Homemade Potting Soil Recipe (2024)

(Pssst. This post is from 2015. I’m not pregnant anymore.) 😉

I’m back from the dead.

Or at least that’s what it feels like, especially if dead = first trimester.

That’s right, there’ll be a new Prairie Kid on the homestead come October. (Pssst. This post is from 2015. I’m not pregnant anymore.)

The funny thing about me and the first trimester (actually, funny really isn’t the right word…) is that my personality pretty much completelychanges…

I go from this hyper-motivated, homesteading, business-running, gardening, cow-milking mama who loves life and loves activity, to someone who really doesn’t care about much of anything, can’t open the refrigerator without dry-heaving, and can barely get off the couch.

Soyeah, it’s safe to say there wasn’t much from-scratch cooking happening in my kitchen these last few months. Which explains the lack of recipes here on the blog. I don’t even want to tell you what I’ve been eating. It’s all-about survival-mode, baby…

BUT, I’m officially 14 weeks and I think I’ve finally turned the corner. And let me tell ya, I’m ready to roll off the couch and get back to being my hyper, dig-in-the-dirt, cooking-up-a-storm self.

And what better way to celebrate finally feeling better, than… homemade potting soil. Am I right?

I’ve always kinda cringed when I’ve thrown those green and yellow bags of potting soil in my shopping cart at the garden store. I figured there was a better way, but never took the time to figure it out… Until now.

Thankfully, my homemade potting soil recipe is pretty darn easy to throw together. And it’ll save you some $$ too.

Why These Ingredients for My Homemade Potting Soil Recipe?

Truthfully, mixing your own homemade potting soil recipe isn’t rocket science, and there are plenty of ways to make it happen. A good potting mix will:

  • Be firm enough to support the plant
  • Be light enough to allow air/water to flow with minimal compaction
  • Be free of weed seeds and potential pathogens

But here is why I chose the ingredients I did:

Coconut Coir: Many DIY potting mix recipes call for peat moss, but since there is so much debate regarding mining from peat bogs, I decided to steer clear of it and opt for coir instead. Coconut coir is a by-product of the coconut-processing industry, and is basically ground-up coconut husk fibers. It is a fantastic choice for soil-less potting mix, as it retains water beautifully. I got mine in a big brick, and had to soak it in water before it was ready to use. You can substitute it 1:1 for peat moss in potting soil recipes

Perlite: Perlite is a lightweight volcanic rock. It holds water and helps to aerate the soil and keep it from compacting. Some people also use vermiculite or plain ol’ coarse sand in place of perlite in homemade potting soil recipes, too.

Compost: Well, you know what compost is, so I really don’t have to explain this one. Compost adds nutrients to the soil and it’s usually pretty much free if you make it at home yourself. Just make sure to use finished compost to avoid “burning” your plants or introducing weed seeds into your pots. Also, I used the finest compost I could find in my pile– you may need to sift yours if you have chunky stuff. Worm castings are another great option here.

What about Dirt?

Sorry… I meant to say soil. (I always get at least one reader correcting me when I call it dirt instead of soil.) 😉 You can absolutely use regular ol’ soil in your potting mix, and many folks do. However, it’s advised to sterilize the soil first, to eliminate weeds and potential pathogens. This can be accomplished by baking the soil at 200 degrees in your oven.

Why didn’t I do this? Because I could only imagine the mess I’d make trying to bake 10 gallons of dirt (er… soil) inside my kitchen… It just didn’t sound like fun, so I opted for coconut coir instead. Also– using straight soil in your pots can open you up to issues with compaction. So, even if you *do* decide to use sterilized soil, make sure to add some sand or other lightener in there, too.

Homemade Potting Soil Recipe

(this post contains affiliate links)

*a “part” can be anything you like– a measuring cup, a coffee can, a five-gallon bucket, etc. It just depends on how much potting soil you want to make.

If your coir came in a block, you’ll need to hydrate it.

I did this by allowing the coir “brick” to sit in water until I was able to break it apart. I then added more water until it was easy to flake apart in my hands and very moist.

Next, mix the coir and compost. Add more water if you need too– I found it much easier to handle/mix if the mixture was damp.

Add in the perlite, give it a stir, and you’re ready to go!

Use your Homemade potting soil recipe like you would store-bought mix.

