So What Are Bagged Soils? Bagged soils and mixes are usually a mixture of various materials. The combination of materials is designed to enhance the medium in some fashion for the purpose of supporting your plant.
Enriched with well-decomposed compost and organic matter, bagged Garden Soil revitalizes native soil for the best plant growth. Consider Garden Soil as an investment in the success and longevity of your in-ground garden bed.
Potting soil - Bagged potting soil usually does not contain dirt. Generally used for container gardening, it usually is a mix of peat moss, composted pine bark, and some other organic materials. Water drains out from potting soil easily.
How Long Can You Store Potting Soil? Opened bags of new potting soil can retain quality for around 6 to 12 months. For unopened and unused potting soil, you can store it for about a year or two before it goes bad.
Garden soils are typically intended for use in the ground and contain minerals and organic matter. They are not a good choice for containers because the soil can quickly become compacted and waterlogged, reducing air space around the roots. This can lead to poor or stunted growth.
If your potting soil has been sitting in your shed since last year in an opened bag and it's gotten wet, toss it. If it somehow stayed bone dry, it should be OK to use.
Why does soil get mouldy? Mould lives in moist environments. Just as you'd find mould on mushy old vegetable or damp walls, you'll find it on wet soil. It likes to grow somewhere that stays moist and doesn't move.
As long as used potting soil still looks fairly fluffy and doesn't emit a rotten odor, gardeners should be able to use it again with good results. However, if the plants formerly grown in the potting soil struggled with disease or insect problems, it's probably best to discard the mix and start fresh next season.
As a general rule, garden soil is used in outdoor raised beds or mixed into traditional garden beds. Potting soils and mixes are often used when potting up outdoor container arrangements, potting (or re-potting) houseplants, and for seed-starting and plant propagation.
The best type of soil to use for outdoor gardens for optimal growth is rich, loamy soil, a combination of sand, silt, and clay. Plus you'll need to add compost in most cases, for the essential micro and macro nutrients your vegetables and plants need.
Garden soil is just topsoil that has extra organic matter mixed in, like compost, peat, bark shredding, or fertilizer. It's intended to be used in the garden, where your plants benefit from the added fertility and nutrients. Some garden soils are even specifically tailored for vegetables or flowers.
Potting soil is a more suitable soil type for outdoor plants than garden soil. It's created with organic matter and additives to be a standalone soil for growing plants. However, it can get compacted and cause waterlogging and root suffocation when used for container plants.
To dry out soil quickly, you can apply hydrated lime to the soil, add compost and then turn the soil thoroughly to aerate it. Adding hydrated lime and compost will help absorb the water in your soil, and turning it all will help distribute the water in the waterlogged soil throughout your garden.
Compost is used to top-dress lawns, shrubs, and vegetable and flower gardens. It's also used as a component of potting mixes to hold water in potted plants on decks and patios.
You don't need to throw away moldy potting soil but it is an option. First, try removing the mold and letting the soil dry out slightly. You can also add some soil amendments like perlite and sand to improve drainage which will help to avoid moldy conditions in the future.
There are a few ingredients you can find in almost any kitchen that will help to combat mold in your houseplant's soil. These natural anti-fungals include cinnamon, apple cider vinegar, and baking soda. Cinnamon can be lightly sprinkled on your plant's soil once a week until the mold growth has stopped.
Cinnamon oil can be applied to plant stems to greatly reduce any growth of mold; perfect for indoor plants that may be vulnerable as well. Best of all, compared to other fungicide products, cinnamon oil is safe for pets and children.
Storing Bagged and Bulk Garden Soil
If you have a surplus of bagged garden soil, place the bags in plastic storage containers and store the landscape material in a garden shed, garage or other dark, dry area.
Contact your local waste collection department to find out if they have a recycling programme for soil. You can also take soil to your local waste recycling centre, also known as your local tip. Be sure to check that your local tip accepts local soil otherwise you could incur some charges.
Typically, changing the soil in your potted plants should happen every 12 to 18 months. There are some exceptions that may change this timing. These include if you're moving a plant into a bigger pot because it's outgrown its current pot or if the soil has become very hard.
Potting soil must be stored to prevent excessive moisture but not let the mixture dry out too much. Unopened bags can be stored in plastic totes or similar storage bins. Opened bags can be emptied into a plastic container with a well-sealing lid.
The Formula for Soil Mix
To create your own perfect soil mix, thoroughly blend 1 part peat or coir, 1 part perlite or vermiculite, one-half part composted bark, and one-half part worm castings. You can grow just about any crop in your indoor garden with this mix.