Use organic potting mix for healthy gardens.
Organic potting soil meets a plant's needs based on a number of factors. Mix your own organic potting soil to supply plant roots with the right measures of air, water and other nutrients. Mix a classic soil-based potting mix for organic potting media with good drainage, suggests the National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service website. Mix a classic soil-based mix with equal parts sand, topsoil and compost. Follow guidelines for certified organic production to ensure organic quality. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Mix topsoil in your organic potting mix. Use topsoil without any ingredients, such as pesticides and environmental pollutants that are not considered organic.
2. Add coarse sand, also called builder's sand, to create open spaces in the potting mix. Use coarse sand for its weight and for a stable environment when potting tall plants. Find coarse sand at hardware stores and "big box" building centers.
3. Use compost in organic potting soil mix for its affordability, for its nutrient-rich properties and for ease of production. The National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service recommends making compost from a recipe using specific ingredients. Add compost, for example, with properties including a pH level of 6.5 to 8.0, and no more than trace amounts of sulfides, nitrates and soluble salts.
4. Supplement organic potting mix with nitrogen. Add alfalfa meal to the soil when growing seedlings for several weeks, advises the Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension Program.
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