Essential Considerations When Choosing A Soil Mix
Soil comprises organic and inorganic materials that provide a medium for plant growth. Quality soil allows for healthy development and spreading of roots, and increasing water and nutrient intake. If you want to grow plants in a new garden, you need to source soil mixes from a reputable supplier. Notably, the type of soil mix you should choose depends on a few factors, as highlighted in this article.
Native or Exotic Plants? — When buying soil mix, a supplier will ask you whether you plan to grow native or exotic plants. It is a crucial question because native and exotic plants react differently to various soil mixes. Notably, native plants can only thrive if the soil mix provides the proper nutrients for growth. For instance, some native plants are sensitive to phosphorous; hence, the soil mixture should contain minimal traces of the compound. However, non-sensitive native plants thrive in standard soil mixes. On the other hand, you can use general-purpose soil mixes if you plan to grow exotic plants. In most cases, the soil mix for exotic plants comprises a unique blend of compost, soil and sand. The soil mixes are easy to use since all you need is to cover seedlings and apply a balanced fertilizer.
Vegetable or Ornamental Garden? — The next question you should ask is whether you plan to grow a vegetable or an ornate garden. Since you grow edible greens in a vegetable garden, you need to provide the plants with suitable nutrients to grow fast and healthy. In turn, vegetables growing in a fertile soil mix provide you with the necessary nutrients to maintain a healthy body. Therefore, you should opt for a nutrient-packed soil mix for a vegetable garden. For instance, growing vegetables with big green leaves, such as lettuce or cabbages, needs soil mix with lots of nitrogen. Conversely, since you only grow blooms in an ornamental garden, you need a different soil mix. Overall, the soil mix for an ornamental garden should contain blends of soil, including coarse sand, graded ash, peat and composted organics.
Are You Potting or Planting? — Do you plan to grow your plants in pots or a garden? While potting and garden soil mixes typically contain the same organic materials such as bark, tree products and sawdust, the additives differ. For instance, soil in plant containers should encourage drainage to prevent compaction. Thus, the soil mix should include inorganic material like peat moss to hold moisture. On the other hand, soil mix for garden plants does not require such ingredients because drainage and compaction are not significant issues.