How to Make Potting Soil by Mixing Vermiculite, Moss, and Perlite

Filling container gardens and pots with garden loam may seem like a good idea, but it is wrought with problems. Garden loam compacts easily in containers subjecting your plants to heavy, dense soil that inhibits root growth. Air pockets get clogged, leaving your plants struggling to get the oxygen they need. Purchasing premade soil mixes may be cost prohibitive, leaving you wondering what you should use for soil. Making your own potting medium allows you to create a lightweight soil that promotes healthy plant growth without straining your budget.

Wheelbarrow, large
Shovel
Garden loam
Peat moss
Perlite
Vermiculite

Instructions

- 1
  Place one bushel of garden loam in a large wheelbarrow or bin. Remove large stones, roots or any other debris in the soil. Break up clogs and mix the garden loam until it is loose and easily crumbled.
- 2
  Add one bushel of moist peat moss to the garden loam. Peat moss adds organic matter and improves the texture of the soil. Mix the peat moss and garden loam together until well blended.
- 3
  Pour one bushel of either perlite or vermiculite into the mixture. Some prefer to use both by adding a half-bushel of each. Perlite looks like tiny beads of foam, whereas vermiculite appears as metallic flecks. Perlite improves aeration and promotes drainage, while vermiculite retains both water and nutrients. Which you use depends on the needs of the plants you wish to grow.
- 4
  Mix all ingredients thoroughly and moisten lightly, if necessary. The soil mix should be damp, but not soggy. This makes the soil easier to work with and prevents dust from the perlite and peat moss when filling containers.

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