The Difference Between Potting Soil and Potting Mix

Shopping for a growing medium for potted plants can be confusing because “potting soil” and “potting mix” are terms often used interchangeably. Potting soil and potting mix are different, depending on what you need them for, whether for potting or repotting container-grown plants, starting seeds, or adding soil to a garden bed.

Here are the key points when deciding about using potting soil vs. potting mix so you know you're getting the right product for your purpose.

What is Potting Soil?

Potting soil is very often sold as "garden soil," and is labeled "for in-ground use." Quality bagged soil products are formulated to mimic the components of the best natural soils in the ground.

Uses of Potting Soil

True soil is generally not used for ordinary container gardening, but it is sometimes used to fill large raised beds, especially when the existing soil in a yard is of poor quality.

Common Ingredients of Potting Soil

Potting soil products contain true dirt, including mineral elements such as sand, clay, and loam. Bagged potting soils are often mixed with compost to improve their nutritional value.

What is Potting Mix?

Potting mixes do not contain any dirt. These bagged products are sometimes labeled "soilless mix" or "soilless medium."

Uses of Potting Mix

Potting mix is the standard product used for most container gardening, both indoors and outdoors.

Common Ingredients of Potting Mix

Potting mixes contain organic materials, such as peat moss, with additional elements to improve drainage. They sometimes contain slow-release fertilizers as a component.

What Is Potting Mix vs. Potting Soil?

When purchased as bagged products, potting soil is much different than potting mix. When shopping for a growing medium, read the label to know what you are buying. When the ingredients are not listed, the bag's weight is usually a good indicator because true soil will be much heavier than potting mix. Don’t be tempted by the colorful design on the bag. If the bag doesn't list ingredients, don’t buy it.

Comparison of Potting Soil and Potting Mix
Potting soil	Potting mix
Usually based on in-ground soil (dirt)	Soilless: does not contain any soil. Often labeled as soilless mix or soilless medium
Not sterile; can contain pathogens such as fungi or other diseases. Might contain weed seeds.	Sterile; makes it safer for plants because it doesn't contain pathogens that cause disease
Contains minerals and organic matter	Contains components to improve aeration and drainage such as peat moss, sphagnum moss, aged bark (pine bark), coir (from coconut husks), pumice, perlite, or vermiculite
Often contains organic compost	Might contain slow-release starter fertilizer or other fertilizer
Heavy	Lightweight and fluffy

 

How to Choose Between Potting Soil vs. Potting Mix

Container Gardening

For container gardening, both indoor and outdoor potted plants, as well as seed starting, use only soilless potting mixes. Their special combination of ingredients ensures that the mix retains moisture and won’t compact to allow enough air space for tender roots to grow. Also, in sterile soilless potting mixes, plants or seeds are not exposed to disease pathogens or weed seeds. A soilless potting mix is a much more controlled growing medium than potting soil. 

Non-Container Gardening

When choosing a growing medium for non-container gardening or in the landscape, use potting soil (often packaged as "garden soil"). It can also sometimes be used to fill large raised beds or large elevated planters. Note potting soil contains true mineral soil and can become compacted, dense, and water-soaked. While potting soil might provide a good amount of nutrients from the compost it contains, you will still have to add other amendments to improve overall soil texture and drainage. 

Why Potting Mix is Better for Aeration, Weight, and Drainage

Potting mix is the medium of choice for nearly all container gardening for three reasons: aeration, weight, and drainage.

• Potting mixes are fluffier growing mediums, which allow water and air to better penetrate the roots in the confined area of a container. This fluffiness makes for better root aeration, which is essential to the health of plants.
• This fluffiness also improves drainage and prevents roots from stagnating in water, which can cause root rot.
• Finally, the fluffy, airy nature of a potting mix also makes potted plants lighter in weight, which can be an important consideration if you are moving large potted plants around a patio or deck.

True soil, by contrast, is typically much heavier and denser than a potting mix. When used in containers, garden soil typically holds too much water to allow the roots to breathe and drain effectively.

Different Types of Potting Mixes

For most container-grown plants, use a standard all-purpose potting mix but some plants require exceptionally good drainage or a higher or lower pH. For these special conditions, purchase potting mixes formulated for specific types of plants, such as the following:

• Orchid potting mix: All-purpose potting mix retains too much water and too little air for orchids. Specialized orchid potting mix contains bark to drain well and create airflow that orchids require. 
• Succulent and cactus potting mix: The sand in this type of potting mix ensures the fast drainage that is key for growing succulents and cacti. A variation of this is cacti, palm, and citrus potting mixes, which also contain recycled forest products and pH adjusters such as oyster shell lime to keep the potting mix at a slightly alkaline range.
• African violet potting mix: A specially formulated potting soil with pH adjusters such as dolomitic lime that meets the slightly acidic pH requirements of 6.0 to 6.5. 
• Organic potting mix: A wide range of organic potting mixes are available. Look for the OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) label which certifies that everything that goes into the potting mix production is organic. If the mix contains fertilizer, only organic ingredients such as bone meal or blood meal are used.
• Moisture-control potting mix: Some potting mixes contain moisture-control elements that absorb and retain more water than standard potting mixes due to the addition of sphagnum moss, coir, and wetting agents such as a non-toxic polymer.