Potting soil from the garden store is a ready-to-use substrate for indoor, balcony and potted plants. For some plants, however, the soil is not loose enough and can then be mixed with sand. If you make your own potting soil, you will also use sand as an additive.

Sand loosens potting soil

qualities of potting soil

This soil should be loose, humic, rich in nutrients and structurally stable. It must store water to a certain degree and be permeable to air.
Potted and tub plants thrive in it with these properties, and with a little help in the form of special fertilizers or soil improvers, vegetables and herbs can also grow here.
Potting soil is available from a wide variety of manufacturers in specialty stores and supermarkets. Prices range from cheap to really expensive. If you want to save or just have fun with it, mix your potting soil yourself.

Mix the potting soil yourself

The basis for a self-mixed potting soil is first of all mature compost. This should also come from your own production if possible. If you don't have a compost heap in your garden, you can buy one fresh from a nearby composting facility. Other ingredients can be:

  • Fibers from wood or coconut store water
  • Sand, loosens and makes water permeable
  • stone flour
  • Clay, for water storage
  • Perlite,(37.51€) for water storage
  • bark humus
  • organic fertilizers such as horn shavings (32.93€) or flour
  • Garden soil or old potting soil, loosen up

Making potting soil step by step

If you have the opportunity, you can mix a good potting soil yourself with just a few ingredients.

  1. Take a large container, possibly a clean food keg.
  2. Fill the barrel two-thirds full with fresh compost from your own production or from the composting facility.
  3. Put the compost in layers in the container and always sprinkle some rock flour in between.(14.13€)
  4. The addition of crushed charcoal, perlite, wood or coconut fibers is also possible. This increases the water storage capacity.
  5. Let the mixture sit for about fourteen days.
  6. Now you can mix in loose garden soil. Depending on which plants are to be cultivated, add the sand. The sand allows excess rain or irrigation water to run off unhindered and also loosens it up.
  7. If you cultivate heavy feeders (e.g. tomatoes) in the soil, additional slow-release fertilizer should also be added.

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