{"id":2431,"date":"2021-12-13T08:54:59","date_gmt":"2021-12-13T08:54:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/?p=2431"},"modified":"2021-12-14T08:19:15","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T08:19:15","slug":"how-to-prepare-soil-for-container-gardening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gardendad.co.uk\/how-to-prepare-soil-for-container-gardening\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Prepare Soil For Container Gardening?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Soil is just about the most important thing to consider when you are looking to start your container garden<\/a>. So, how to prepare soil for container gardening? Luckily, there are lots of different ways you can do this, depending on what you want to plant and the results you are after.<\/p>\n

How To Prepare Soil For Container Gardening?<\/h2>\n

\"soil<\/p>\n

When growing in containers, as opposed to growing in the ground, you have to make sure that your plants have enough nutrients<\/strong>, and that the soil drains well<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

If you make your own container garden compost, you can be certain that you\u2019ve got the balance right – plus you will even more proud when your plants thrive<\/a>!<\/p>\n

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  1. Start by working out how much soil you are likely to need. It\u2019s no good buying one small bag and discovering that it barely covers the bottom of your pots.<\/li>\n
  2. Check the nutritional needs of the plants you are growing. For example, tomatoes need a lot of nitrogen, so their soil requirements will be different to most flowers.<\/li>\n
  3. If you are planting something that is to stay in the container a long time, buy a loam soil<\/strong> and combine it with compost for the nutrients.<\/li>\n
  4. Adding coarse material such as Perlite<\/strong> or coconut coir<\/strong> is a great option for increasing the drainage capabilities of your soil.<\/li>\n
  5. You can reuse your container soil after the first season – just tip it all out onto a tarp and pick out any weeds and leftover roots.<\/li>\n
  6. If your plants aren\u2019t growing too well one year, adjust the quantities and types of nutrient so that they perform better the following year.<\/li>\n
  7. Always go for chemical free<\/strong> additions to your soil, whether this is the compost or fertilisers that you add.<\/li>\n
  8. Some people heat the soil<\/strong> to remove pathogens – this requires having trays of soil in your oven though, so many people aren\u2019t up for it!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    What Is A Good Soil Mixture For Container Gardening?<\/h2>\n

    You can, of course, use any old soil for your container garden. After all, soil is soil, right? Surely it\u2019s definitely better than no soil at all!<\/p>\n

    Well, yes and no. Ordinary soil is alright for planting up your containers, but it should definitely be modified to improve it and get the best results.<\/p>\n

    If you are using garden soil, you should mix it with the following things, one part of soil to one part each of:<\/p>\n

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    • Peat Moss. This is an essential ingredient for potting soil, as it contains nutrients and will also make the soil slightly more acidic.<\/li>\n
    • These little white grains look a bit like polystyrene, but it is actually made from superheated volcanic glass. It is excellent for moisture retention as well as drainage.<\/li>\n
    • Coarse builder\u2019s sand. This is a great addition to your soil to help with drainage – no plant likes to get waterlogged, and they may well rot if they get too wet.<\/li>\n
    • This alkali substance can be used if you want your soil to be less on the acidic side, for plants that like a more balanced pH.<\/li>\n
    • Kelp powder. This seaweed based substance is a powerhouse of nutrients. It will give your plants a real boost when they start their growing season.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      Buying in shop bought compost is all very well, but if you have a lot of large containers to fill it can get very expensive, very quickly!<\/p>\n

      Have a go at making your own container soil mix, and you will enjoy the results that can be specially tailored to suit your individual plants.<\/p>\n

      This video will give you some good tips on making your own container soil:<\/p>\n