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When you start your home garden the first thing you will likely need to buy is soil. Most soils found in the ground naturally, will likely need amending of some sort, and container gardening will require a soil purchase to fill them.

For container gardening and raised beds there are a few options for soil. You can buy or make compost, and/or purchase soil intended for containers or raised beds. The main thing to know is that in-ground soil is too dense to use in containers or raised beds by itself and must be amended for container use.

Container gardening works much better when the soil is a mixed type that drains well, is airy, and still retains moisture. Most container soils are a mixture of peat moss, sand, pine bark, perlite, vermiculite, or compost and don’t actually contain any dirt or soil. These are called potting or container mixes. Potting and container mixes are available in general purpose varieties and in varieties that are made for specific plant types.

Peat Moss helps sandy soil retain moisture and hold nutrients better. It is light, soft, and often used as a mulch cover or pot liner. Since peat moss is acidic, lime may need to be added to make the soil more neutral. Compost and peat moss are often mixed together for vegetable gardening because they create a good pH balance.

Pine Bark is used for soil conditioning and is beneficial for amending sandy or clay soils because it provides the aeration and moisture retention these soils lack. When it is finely ground it can be used instead of peat moss, but most fruits and vegetables will grow better with a peat moss base.

Perlite is lightweight volcanic rock that improves aeration and drainage. It is often used as a sand replacement and its pH is neutral. It is great for plants that need to dry out between watering and is often used for succulents and herbs like lavender.

Vermiculite is a type of clay and acts like the opposite of perlite. It is perfect for plants that prefer lots of water and moisture. If your container soil feels hard and compact, an addition of vermiculite can help your potting mix thrive. Your plants will absorb more nutrients and stay moist longer.

Builders Sand is the common type of sand used in potting mixes and helps improve aeration and drainage but does not retain moisture well. Containers can become too heavy if too much sand is used. Sand is good for top heavy plants as it provides some support at their base.

Most potting mixes have a base or primary ingredient of garden soil, compost, peat moss, pine bark, or sand with less percentages of other ingredients. The plants growing in your garden containers will determine the type of soil you will most likely need. Most fruit and vegetable gardens thrive in peat moss based potting mixes but if amended correctly most bases work just fine. Organic varieties of potting mixes use only natural fertilizers and ingredients. I recommend their use for fruit and vegetable gardening for a healthier harvest.