Can Garden Soil Be Used for Indoor Plants?

In a word, no. Indoor plants need a controlled environment. Think of what is in the soil in your garden. For one thing, it is chuck full of insects and not all of them beneficial to plants. Another thing is the fact that garden soil is a breeding ground for viruses and fungi. If you have had any diseased plants, the disease could very well be still living in the soil. Give the disease a nice controlled environment like a flower pot and it will happily reproduce to its hearts content. Sure, it would be nice not having to buy soil at the garden center, but it would be a lot worse if you had to replace all your plants.

So what are your best choices ? It depends on your plants and their particular needs. For instance cacti and succultents need a soil that is rich in loam and also contains sand, bulbs do their best with a good dose of bone meal. You will also need to know if the plant needs an acidic, neutral or alkaline soil and there are potting soils with lime to help with this one. Other soils will have special ingredients that prevent the soil from becoming too dry while other will have a slow-release fertilizer.

All potting soils, just like all plants, are not created equal. Before you pick up a bag and just run to the checkout, read it. The bag will have all the information you need. One of the first things to look for is a money back guarantee. Don't rely on the soil to provide all of the fertilizer the plant will need. The soil you need for starting seeds from scratch is different than the soil you need for established plants. For seeds you need a soil-less potting mix. If you are going to have a roof garden or container garden on a terrace, be sure to pick a lightweight soil.

Growing healthy plants, whether they be flowers or vegetables, is every gardeners goal. You give them the right amount of sunshine and water, pick the best seeds or seedlings and follow the planting directions to the tee, but proper care literally begins from the ground up. If you do not start with the right soil, you will not get the maximum results no matter how much time and effort you put in.

Sources:

Plant Care

Professors House

Home Depot