Used Potting Mix in the ground

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PaulF1 Raleigh, NC Apr 28, 2009

I planted some Salvia plants in the ground yesterday and used potting mix rather than potting soil. Should I take them up and replace with potting soil?

I also see they recommend mixing native soil with potting soil. Is this absolutely necessary?

PaulF1

Post #6475326
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monkapotamus Winston Salem, NC(Zone 7b) Apr 28, 2009

If you dug the hole/plant bed so they have plenty of room around them for the roots to grow and water to drain, i'd think the potting soil should be fine. Potting soil needs to be rich in nutrients and have more in it to keep it loose and draining well (vermiculite, perlite, peat moss, etc.). I think the main reason people don't use it in the ground is that it is so much more expensive than amending the soil w/ compost, manure, etc.

I'm in NC too and have very heavy clay soil. It can stay too wet, and roots will rot, then once it does dry, will just turn into a brick. Check on your plants several hours after you have watered, to make sure they are moist, but not still sitting in a puddle.

Post #6475614
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ecrane3 Dublin, CA(Zone 9a) Apr 28, 2009

Where the potting soil could cause problems is if you've got clay soil--you can end up with a "clay bathtub" where the water sits there and doesn't drain out (sort of like what would happen if you planted things in a pot without a drainage hole). If you mix the native soil with the potting soil over a wider area around the plant then you don't create that bathtub effect. But if your soil is sandier and drains well then you don't need to worry as much.

Post #6475869
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PaulF1 Raleigh, NC May 14, 2009

Thanks for the suggestions. I decided to replant using a mix of potting soil with native soil.

I think the potting mix would have held too much water in the underlying clay soil.

PaulF

Post #6547686
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dp72 Woodway, TX(Zone 8a) May 14, 2009

The roots would likely have spread into the clay and there wouldn't be a problem after that, but if you had a lot of rain or watered excessively there could have been. Generally, it's best to either plant things in the native soil OR amend the entire bed before doing your plantings.

Post #6547773
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