DIY Network

Soil Upgrades Soil Upgrades From "Fresh from the Garden" episode DFFG-118

Much of your crops' success depends on the soil in which they grow. These tips will help you make your soil the best it can be:

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	By mixing your own potting soil, you can get just the ingredients you want. Check out our recipe, at left.
	Perlite is important to break up the heavy peat, leaving small air pockets for the roots.
	For healthy plants like these, it's important to use the best-quality soil you can get.

• Bagged potting soil doesn't always fit the needs of what you're planting. By mixing your own soil you can get just the ingredients you want. Using a recipe, you can make a small or large batch so you have just the right quantity. All potting soil has 2 main ingredients: Something to hold moisture and something to create air pockets.

• The most common ingredient used to make soil hold moisture is peat moss. The tiny fibers soak up water like a sponge and then slowly release it into the plant roots. Peat moss comes in smaller bags and large square wrapped bundles.

• Mix 3 bags of peat moss in a tub. Wet peat moss can hold so much water that it can drown a plant, that’s why Perlite is important. It breaks up the heavy peat, leaving small air pockets for the roots. Two bags of perlite are needed for the proper ratio. Mix them together until you have a fine loose soil. Once it is all stirred, add a heaping tablespoon of lime. The lime balances out the acidity of the peat moss, making the mix suitable for a wider range of plants.

• The final step in the recipe is to add fertilizer to the mix. Depending on how you'll use the soil will determine the best fertilizer to add. House plants and established seedlings do best with a slow-release fertilizer, use a balanced ratio like 10-10-10. If you’re planting seedlings you can use seed starter fertilizer in place of the 10-10-10.

• The great thing about making your own potting mix is you'll always have the amount you need. Just follow the recipe of 3 parts peat moss to 2 parts perlite, then add a sprinkle of lime and fertilizer and you're ready to get planting.