{"id":1344,"date":"2025-03-11T10:55:30","date_gmt":"2025-03-11T15:55:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theiowagardener.com\/wordpress\/?page_id=1344"},"modified":"2025-03-11T10:55:33","modified_gmt":"2025-03-11T15:55:33","slug":"how-to-spend-less-on-potting-soil","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/theiowagardener.com\/wordpress\/how-to-spend-less-on-potting-soil\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Spend Less On Potting Soil"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you have lots of containers to fill, especially large pots and planters, save money big-time by blending your own potting soil. It takes just minutes!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Large<\/a>
\u00a9 Whitechild \/ Fotolia<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
By Veronica Lorson Fowler
The Iowa Gardener<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Save moola on potting soil and still give your container plants the best growing medium possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Potting soil is the best medium for growing most container plants. It\u2019s lighter and richer than garden soil\u2014the perfect blend for the healthiest plants. But it can be expensive, especially if you have large pots and planters. Here\u2019s how to minimize your expenses:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022 Buy in large quantities. Buy quality brand-name potting soil in big bags. (Cheap potting soils tend to have poor-quality blends of ingredients that don\u2019t help plants in the long run.) Keep clipped or tied shut when not using so it doesn\u2019t dry out. I might be hard to re-wet, depending on its composition.
\u2022 In large pots and planters, you really need only 8 inches or so for most annuals. Fill the bottom with ordinary garden soil.
\u2022 If weight is an issue, as it is in windowboxes and large containers you want to move around, put a few plastic soda bottles (lids on) in the bottom to take up space at minimal cost.
\u2022 Or invert a plastic pot over the drainage hole to minimize the amount of potting soil needed.
\u2022 If you use lots of potting soil, mix up your own. Far cheaper than buying several large bags.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Recipe for Homemade Potting Soil<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

2 parts compost*
2 parts sphagnum peat moss
1 part perlite<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Blend together with a trowel or small spade in a wheelbarrow. Adjust proportions as desired to create a consistency you like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Variation: If desired, add\u00a0Osmocote<\/a>\u00a0or another granular fertilizer as directed on the package and mix in. It will slow feed your plants for several weeks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Variation: If desired, add water-retaining\u00a0polymer crystals<\/a>\u00a0to the water, as directed in the package. (Be careful not to put in too much or you’ll have a mess once you water. Use very, very sparingly, following package directions.) I find this cuts my watering significantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

* Preferably from your\u00a0compost heap.<\/a>\u00a0Or purchase in bags. Read the labels carefully\u2014they’re confusing. Go for a product labeled simply “compost.”\u00a0 Avoid products labeled as a composted manure since it will be too rich.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Please do not use content from this site without express permission from The Iowa Gardener.\u00a0Click here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to request permission to use.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If you have lots of containers to fill, especially large pots and planters, save money big-time by blending your own potting soil. It takes just minutes! By Veronica Lorson FowlerThe Iowa Gardener Save moola on potting soil and still give your container plants the best growing medium possible. Potting soil is the best medium for […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2082,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[12,7,145,1],"tags":[172,170,171,169,173],"class_list":["post-1344","page","type-page","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-how-to-information-for-iowa-gardeners","category-garden-know-how","category-indoor-gardening","category-uncategorized","tag-container","tag-container-soil","tag-potting","tag-potting-soil","tag-same-money"],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Spend Less On Potting Soil - The Iowa Gardener<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/theiowagardener.com\/wordpress\/how-to-spend-less-on-potting-soil\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Spend Less On Potting Soil - The Iowa Gardener\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"If you have lots of containers to fill, especially large pots and planters, save money big-time by blending your own potting soil. 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