All Potting Soils Are Not Created Equal: Part 3 in the Soil Series

There are potting soils on the market in almost every store you walk into, including supermarkets and sometimes gas stations. There are many varieties of potting mixes too. How do you know which one is right for your needs? What are the ingredients in potting soils and what is their purpose? Why is it important to your success in growing your favorite plants?

Through my 3+ years of trials and testing, I figured out how to make potting soil good for most any plants. The most important thing is the pH of the soil and nutrient availability to the plants.

Plants roots must be able to breathe to grow and perform successfully. Many customers bring me samples or pictures of plants not doing well, and do not have a disease or insect problem. Typically, it is a root issue. I always tell them a plant is only as healthy as roots are healthy! It all starts with the roots! PlantRight Potting soil has wood fiber technology that allows for the best soil porosity I have ever seen. Wood fiber technology is using the hard wood part of the pine tree, and under heat, water, and pressure it extrapolates into fine irregular fibers that don’t fit together like a puzzle! These irregular fibers allow for a lot of openings in the soil for air, and make it easy for the roots to travel and spread easily throughout the whole soil profile. This means the plant can absorb more water, and more nutrients throughout the whole soil profile, instead of just where the roots can get their way through! When plants roots can also spread throughout the whole soil profile, this also means the plant can support itself better and is less likely to fall over!

Another benefit of wood fiber technology is water wicking potential. Several times I saw my plants wilting in the growing houses and the soil dry on top late in the day. I did not want to water late in the day and increase the disease potential. So, the next morning I went to water the wilted plants, and they were not wilting! How did that happen? The moisture in the soil traveled along the fibers to the center of the soil profile during the heat of the day, and then when the sun went down and the wind died down in the evening, the moisture traveled back the top and edges of the soil profile and the wilted plants had water again! The plants were able to go for another 2-5 hours the next day before really needing to be water! Holy cow! This wood fiber technology will buy the busy homeowner several more hours of time in watering, and less chance of their plants dying from lack of water! On the flip side, for those who like to love their plants with too much water, the porosity will allow the excess water to flow through and out of the mix, making it less likely for the plants to get root rot and die! Revolutionary! It is like having best of both worlds, having a cake and eating it too!

I think it is getting more obvious that PlantRight potting soil is the soil for you!

This is part three of a series on why all potting soils are not created equal. Stay tuned for your next nugget of vital information on PlantRight potting soil, and why it is good for you and your success in growing healthy plants!

Written By "Rockin' Kev" Kevin Keilig