potting soil is better for containers. Potting mixes are typically composed of ingredients that hold onto water and nutrients, and others that promote good drainage and aeration. For example, they may contain peat, vermiculite (an expanded clay material), perlite, coconut coir, compost, or bark. Quality potting mixes are much less compactible than garden soil. These qualities help potted plants deal with the difficulties of life in a container. Potting soil may be identical to potting mix, or it may contain actual soil as one of the ingredients. Read the label to know what you are getting. If soil is on the ingredient mix, the product is good for adding to outdoor raised beds or outdoor containers, but it's not ideal for indoor container use. Soil-free potting mixes are best for most indoor plants, but they're usually too light and fluffy for garden bed use. Potting soil better fits specific plants. Many varieties of potting soil are available at gardening stores, hardware stores, and other outlets. These may be designed for different types of plants and situations. You'll find cactus and succulent soil, mixes for acid-loving plants, African violet mixes, and water-holding mixes designed for people who frequently forget to water their plants. Potting soils are easier overall. If you use garden soil for outdoor containers or raised beds, you'll have to add a source of nutrients, and you may have to increase the percentage of organic matter, improve the drainage, or change the pH. To do that, you'll probably have to buy several different amendments to mix in. On the other hand, potting soil and potting mixes are usually designed to be used right out of the bag. You can simply fill up the container and add the plant. Some potting soil mixes also include fertilizers, compost, worm castings, bone meal, or other ingredients that provide nutrients or improve the qualities of soil. Fresh potting mix lessens chance of disease. Another of the top potting soil benefits is a lower chance of disease. This is especially true if the bag is labeled "sterile mix." Sterile potting mix is great for starting seeds, since seedlings are especially vulnerable to disease. Look for mixes labeled specifically for seed starting. Potting soil cons. The main disadvantage of potting soils is that it can be expensive, while soil from your own garden is free. Some plants can be harmed by a potting mix intended for another type of plant. Also, some potting mixes are not suitable for organic gardening because of synthetic ingredients they contain. How Do Potting Soil Benefits Hold Up Compared to Garden Soil? Potting and garden soils have very different compositions and, therefore, very different purposes. In most cases, garden soil is good for every outdoor application, while potting soil is best for indoor purposes like seed starting and growing houseplants. While potting soil has many benefits for container plants, the expense is probably not worth it if you're potting outdoor plants on a large scale. Economically, garden soil may be fixed for very little money and is best for large garden spaces. Overall, both have their place in the gardener's world and should be used in the correct application for best results.

Well-drained soil allows water to pass through steadily without pooling on top or vanishing too fast—roots stay moist but get plenty of air, cutting down on rot, drought stress, and a host of common plant problems gardeners face.

Well-draining potting soil sits right in that sweet spot most plants crave. Water soaks in after rain or watering, then moves down through the profile at a moderate pace. Nothing sits soggy, and nothing flashes away before roots grab what they need.

The phrase shows up on pretty much every plant tag, though a lot of gardeners aren't totally sure what it looks like in real life, and knowing the different types of soil helps, but recognizing decent drainage in your own yard makes a huge difference. Once you can spot it—or the lack of it—fixing things can become much more straightforward.

Well-Drained Soil Meaning

“Well-drained” soil just means water doesn’t hang around forever and also doesn’t vanish the second it hits the ground. After a good rain the surface might look dry sooner than expected, yet a few inches down it still feels faintly damp and cool to the touch. That in-between state is usually what plants respond to best, even if it’s hard to describe exactly. Roots sit in moisture, yes, but there are also tiny air gaps mixed in, which turns out to matter more than most people realize.

Problems creep in when things drift too far one direction or the other. Soil that stays wet too long slowly suffocates roots — they soften, darken, and the plant starts looking tired for no obvious reason.

