In garden stores or discounters, potting soil and potting soil are offered as separate products. Both should be suitable for balcony planting, but also for the garden bed. In order to use the earth correctly, you have to know the differences between the two earths.
What is the difference between potting soil and potting soil?
The main difference between potting soil and potting soil is their composition: potting soil contains more nutrients, better water-retaining ingredients such as clay granules or perlite and an initial fertilizer deposit, while potting soil has fewer fertilizers and is used more to improve the soil.
The potting soil
Since the ingredients in potting soil are usually of higher quality than in potting soil, the prices for potting soil are slightly higher. It always depends on whether it is a branded item or a no-name product.
The potting soil is adapted to the needs of potted flowers, containers or balcony plants. It contains: other:
- Peat, in peat-free soil it is bark humus or fibers from wood or coconut
- Compost
- Clay granules, used to store water
- Perlite (made from volcanic glass), also for water storage
- Quartz sand makes the earth permeable so that excess water can drain away
- Lime to regulate the pH value
- NPK fertilizer, an initial fertilizer deposit of nitrogen N, phosphorus P, potassium K
The potting soil
This soil is structured almost the same as the potting soil. It consists of
- organic components, such as peat or humus
- Compost
- mineral additives such as sand or clay
- Lime for the pH value
- low fertilizers
- Fibers
Planting soil can be used anywhere in the garden. If it is to be used for specific plants, special additives can be added.
The most important differences
At first glance there are only a few differences between the two earths. However, their composition varies. Potting soil contains less sulfur, phosphate and nitrogen than potting soil, but more potassium.
Flowers grown in potting soil have limited space for their roots. To ensure that there is always enough water, the potting soil must store water over a longer period of time and therefore contains clay granules or perlite. Planting soil loosens the normal garden soil. The plants cultivated in it use the structure of the garden soil to root firmly. Potting soil must be structurally stable so that the flowers have sufficient support and do not fall over at the slightest gust of wind.
Planting soil contains little fertilizer and is used for new plantings. It improves the condition of the soil. The cultivated plants get their nutrients from the surrounding soil. Potting soil is provided with a fertilizer depot that supplies the plants for the first few weeks. You will have to fertilize later.
