Okay, so I’ve been getting into houseplants lately – like, really into them. My apartment is starting to look like a mini-jungle, which is awesome, but I quickly realized that potting soil can get expensive when you’re buying bags of it all the time.
I have a small garden in my backyard, mostly for veggies and herbs. I was repotting some of my indoor plants and thought, “Hey, I wonder if I can just use some of that garden soil instead of buying more potting mix?” Seemed like a good way to save a few bucks, you know?
My Little Experiment Begins
I decided to do a little experiment. I had two spider plants that needed repotting – perfect candidates! I grabbed one bag of regular potting mix from the store, just to have a “control” plant. Then, I went out to my garden and dug up a bucket of soil.
First, I checked the garden soil. I wanted to avoid a big mess. I made sure it was relatively dry and crumbly. I picked out any big sticks, rocks, or, you know, surprise earthworms. I didn’t want any unexpected guests in my living room.
Repotting Time
- Spider Plant #1 (Control): I used the store-bought potting mix for this one. Filled the new pot about a third of the way, gently loosened the roots of the spider plant from its old pot, and nestled it into the new one. Then, I filled in the rest of the pot with the potting mix, making sure the roots were covered, but not burying the plant too deep.
- Spider Plant #2 (Experiment): I did the exact same thing, but with the garden soil I collected. I used all garden soil.
The Waiting Game (and Some Observations)
Honestly, for the first few weeks, both plants looked pretty much the same. They both seemed happy, with new leaves sprouting. But then, I started to notice some differences.
The garden soil started to compact a little more than the potting mix. It just felt… denser. I had to water it a bit more frequently because it seemed to dry out faster. I also noticed that the drainage wasn’t as good. When I watered, the water would sit on top for a few seconds before soaking in. That’s not ideal, I learned, because it could lead to root rot if you’re not careful.
The plant is still alive, but I don’t see too much new growth. It may be a little soon to say anything, but that is the status.
Final Thoughts
So, can you use garden soil for houseplants? Technically, yeah, you can. My spider plant in the garden soil is still alive. But, is it the best choice? Probably not. I think for long-term health and happiness of my indoor plants, I’ll be sticking with the potting mix. I will still use the garden soil, but I will improve the drainage and other stuff next time.
It’s just better formulated for containers, with better drainage and aeration. It’s worth the few extra dollars to avoid potential problems down the road. Lesson learned!