On the flip side, water that rushes straight through leaves plants thirsty again almost immediately, which gets frustrating fast. Neither issue looks severe at first glance. Over time, though, steady drainage tends to mean steadier growth, stronger color, and a lot less second-guessing every time you pick up the hose.

How to Test Soil

The old percolation test still works great and only takes about half an hour. Dig a hole roughly 12 inches (30 cm) deep and wide. Fill it with water, let it empty completely, then fill again and time how fast it drops.

Good well-drained soil lets water fall 1-6 inches (2.5-15 cm) per hour. Faster and it's probably sandy—drains way too quick. Slower, or still sitting the next day, usually means heavy clay. Loam—that nice blend of sand, silt, and clay—tends to hit the ideal range pretty reliably.

How to Improve Soil

So you've discovered that you don't have well-draining soil. Now what? Luckily, there are some easy ways to fix the problem with soil amendments that will make a world of difference. If that still doesn't work, there are container growing options that will still ensure you have garden success.

Improving Heavy Clay Soil

Clay soil packs tight because the particles are tiny—water creeps through slowly. The fix is opening up structure with organic matter. Compost breaks those plates apart and creates channels for water and air.

Spread 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) of compost over the surface and work it into the top 6-8 inches (15-20 cm). Do it once a year, fall or early spring. This organic compost from Amazon loosens clay nicely without any weird side effects.

Skip tossing in sand unless you're adding massive amounts—small amounts just make concrete. Patience pays off; after a season or two the soil drains much better.

Improving Sandy Soil

Sandy soil dries out quickly because water just races through those larger particles. Work in 3-4 inches (8-10 cm) of compost every year—doesn't have to be exact timing. It starts holding moisture better right away, acting like a sponge that releases water slowly instead of dumping it all at once. You can also add humus and manure soil conditioner, available from Home Depot, to improve your existing soil.

After a couple seasons the whole bed of soil feels different, more like real loam that drains fine but doesn't leave plants high and dry. Apply mulch over the top anyway, and it slows evaporation from the surface—this makes a noticeable difference in hot weather.

Building Raised Beds for Tough Spots

When the native soil underneath just won’t behave no matter what gets mixed into it, raised beds become the easier workaround. Building up 8–12 inches (20–30 cm) gives roots space to breathe instead of sitting in that stubborn ground. It’s less fighting and more starting fresh.

A blend close to 60% topsoil and 40% compost usually lands in the right zone without much fuss. It doesn’t have to be exact either—being in the ballpark works fine.

Vego raised bed kits, available from Amazon, cut down the setup time quite a bit if hauling lumber around isn’t appealing. Our Senior Editor Liz has been using her Vego beds for years and they are still going strong!

Common Habits That Ruin Drainage

Stepping on wet beds compacts soil and smashes air pockets in the soil. Compacted ground drains slowly even if it started out decent. Stick to permanent paths and keep feet off planting areas.

Over-tilling breaks down soil aggregates that create natural channels. Till once to work in soil amendments if needed, then stop. Mulch handles weeds from then on. Less disturbance keeps structure intact longer.

Signs You've Got Well-Drained Soil

Healthy plants give the clearest clue. They rarely wilt between waterings. Leaves stay green instead of yellowing from soggy roots. The surface dries out after rain without staying muddy for days.

Earthworms show up in numbers—they hate soggy or bone-dry ground. Dig up a plant carefully and check roots: white and firm means that they are happy. Soil a few inches down feels moist but never soaked. Squeeze a handful—it forms a loose ball that crumbles easily, not a dense mud pie.

Keeping Drainage Working Long Term

Keep adding organic matter year after year to hang onto that nice structure. Just spread an inch or two of compost on top come fall—worms do the work pulling it down over winter, no turning required.

Water deeply every once in a while. Those deep soaks send roots chasing downward where moisture stays steadier. Quick daily sprinkles keep roots up top healthy that are prone to drying out fast. Let things dry some between waterings, though—plants usually handle a touch of dry better than staying wet constantly.

