Now you are finally growing your own herbs, you might ask yourself what are the best soils for indoor herbs?
As a general rule, the best soil for indoor herbs is made out of two parts of coir or peat moss, one part of compost or manure, one part of vermiculite, and lastly, one part of sand or perlite.
Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered with this blog post. This article will tell you how to prepare a potting mix that specifically targets what your herb needs. And many more!
In order for herbs to thrive all year round, proper composition, nutrients, and pH levels of the soil are compulsory. There are various other factors also which you will get to know after reading the complete article.
Contents
The Best Soil For Indoor Herbs
If your friends advise you to grow indoor herbs in gardening soil, tell them the chicken can’t digest the lion’s diet. Gardening soil is heavy, can damage roots, and cause diseases, i.e. it is never a good choice.
Indoor plants need loose, well-drained soil because the plants remain in indirect sunlight mostly, which slows the water absorption process. Well-drained soil has the property of holding the perfect amount of water according to the herb’s needs.
Moreover, the soil for indoor herbs should have a medium level of nutrients, and soil pH should be between 6 and 7. Therefore, choosing a packaged potting soil from a reputed horticulture company or preparing one yourself can be the best way.
Benefits Of Making Your Own Herb Soil Mix
You don’t need a nuclear science degree to make your herb soil mix. On the contrary, you can make better herb soil than those big soil brands.
Moreover, there are copious benefits of making your herb soil like -
- You can ensure that your soil doesn’t have any synthetic chemicals, artificial dyes, or any other unnecessary object.
- Usually, the packed soil comes in different blends, which is like a hit-and-trial method. You will have to try different soil combinations to determine which one’s suits your plant. But, creating soil mix on your own can provide you with total control over the quantity of the ingredients you want to add to your soil.
- Over time you will become professional in mixing the soil for different types of herbs. Thus, you will have the knowledge of customizing soil according to the needs of other plants.
- Making your own soil mix is also more economical compared to the branded soils.
- It has a psychological factor too; you will get satisfied by mixing your own herb soil. The pleasure will be the same as feeding your children.
How To Make Herb Soil
Why would you want to buy a bag of potting soil when it is so easy and cheaper (and fun) to make your own? You can tailor the blend for each plant, making sure they have all their nutrients.
A better option with more stable results means healthier plants that will grow faster than those who don’t get customized care like this. So, take a look at the method and start making soil for your herbs.
- For homemade soil, you need to mix two part of coconut coir or peat moss
- Then add one part of the compost
- Then, add one part of vermiculite
- Perlite is also required for best herb soil; add one part of it as well
After mixing these things, you must ensure soil drainage and aeration. To check this, put your soil into a pot, dig a hole, add water, and let it sit for a few hours.
Further, after it has settled, check the water level in the hole every hour. If the soil drain is about 2 inches per hour, the soil is perfect.
However, if the drainage isn’t ideal, then add more perlite or sand to it.
Herb Soil Potting Mix Ingredients
The herb soil potting mix ingredients entirely depends upon the needs of the plant you want to grow. These ingredients determine three values of soil that are nutrients, aeration, and drainage.
Peat Moss
It is a dry, fibrous material that stays loose in the soil mix. Despite being very compact, It holds a large amount of moisture and releases it to the roots when needed.
Coir
The addition of coir in the herb soil is very advantageous. It suppresses the fungi that cause root rot in herbs. Coir has the same absorption properties as pet moss, and it also stays loose in the soil.
Its pH level is lesser (5.8 to 6.8) than peat moss (3.8 to 4.8), but it is also more expensive than peat.
Pine Bark
The addition of pine bark helps in the aeration of herb roots. Moreover, they are rich in nutrients and also protect the soil from external temperature changes.
Manure
You can choose between animal manure and compost for adding to the potting soil mix. Both have excellent nutritional properties, which a plant needs from fertilizer.
The plus point here is that both are organic, which means no harm to the herbs.
Vermiculite
Mixing vermiculite in the soil helps in germinating the plant seeds. You can use the small size for the growth of seeds, and larger helps in improved soil aeration.
Perlite/Sand
Perlite or sand is added to the soil to make it good in terms of drainage. Both can hold large amounts of water and also ensure that the soil doesn’t get clogged and gets the right amount of air.
How To Mix Potting Soil For Herb Plants?
To make good potting soil for herbs, you will need very few ingredients, and the process is also straightforward.
To mix potting soil, take the below-given ingredients in the given amount. Pour them into a pot and mix properly.
- Take two parts of coir or peat moss
- Mix one part of compost or manure
- Then, add one part of vermiculite
- The last ingredient is sand or perlite
After mixing these ingredients, add some water to it for moisture and leave it for a day. The next day, dig a small hole in the soil and sow your seed.
How To Store Your Potting Mix?
Professionals believe that potting soil must be used as quickly as possible. However, if you cannot use the total soil amount and want to store it, a seal-tight container should be your choice.
There are various types of sealed containers available, like clear tubs and totes. You can re-use these containers for as long as you want.
You should always avoid storing potting mix in a regular plastic bag or container. Loose packaging exposes the soil to moisture that decomposes the peat moss, and eventually, the soil goes bad.
Moreover, when using packaged soil, don’t remove the entire amount from the original bag. Take only the required amount and seal the other half as it is.
Furthermore, don’t ever think of storing the soil in an open area, which will damage your whole quantity. Act smart and keep it in a cool and dry place like a basement or garage where air can not harm the soil.
How Long Can You Store Your Potting Mix?
You’re probably wondering if the potting mix can be stored for a year?. The answer is yes; you can use adequately stored soil after one or two years.
But, it depends on the type of plant you are growing and how much moisture it needs in order to stay healthy. Therefore, cross-checking the requirements before action is always better.
Additionally, if the potting soil wasn’t stored well or stored for many years, consider adding it to compost. Avoid adding it to the compost of indoor plants; use it for gardens or outdoor plants.
