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Originally Posted by dwalstad I dig up dirt (top soil) from my property for the pots. I don't think that you'll find real soil in a store. Because of where I live, the soil here is a clay type (Piedmont Clay). However, I have used desert soil (sandy texture) from Arizona for one of my experiments. Plants grew very well in it.
The point is to use real soil, which is mostly mineral particles (mix of sand, clay, silt) and usually contains less than 5% organic matter. The "soils" sold in garden centers are usually more than 50% organic matter and easily go anaerobic when confined in a pot. Unless the plant is very healthy, it will have trouble keeping its roots safely oxygenated. And don't use subsoils; they're too acidic. |
Would adding clay and mineralizing cheap top soil from big box stores work fine for pots? In Oregon several of us have had problems finding anything resembling soil, all we have is bags of pine bark

... Miraclegrow OC has worked very well for my tanks substrate, but I have to agree its horrible for pots (unless growing plants emersed). I would like to dig up my own dirt, but the ground is polluted and fertilized around my apartments.