Soil Fixing Essentials

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If you’re a new gardener (or even if you’ve been at it awhile), choosing soil for potted plants from the many types of potting soil available in garden centers can feel a bit overwhelming. However, once you have some knowledge of the basic components of potting soil and the most common potting soil ingredients, you can select the best product for your particular needs. Read on for helpful potting soil information.

Potting Soil Ingredients for Standard Soilless Potting Soil

Most standard commercial potting soils contain three primary ingredients:

• Sphagnum peat moss – Peat moss holds moisture and releases it slowly to keep the roots moist for longer periods.
• Pine bark – Pine bark is slow to break down and its rough texture improves air circulation and moisture retention.
• Vermiculite or perlite – Vermiculite and perlite are both volcanic byproducts that lighten the mix and improve aeration.

Neither ingredient makes a good planting medium on its own, but the combination makes an effective all-purpose potting soil. Some products may also contain a small amount of limestone to balance soil pH. Many standard soilless potting soils come with a time-release fertilizer pre-mixed. As a general rule, no additional fertilizer is needed for several weeks. Without fertilizer added, plants require fertilizer after four to six weeks. Additionally, some commercial potting mixes contain granular wetting agents that improve the water retention quality of the potting soil.

Components of Potting Soil for Seed Starting

Seed starting soil is much like regular soilless potting soil, but it has a finer texture and usually contains no pine bark. A lightweight, well-drained potting soil is critical for seeds to prevent damping off, a fungal disease that is usually deadly for seedlings.

Specialty Potting Soil

You can purchase a variety of specialty potting soils (or make your own.) A few of the most common include:

• Cacti and succulent mix – Cacti and succulents require more drainage than regular potting soil can provide. Most cacti and succulent mixes contain peat and perlite or vermiculite, along with a gritty substance such as horticultural sand. Many manufacturers add small amounts of bone meal, which provides phosphorus.
• Orchid mix – Orchids require a sturdy, well-aerated mix that won’t break down rapidly. Most mixes have a chunky consistency that mimics the natural environment. Various combinations may include coconut husks, redwood or fir bark, peat moss, tree fern fiber, perlite, vermiculite, or charcoal.
• African violet mix – African violets thrive in a mix much like regular mix, but these lovely blooming plants require acidic soil. Manufacturers usually accomplish this by combining peat moss and perlite or vermiculite with lime to create the proper soil pH.
• Peat-free potting soil – Peat, harvested primarily from Canadian peat bogs, is a non-renewable resource. This is a concern for gardeners who are concerned about stripping peat from the environment. Most peat-free mixes contain various types of compost, along with coir – a byproduct of coconut husks.

Ants are one of the most prevalent insects in and around your home, so it isn't surprising that they find their way into your potted plants. They come seeking food, water, and shelter and, if the conditions are right, they may decide to stay. Let's find out more about these annoying insects and how to get rid of ants in pots.

Ants in Plant Containers

Infestations of honeydew-producing insects, such as aphids, soft scales, mealybugs, and whiteflies may explain why you're finding ants in potting soil. Honeydew is a sweet, sticky substance that the insects secrete as they feed, and ants think it's a banquet. In fact, they will go to great lengths to protect honeydew-producing insects from predators to keep a supply of this tasty food handy. Get rid of the insects that produce honeydew before killing ants in containers to keep the ants from returning. If you catch infestations of these insects early, you can treat them with insecticidal soap. Spray the plant thoroughly, and pay particular attention to the undersides of the leaves where they like to hide and lay eggs. It may take more than one treatment to get them under control. The way you care for your plants can also be a source of ant problems. You may see ants in flower pots when you've been using home remedies that include sugar or honey. Pick up leaves that fall onto the potting soil and provide a cozy hiding place for ants.

