Compost Potting Soil

Compost potting soil allows gardeners to boost the nutrients that their plants can get without spending large sum of money on expensive potting soil bought commercially.

This will aid your plants to grow much healthier too.

Gardeners are allowed to expand the reach of commercially expensive potting soil without reducing the soil’s capability by mixing compost potting soil. The compost can provide a boost of minerals and nutrients needed by your seedlings and bedding plants. Also, it enhances the drainage of the commercial compost thus makes it easier for the plants to reach and have the moisture needed for proper growth. Just do not mix the compost of more than 1/3 of the volume of the potting soil. The University of Minnesota Cooperative Extension says that the proportion of the compost potting soil helps in minimizing the potential problems in aeration and also keeps the plant soil from exceedingly over with water.

Mixing Compost Potting Soil

First is to measure the amount of the compost soil necessary for your plants. For example, if you require potting soil of about 12 cups, just measure only 4 cups of the compost soil. Then assess the consistency of your compost. Your compost must be very damp, just like a wrung-out sponge. In a ½ or 1 gallon plastic garden pot, pour your dampened compost, encase it in a clear plastic bag, and seal it with a twist tie. Next is to place your sealed compost plastic bag directly to the sun to be able to sterilize it. Leave it there for at least 2 weeks. This will allows the sun to kill the weed seeds that usually compete with your plants’ seedlings for the compost nutrients.

Next is to sprinkle 2 cups of your commercial potting soil in a 5 gallon bucket’s bottom. Add 1 cup of the sterilized compost soil to the 5 gallon bucket and stir these 2 ingredients with the use of a trowel. Mix the materials in circular motion until they are thoroughly blended well. Dump your mixture into the next 5-gallon bucket and repeat the blending procedure with the additional compost and potting soil until you have enough amount of the compost potting soil necessary for your planting needs.

You can use the compost potting soil right away or just store the unused compost potting soil in a sealed plastic bag for up to 1 month. Consider to use and mix a handful of perlite, sand, or vermiculite into 3 cups of compost potting soil so that you can further improve the drainage and the aeration of the soil. Just remember the ratio of the mixture so that you can have an effective compost potting soil.

    Comment

    (All the above fields are required.)