Floret Flowers Just Revealed Its Secret DIY Potting Soil Recipe – and Gardeners Are Blown Away by the Results
This soil recipe is packed with nutrients to help your plants grow and thrive. Though there are two things you need to bear in mind if you use it, according to the pros.
Plants are amazing, but the vast majority of them would be absolutely nothing without soil. After all, it's where their roots live, where they absorb many forms of nutrients, and what retains water for them to take up when we give them a good watering.
I always find it interesting to hear what kinds of potting mix other gardeners use for this very reason, so I had to do a bit of digging into this recipe by Erin Benzakein, founder of popular flower farm Floret Flowers. Erin swears by this potting soil recipe, known for its nutrient density and excellent drainage.
In the video, Erin explains that her team has been experimenting with different recipes for the last few seasons and has landed upon the perfect mix. She shows the incredible difference between calendula seedlings grown with and without her special recipe. After talking to a couple of pros, I learned what's so amazing about it, as well as one lesser-known tweak you may wish to make.
What’s in the Potting Soil Recipe?
Erin's potting soil recipe contains a blend of nutrient-rich ingredients ideal for kick-starting plants into optimal growth. This wide nutrient profile is superior to many store-bought potting soils on the market due to the complexity of its composition.
Here's a breakdown of what's inside, in case you'd like to make your own or refresh your potted soil in time for spring:
- 1 bale of pro-mix BX potting soil, available on Amazon.
- A 15-gallon bucket of high-quality screen compost (they use SeaCoast Compost). Something like this Espoma Organic Land and Sea mix is a good pick, and you can sift it through a compost screen for a finer texture.
- 6 cups of bonemeal, like this Earth Science Natural Bonemeal
- 3 cups of kelp, like this Kelp Bliss Fertilizer
- 2 and ¼ cups of blood meal, like this Gardenera Organic Blood Meal Fertilizer
Why is This Recipe Effective?
Young plants require all kinds of nutrients that you may not have even thought about. It isn't always enough to stick them in a pot with some compost and water if you're aiming for plants that truly thrive.
Jessica Mercer of Plant Addicts explains how Floret Flowers' recipe strikes the right balance of nutrients for seedlings and young transplants.
She says: "Many basic potting soils are designed primarily for structure – drainage, aeration, and water retention – but contain minimal nutrition or only a starter charge of fertilizer. By amending it, Floret Flowers ensures seedlings and transplants have steady access to macronutrients and micronutrients from the outset, which can translate to sturdier stems, faster establishment, and fewer growth stalls.
"The compost increases microbial life, improves moisture retention, and adds a broader spectrum of nutrients than peat-based potting mixes alone. Bone meal supplies phosphorus for strong root development, blood meal delivers a fast-acting source of nitrogen for leafy growth, and kelp meal contributes trace minerals and natural growth hormones that support early vigor and stress tolerance. Together, these additions transform a relatively neutral, soilless base into a biologically active, nutrient-rich growing medium."
Are There Any Downsides to This Recipe?
Jessica also noted that Floret Flowers' potting soil recipe may not be the most suitable for seed starting delicate plants. The complexity of the ingredients might be to
If your garden is prone to pests such as raccoons or skunks, you may want to be careful about how much bone meal you're including in the recipe.
David Joles, chief operating officer at PURCOR Pest Solutions, explained to me how this soil recipe can attract pests if a person isn't careful with their ratios.
He said: "Speaking from a pest control perspective, bone meal, while having nutrient benefits, is very attractive to pests. It has a particularly strong odor that attracts digging animals, so people using it often find their plants dug up by raccoons or skunks.
"Kelp meal and blood meal, on the other hand, can do a decent job of deterring pests. Looking at the ratio of those ingredients, I would recommend using a little less bone meal to ensure the kelp and blood meal are more prominent overall in that regard."
Jessica also noted that Floret Flowers' potting soil recipe may not be the most suitable for starting delicate seeds. The complexity of the ingredients might be too enriching unless carefully managed.
She explains: "Enriched blends like Floret’s are often better suited to transplants that already have true leaves and stronger root systems. For seed germination, I would start seeds in a lighter, low-nutrient mix and transplant them into this enriched blend once true leaves appear.
"For heavy feeders like dahlias or cut flowers grown in trays for several weeks, the recipe is well balanced as written. If anything, I might add a small amount of additional perlite for sharper drainage in humid climates, or incorporate a mycorrhizal inoculant at transplanting to support root expansion."