How to Get Rid of Ants in Pots

If you find ants in your indoor plants, take them outside immediately so the ants don't become established inside your home. To get rid of the ants nesting in container plants, you'll need a bucket or tub larger and deeper than your flower pot and concentrated insecticidal soap, available at any garden supply store. Here is a simple procedure that will eliminate the ants once and for all:

• Place the plant container inside a bucket or tub.
• Make a solution using one or two tablespoons of insecticidal soap per quart of water.
• Fill the bucket or tub until the solution barely covers the surface of the potting soil.
• Let the plant soak for 20 minutes.

You may think that dirt is dirt. But if you'd like your plants to have the best chance to grow and thrive, you'll need to choose the right type of soil depending on where your flowers and vegetables are growing. Just like in real estate, when it comes to topsoil vs. potting soil, it's all about location, location, location. The difference between topsoil and potting soil is in the ingredients, and each one is designed for a different use.

Topsoil vs. Potting Soil

When looking into what is potting soil and what is topsoil, you'll find that they have very little in common. In fact, potting soil may have no actual soil in it at all. It needs to drain well while staying aerated, and each manufacturer has its own special blend. Ingredients such as sphagnum moss, coir or coconut husks, bark, and vermiculite are mixed together to give a texture that holds growing roots, delivering food and moisture while allowing the proper drainage required for potted plants. Topsoil, on the other hand, has no specific ingredients and can be the scraped top from weedy fields or other natural spaces mixed with sand, compost, manure, and a number of other ingredients. It doesn't work well by itself, and is meant to be more of a soil conditioner than an actual planting medium.

Best Soil for Containers and Gardens

Potting soil is the best soil for containers as it gives the right texture and moisture retention for growing plants in a small space. Some potting soils are specially formulated for specific plants such as African violets or orchids, but every container plant should be grown in some form of potting soil. It's sterilized, which eliminates any chances of fungus or other organisms being spread to the plants, as well as free of weed seeds and other impurities. It also will not compact like topsoil or plain garden soil in container, which allows for better root growth of container plants. When looking at soil in gardens, your best option is to improve the soil you have rather than to remove and replace the existing dirt. Topsoil should be mixed in a 50/50 mixture with the dirt that's already sitting on your land. Each type of soil allows water to drain at a different rate, and mixing the two soils allows moisture to drain through both layers instead of pooling between the two. Use topsoil to condition your garden plot, adding drainage and some organic matter to improve the garden's general growing condition.

For some gardeners, the idea of starting seeds outside in their garden is just about impossible to consider. It could be that the ground has too much clay or too much sand or is just generally too inhospitable to consider sowing seeds straight in the outdoor soil. On the other hand, you have some plants that just don't transplant well. You can try growing them indoors and then moving them out into the garden, but the chances are that you will lose the tender seedling before you ever get to enjoy it. So what is a gardener to do when they have soil that they can't plant directly in but have seeds that they cannot start indoors? One option is to use potting soil in the ground.

Using Potting Soil in the Ground

Using potting soil in the ground where you want to grow your seedlings is an excellent way to start seeds in your garden in spite of the soil conditions that reality gave you. Using potting soil in the garden is easy. Simply select the location where you would like to grow your seeds. Dig a shallow hole twice as wide as the location you wish to sow your seeds. In this hole, mix together some of the native soil that you just removed with an equal amount of potting soil. Then, in the center of this hole where you plan on planting your seeds, remove a section of the soil again and fill this hole with only potting soil. What this does is create a graded hole for your seeds to grow in. If you were to simply dig a hole and fill it with potting soil, you would essentially be turning your garden soil into a pot. Seeds that are started in easy-to-grow potting soil may have some serious trouble branching their roots into the more difficult soil beyond the potting soil. By grading the soil, the seedlings will have an easier time learning to penetrate the more difficult soil of your garden. Once the seeds are planted, make sure to keep the potting soil properly watered. Starting seeds in potting soil in the ground is an excellent way to start difficult-to-transplant seeds in the garden.