While many gardeners rely on bagged products, learning how to make potting soil yourself gives you more control over texture, nutrients, and cost, especially when working on larger projects. Making your own potting soil allows you to customize your blend while often saving money in the process.
So, how do you make potting soil that drains well, supports healthy roots, and holds nutrients? The process is simpler than you might think. With the right ingredients and the right tools, like a Power Planter auger, you can create quality potting soil at home.
What is Potting Soil?
Potting soil is a growing medium designed for container planting. Unlike soil that comes straight from the ground, potting soil has a mixture of different ingredients for better drainage, aeration, and access to nutrients in confined spaces like pots. A good potting soil should:
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Be dense enough to support mature plants
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Allow water to drain while still holding moisture
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Contain organic matter for nutrients
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Be free of weeds, insects, or harmful pathogens
Because it contains actual soil, potting soil works well for large containers, outdoor planters, and situations where added weight and stability are beneficial.
What’s the Difference Between Potting Soil & Potting Mix?
Although they are often confused, potting soil and potting mix serve two different purposes. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right option for each planting project.
Potting soil contains actual soil, as well as amendments like compost and perlite. It’s heavier than potting mix and gives plants a similar experience to actually being in the ground. Potting soil is a good choice for outdoor containers and long-term plantings.
Potting mix is soilless, made from ingredients like peat moss, coconut coir, and coarse sand. It’s lighter, drains faster, and is commonly used for seed starting and indoor plants.
How Do You Make Potting Soil?
Homemade potting soil combines real soil with organic and structural amendments. When learning how to make your own potting soil, these are the most common ingredients:
Soil: Make sure you sterilize the soil first in order to eliminate weeds, insects, and potential pathogens. You can do this by baking the soil at 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the oven.
Compost: Compost will add much-needed nutrients and organic matter that plants need to thrive. Be sure that you are using finished compost, as unfinished compost can burn plant roots or introduce weeds. The beauty of homemade compost is that it is free!
Peat Moss or Coconut Coir: Peat moss and coconut coir both help improve moisture retention while keeping soil from becoming too dense. Coconut coir is often preferred as a more sustainable option and can be substituted 1:1 for peat moss. Either ingredient will help the potting soil from drying out too quickly.
Perlite, Vermiculite, or Coarse Sand: You can use any one of these ingredients to help aerate the soil and keep it from compacting. Perlite is the most commonly used as it is lightweight and holds moisture well. If you choose to use vermiculite, make sure it is horticultural grade, and you get it from a garden center. Vermiculite is a type of clay that can easily compact, reducing its ability to hold water and aerate.
Simple Potting Soil Recipe
For a balanced homemade potting soil, follow this recipe:
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2 parts sterilized soil
- 1 part finished compost
- 1 part coconut coir or peat moss
- 1 part perlite, vermiculite, or coarse sand
This blend will provide structure, nutrients, moisture retention, proper drainage, and aeration, and is ideal for most plant containers.
How an Auger Helps with DIY Potting Soil
Mixing soil, compost, and other amendments by hand can be an exhausting task, especially when you’re making multiple batches. Using a Power Planter auger attached to a cordless drill allows you to:
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Quickly blend heavy soil and compost
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Create a consistent mixture across containers with less effort
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Save your back, arms, and shoulders from strain
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Mix directly in wheelbarrows, tubs, or buckets
Our collection of augers comes in various sizes depending on the job you need them for. A short auger is perfect for smaller jobs, whereas a longer, standing auger will keep you from bending over and putting unnecessary strain on your body when working on larger projects. That allows you to spend less time mixing and more time planting.
Learning how to make your own potting soil gives you the freedom to customize your growing medium and reduce costs over time. By choosing the right ingredients and utilizing an auger to speed up the process, you can create a consistent, reliable soil blend for containers of all sizes.
If you’re unsure which auger is right for your needs, check out our Auger Guide for more information.
