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| Hi,
I just found a bag of soil (not in original packaging). It is extra soil that I've been saving to use - but I don't know if it is potting soil or garden soil. Is there any way to tell - maybe by how granular it is? It smells good. If I'm not sure, I can use it in my garden, but if I can determine for sure it is potting, I'll use it in my pots. thanks,
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Follow-Up Postings:
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| PS, on examining it closer, I see it has little white particles in it- vermiculite perhaps. |
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- Posted by gardengal48 PNW zone 8 (My Page) on Sat, May 14, 11 at 11:01
| Seriously? Garden soil comes from the garden :-) Potting soil is a mix of non-soil ingredients, typically with a peat, coir or bark base. Maybe what you are really asking is the difference between what is sometimes referred to as planting soil and potting soil. Planting soils are typically soil-based (loam, sometimes 'topsoil', whatever they may consider that to be) products, usually with some sort of organic matter additives, that are intended to be used in an inground gardening situation as an amendment or for raised beds. A potting soil should be a durable, highly textured product, often with mineral additives to assist with drainage. White particles would indicate perlite or pumice - vermiculite is sort of a pale grayish-brown. And not very good for assisting with drainage |
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- Posted by mustard_seeds 4 -Onalaska Wisconsi (My Page) on Sat, May 14, 11 at 16:23
| You could put it in a pot, water it, and see how it drains. Dig in it the next day to see if breaks up easily. If it looks good try adding to some pots and plant some pretty flowers. Don't forget some mulch on top when you are done! |
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| No commercial potting soil mixes actually contain any of the mineral component garden soil has. Potting soil mixes will be peat moss, coir, finely ground bark, etc. and vermiculite or perlite, with maybe some fertilizer. |
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| thank you for your input. I was thinking of seeing how it drains, I'll try that. |
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- Posted by purpleinopp 8b AL (My Page) on Tue, May 17, 11 at 18:57
| There's an echo in here. |
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