DIY Potting Soil Recipe Notes:

  • Keep in mind this recipe is super flexible and lends itself well to substitutions. In some of the other recipes I’ve seen, people substituted sterilized soil or peat moss for the coconut coir, vermiculite or coarse sand for the perlite, and all sorts of different fertilizers (kelp meal, bone meal, blood meal, worm castings) for the compost.
  • This stuff is mucho easier to mix if it’s damp.
  • How does it compare in price?I paid $15.96 for an 11-lb brick of coconut coir in Amazon and $16.70 for a bag (18-quarts) of perlite. My local garden stores are pretty dismal when it comes to specialty ingredients, so it was unlikely I could have found those things here. The compost was free.Considering I only used a fraction of my ingredients for my first batch, they should last me for a while… And if you substituted coarse sand or sterilized soil, this homemade potting soil recipe would be even cheaper.

More Gardening Tips:

  • 7 Simple Ways to Improve Garden Soil
  • What We Learned by Having Our Garden Soil Tested
  • How to Make Compost Tea
  • How to Test Seeds for Viability
  • How to Disinfect Seed Trays

Homemade Potting Soil Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make your own potting soil? ›

To begin making your potting soil, you will need a 5-gallon bucket. Place equal parts of top soil, peat moss, perlite, and compost in the bucket. Add in a half a cup of garden lime, and a good handful of bone meal. Use a hand shovel to thoroughly mix all the ingredients until they are incorporated.

What is the best mixture for potting soil? ›

A good potting soil needs to be able to hold plants up, to drain well but also be able to hold water, and to be able to feed plants. The key ingredients in my potting mix are: garden soil for fertility and bulk; perlite for drainage; and a mix of peat moss and compost for water retention.

Is it cheaper to make your own potting soil? ›

The cost per liter of the potting mix (on sale) is 17 cents and the cost of my mix is approximately 13 cents a liter. 500 L of soil would cost about $83.25 for Potting Soil Mix (on sale) versus $65.64 for the recipe mix. So I'm saving less than 20 bucks and its a lot more work, lol.

Is it worth making your own potting mix? ›

Commercial pre-packaged potting soils are widely available at nursery and garden supply stores, but you can also make your own potting mix at home. Making your own mix allows you to control the types and proportions of ingredients to customize your potting mix to meet your needs.

How to make loamy potting soil? ›

Since the percentages of the three main components can vary and still qualify the soil as loam, a gardener's rule of thumb when trying to create the perfect loam is to strive for equal parts of sand and silt and half as much clay.

What's the difference between potting mix and potting soil? ›

Potting mix is commonly lighter and has better drainage and aeration than standard potting soil. It's also sterile, so you can be sure it won't introduce any fungi or weeds. However, because it's not soil, you'll want to replace it (i.e., repot your houseplants with fresh mix) every six to eight months.

How long does homemade potting soil last? ›

For unopened and unused potting soil, you can store it for about a year or two before it goes bad. Usually, potting soil lasts longer when stored in a dry and cool container.

What is 3 in 1 mix soil? ›

3 in 1 All-purpose soil mix: A blend of Peat Moss, compost and humus. It is an optimized blend to blend into existing soils or to use on its own when planting lawns, flowers, shrubs and trees.

How to make your own garden soil? ›

Some organic gardeners use 50 percent topsoil, 30 percent high-quality organic compost, and 20 percent organic materials, such as shredded leaves, mineralized soil (check with a landscaping supply company), worm castings, ground bark, wood-based fire ash, and completely composted cow or chicken manure.

Can I make potting soil out of garden soil? ›

Nevertheless, there's a list of ingredients from which most growing mediums are made. These include garden soil, peat moss, finely shredded coir or ground-up wood, sand, perlite, vermiculite, compost, leaf mold, and/or manure. Garden soil is a key component in any potting mix.

What's the difference between potting soil and potting mix? ›

Potting Mix vs Potting Soil: Which One Should You Use? Potting soil's composition makes it suitable for outdoor plants. On the other hand, a soilless potting mix is a better choice for potted plants or a container garden because it: Offers a good balance of moisture retention and water drainage for potted plants.

Can you use regular soil for potting soil? ›

Can You Use Garden Soil as a Substitute for Potting Soil or Vice-versa? Yes, you could use either garden soil or potting soil to grow outdoor plants. However, potting soil is a better choice as a growing medium as it's specifically created to support plant growth.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Fredrick Kertzmann

Last Updated:

Views: 5817

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (46 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Fredrick Kertzmann

Birthday: 2000-04-29

Address: Apt. 203 613 Huels Gateway, Ralphtown, LA 40204

Phone: +2135150832870

Job: Regional Design Producer

Hobby: Nordic skating, Lacemaking, Mountain biking, Rowing, Gardening, Water sports, role-playing games

Introduction: My name is Fredrick Kertzmann, I am a gleaming, encouraging, inexpensive, thankful, tender, quaint, precious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.