To walk and relax in a garden or yard full of a variety of lush green plants is a dream most of us have. Ornamental plants, flowering plants, and medicinal plants so on in your yard have an end number of health benefits too, which add to the motivation to make that dream come true. And this is one of those small dreams that we lose touch with while growing up.
We do not entirely prioritize this dream and hence always keep procrastinating based on two significant factors of money and maintenance effort. What if we tell you we can help you with that in this very article?
This article mentions all options from where you can get lots of potting soil for low prices. It also has a brief compilation of FAQs and hacks to save more money on potting soil and still achieve premium quality to minimize your efforts.
Here Are Some Ways of Getting Cheap Potting Soil;
Making your potting soil
Some people prefer to get soil from a local dirt place. In contrast, some people use a frame that fits over a wheelbarrow to separate the stones and compress the cluster from garden soil (use garden soil availed from a fertile location and avoid using the topsoil only for better fertility). You can purchase compressed coconut coir or peat moss at cheap.
(Note – Peat moss is not eco-friendly, as while harvesting it, carbon dioxide is released, the primary greenhouse gas increasing climate change. Also, it can be harmful if peatlands catch fire, it is a significant environmental risk) Hence an alternative to peat moss, coconut coir, is suggested. But the decision remains yours. Garden soil, coconut coir, and well-aged manure are the three main ingredients of the potting soil we are making.
Mix them in equal amounts thoroughly and compress clusters and remove rocks if there are any left after passing through the frame. You can add perlite if you feel the potting soil will require it. If your garden soil has plenty of sand, then there is no need, but if it doesn’t, some sand can be added to this mix too.
This is one of the cheapest potting soil ones can get, but it does take a little effort. But the quality of this cannot be argued. Plus, it can be customized according to our own needs, and that’s why this works best for the plants. If this mix doesn’t work for your needs, then you can find plenty of others on the site mentioned below.
Get it from a Local Farmer or Nursery
Besides being expensive, the bagged potting soil available in the market expires and isn’t as nutritious as the one you will get from a farmer or a horticulturist in a nursery. They have experience and know about this, it might seem a bit expensive (not as much as the bagged potting soil), but in the long run, this is the cheapest potting soil because of its quality.
The potting soil you will find here will be lighter and more fertile than garden soil. It will provide the plant’s root the right structure and proportionate nutrition and aeration it requires for growth. It can prove to be a great medium to grow plants in a container.
If the person is helpful enough, they might give you soil for the plant you want and some tips on gardening too. But this way will require a few of your communication skills for that person to want to help you. You can get the manure for your yard from the same place as well if you want to, it will be well-aged and of good quality made by people who have knowledge and experience in this area.
Besides these ways I would suggest to be attentive to your surroundings, the reason being we think local contacts can be beneficial. There must be a gardener or plant/flower shop around you which have an abundance of potting soil so much, so they discard it. Also, you can reuse potting soil that someone doesn’t need anymore. Watch this video to see how a human-made sure to get most out of an opportunity he saw
If you cannot make loads of it, you can mix half of the one you made, and the rest half you get from outside. A lot of people do that, and it works out pretty well. The best part it will be cheap for people who want to get soil in bulk. The more you buy, the cheaper things, especially if you are making it yourself. And if you have a facility to pick everything up yourself, you can save on the delivery charges.
Frequently Asked Questions
We have briefly answered some of the most commonly asked questions regarding potting soil. I hope these include the questions and doubts you had, and our answers assist you in getting the best use of potting soil.
Why is potting soil necessary for the plant’s health?
Plants require a delicately balanced amount of moisture, nutrients, and aeration around the roots for best results, and potting soil offers just the required structure. According to the plant, clayey and sandy can be customized to avoid harm to the plant or worst for it not to rot.
How do you use potting soil?
Most people like to add some leaf mold, compost with the soil (which a lot of gardeners make using perlite and peat/sphagnum moss). The presence of earthworms efficiently increases aeration and allows roots to breathe better, and hence they are put in willingly.
The mixture is put into the pot and mixed with hand and plant is put in, make sure to keep a balance to keep it dense enough for nutrients and lose enough for drainage of water and passage of air, Using hands or tools.
How do you revitalize and reuse potting soil?
This depends on the condition of the soil, if the soil has been used several times and has developed a white layer on the surface, you might want to replace around half of the potting soil with a fresh one and use some fertilizer. If this is not the case and it seems fresh, remove the plant and plow for aeration and replant.
Can you use potting soil in the ground?
That would not be a good idea due to the significant difference in their intents; potting soil has a fantastic draining capacity because of the narrowness, whereas the topsoil of the ground is widespread. If potting soil is used on the ground, it will dry out. And should not even be tried the other way round for the same reason.
Should I mix sand with my potting soil?
Peat moss and sand can play a significant role in improving drainage and aeration. But if you are looking for an ingredient to improve water holding capacity, sand might not be the best idea. The sand used on construction sites is one of the main ingredients in most potting soils but should not be mixed with clay-based soil.
Hacks to Minimize the use of Potting Soil
This will be needed if you have planters and pots that are huge. Some planters are so huge that most plants don’t even require that much space. So here are some hacks that can help you not only to minimize the use of potting soil and eventually make potting soil cheap but also to make the planters lighter and more comfortable to move around. Some hacks are proved to be suitable for drainage and aeration of the roots too.
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Put empty plastic bottles in the bottom of the container and then put the soil on top. It is light, environmental-friendly, cheap, and good for the plant.
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Use Styrofoam packing peanuts. It can be another cheap and light filler for a big planter.
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Wood chips, fill the bottom of the container with it. It provides excellent drainage.
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Coconut choir, another filler that offers good drainage and aeration to the plant. Some even mix the husk with the soil for the same reason.
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If you don’t have enough of one material, you can also consider mixing lightweight junk like crushed soda cans, foam take-out containers, and other packaging material.
This was how you could save off potting soil. Hacks to make potting soil cheap. That being said, these were some tips, tricks, hacks, questions to provide you all information you need about cheap potting soil.
We insist you try these in your yards and make the most out of this article, and we assure you they will prove to be helpful to achieve a beautiful yard filled with plants at low prices. We wish you a successful plant parenting and hope our article made your life a tad easier and much more greener.
Happy Gardening!