What is rich soil?

The directions say "plant in rich, well-drained potting soil"? What makes potting soil rich and are all potting soils the same? What if I add half compost to potting soil, will that make the soil rich and will it drain well?

Plants that prefer rich soil should do very well if you add compost to your potting soil. Everyone has their own personal favorite when it comes to potting soil. I have always used Miracle Grow but I make sure to get the one that doesn't have fertilizer added. Fertilizer can be hard on new plant roots so I prefer to add it as needed.

Unfortunately, due to there being so many different types of potting soils available, there ARE bad ones out there. Some tend to hold too much water and thus don't "drain well" and you end up with plants that literally drown.

The really cheap bags sold at the big box stores tend to be like this (from my experience, anyway...) and appear to have a lot of sludge in them. Often times you can see the excess moisture oozing out of the bags.

Since you're in Calif., you should be able to get Supersoil and MiracleGro potting soil...both of which are very good, IMO. There are others available too, but I always just use these two.

Just remember one key thing: "Planter Mix" or "Planting Mix" is NOT Potting Soil and shouldn't be used as such. These products are soil "ammendments" which are mixed in to ground soil to improve it.

Sometimes the wording on the bags is deceptive and can lead people to believe that such products are potting soils. Read the lables on the bags to be sure it says the product can be used successfully as a potting medium.

Maybe we can't use brand names on Dave's- oops, my hands are taking over and I can't control them- the absolute worst I have ever tried is Hyponex, made by Scott's, who also market MiracleGro (no w.). Here is what a post at Colorado State says about it:

Second, Hyponex All Purpose Potting Soil and Green Charm resulted in poor plant growth. Both of these media contain sedge peat, a fine particle material that tests to a low porosity. There simply isn't enough space within these media for the water and air that plant roots need to grow successfully. Black Gold All Organic Potting Mix resulted in significantly less plant growth in one out of two years.

They used to use COAL ASHES in this product, and it turned your hands black if you messed with it. I see they have upgraded to sedge peat, which is practically inert, just as ashes are.

The most knowledgeable plant person I ever knew bought a high quality mix such as the one marketed by Fertilome, or, yes, MiracleGro WITHOUT fertilizer, and mixed it 50/50 with a cheap brand that was composed mostly of ground bark, etc. A large grocery chain here sells that for $1.64 for "40 pounds," and it's fine. In fact, I use it 100% for all my planting and I have no complaints. The big box cheap potting soil tends to contain chucks of clay and a lot of sand, as well as other unidentifiable stuff.

How Scott's can put a product like Hyponex on the market is more than I can understand. Sure, it's cheap, but it seems that even someone who is new at gardening would look at it and feel of it (ugh!) and suspect something was wrong.

I bought that stuff once and I had every problem you mentioned. Live and learn I guess. :~)

I like Fertalome too some i mix with garden soil and some i use as is. I'm slowly digging my perennials up and replanting in large containers. Started last year and so far fertalome has done great.

Have also heard good things about a potting soil called Sunshine mix. Think it come from Canada.
Vickie

Since you mentioned Sunshine mix, I thought I'd go ahead and paste and copy the list of potting mixes that Colorado State says are all very good and about equal in quality:


● Home & Garden Showplace Professional Mix

● Fertilome Potting Mix

● Nature’s Yield Potting Soil

● Southland Potting & Plant Mix

● Black Gold All Purpose Mix

● Permagreen General Purpose Potting Soil

● Schultz’s Instant Potting Soil Plus

● Sunshine All Purpose