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Boost your plants growth by making potting soil significantly at home[DIY] in USA

Potting soil is one of the main components of modern gardening. It is available in market packages and you can make it at home as well. 

Potting soil is a formulae-based mixture of various components like garden soil, sand, perlites, compost, and a few other minor components. it is good for seed germination vegetables and flowers. For further growth, you can change its ratio and make it useful for the transplantation of garden plants. 

Here, I'll share a guide to making potting soil at home DIY with the least components. 

How to make potting soil at home?

Considering you know how important the soil components are for seed germination while growing plants like vegetables and flowers in pots. Let's start with the need for potting soil and then will discuss the method of making it at home. 

Potting soil making at home

Why do we need potting soil?

Well, ordinary garden soil is losing its quality because of open-tillage plowing, pollution, and other factors. Current garden soil has many issues like less fertility, weed encouragements, and other unhabitable things for seeds and plants. 

  • Compacted garden soil

The soil becomes compacted when it doesn't have proper drainage and enough richness. Compacted garden soil can't help plants to absorb moisture and nutrients at a natural rate so the plants don't get their peak while growing. Thus, compacted garden soil needs treatment to be ready for potting soil. 

  • Fewer soil nutrients

With time and no mixed farming, the soil starts to lose its specific nutrients. So using an old garden soil upper layer for gardening is not a good idea in such cases. If your garden soil is not producing anything for a long time then maybe it lost its nutrients, so you can't use it for gardening. 

A good potting soil components

Potting soil should be organic and least compacted while used in the garden. 

Now, let's see what should be a good potting soil for seed germination and further transplantation.

  • Good drainage

Although, drainage also depends on the pot drainage system it also soil that helps to absorb water and helps to increase drainage rate. 

With poor drainage(not quickly but with time), the soil will become compacted even if you prepared it as potting soil. So both are responsible for complementary pots and potting soil for better drainage.

  • Rich nutrients

Good quality potting should have rich nutrients for plants that will help them to grow at their natural growth rate. Vermicompost and organic compost are good to increase soil fertility/rich nutrients naturally in the soil and make it comfortable and warm for plant roots to help them absorb the essential nutrients. 

Requirements to make potting soil 

  • Garden soil

Ordinary garden soil that is dry and almost powdery. If garden soil has too much mixing of stones, wood pieces, and other things then filter the soil before preparing it for potting soil mixture. 

  • Compost/vermicompost

Any kind of organic compost, kitchen waste compost, or even vermicompost is very useful to increase soil fertility and richness. 

  • Sand 

Dry filtered sand will help to increase the absorbing water rate and drain faster than compacted soil. 

  • Coco-peat

In summer gardening, it is better to avoid coco-peat. It helps to increase soil richness and absorption. Coco-peat is optional. 

Step-by-step guide to making potting soil 

Step 1- Take a container and ready your soil components

Take an average size container while preparing potting soil for seed germination and a large container(20 inches deep, 25 inches wide) for plant transplantation. 

Keep ready all the components for soil mixing on the table. 

Step 2- Add all the portions in a certain amount

Start with garden soil first, then compost, and then sand. The suitable ratio for potting soil should be 50% garden soil, 30% compost, 15% sand, and a few other components. 

Step 3- Mix everything well and maintain the moisture 

Mix them well with a small cultivator or planter tool and spray some water over them. If you prepared the mixture too early for transplantation, then may cover this with a cloth or wide cap on it as it will remain good but maintain moisture.

General mistakes while making potting soil 

Although potting soil preparation method is not complicated but still, beginner gardeners may do some mistakes with it, let's see how- 

  • The wrong ratio in the mixture

Mixing too much garden soil or too much compost or too much sand in the soil mixture is not good for potting. It should be fixed in a certain ratio as I suggested above or at least in a balanced method. An excessive mix of any component in the soil mixture is not effective in gardening. 

  • Inorganic components mix

Mixing growth boosters or inorganic substances in excessive amounts can destroy the purpose of potting soil. If you want to mix some pure minerals in the soil mixture in chemical form, then try to mix a very small amount according to the formulae. 

  • Keep using the outdated soil mixture

Using a potting soil mixture that lost its minerals and kept in open tillage for a very long time is not helpful for gardening purposes. If you want to store it for longer, keep it in a container in a moist area and cover it to hold the moisture and nutrients. 

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