Potting soil is usually produced industrially, but you can also mix it yourself. The composition is almost the same for both variants.
Potting soil consists of peat, compost and often a fiber.
The components of the potting soil
Potting soil is mixed together from different substances:
- peat
- compost
- fibers from wood or coconut
- bark humus
- clay granules
- perlite
- bedrock meal
- Horn shavings (32.93€) or - flour
- sand
peat
The usual potting soil contains mostly (at least half) peat. This consists of rotted plant material and can store many times its weight in water. Peat is extracted from the bogs. However, environmentalists are becoming active here, since peat extraction is destroying valuable moorland. If you consider that only 1 mm of new peat is produced in a year, the objections to the use of peat are quite justified.
Attempts are now being made to replace the peat with bark humus (composted tree bark) and fibers from wood and coconut. These substances also absorb water well and have the advantage that they do not make the soil acidic.
compost
Another important component is the mature compost. In the composting plant, but also in your own compost heap, plant materials are decomposed under the influence of oxygen and soil organisms. Among other things, this produces minerals that act as natural fertilizers.
fibers and bark humus
They consist of composted tree bark, wood or coconut and serve as a soil conditioner and water reservoir in the earth. These components are added to the potting soil so that peat can be dispensed with.
Clay granules and perlite (from volcanic glass)
On the one hand, both substances loosen the soil and, on the other hand, they store a lot of water.
bedrock meal
Lattice rocks are usually ground industrially for this additive. The flour promotes the formation of humus and also improves the water retention capacity in the soil.
horn shavings or horn meal
Both are fertilizers made from ground horn or hooves of slaughtered cattle and provide sufficient nitrogen in the soil.
sand
Finely ground quartz sand (€15.85) can be mixed into the potting soil. This ensures that excess water or rainwater drains off properly. This means that no waterlogging can occur in the flower pot or tub.