DIY soilless potting mix with homemade compost

You can grow plants without soil. An example is hydroponics, which needs dedicated equipment to supply liquid nutrients to plant roots.

A simpler way is to grow plants using soilless growth media in standard garden pots. You can produce a lightweight potting mix using equal amounts of three components, namely:

• mature compost - homemade from wastes
• coir peat or fibre - recycled coconut husk
• expanded clay ball - durable and reusable

The clay balls improve aeration and drainage. Clay is expanded in kilns to create these balls that are lightweight, porous with a hard outer shell and long-lasting.

The coconut coir helps to retain water. It is derived from a renewable resource. Soak the clay balls and coir fibres before mixing them with compost.

Mature compost is rich in nutrients and soil microbes, especially when it is freshly made at home from your kitchen and paper product wastes ^[1] . Another attribute is its sponge-like ability to hold nutrients and water for slow-release to plants.

For successful gardening in pots, a potting mix has to be able to anchor plant roots, yet remain loose enough for root growth. It also has to allow movement of water and air in the root zone. The DIY soilless pot mix meets all these plant’s requirements.

Repot without soil

Repot with additional soaked clay balls to grow healthy plants. First, add a base layer of clay balls (to the height of the pot saucer) for quick drainage of excess water that can waterlog plant roots. Put in the soilless pot mix and your plant. You can finish with a thin layer of clay balls to cover the potting mix, like mulching soil.

This DIY pot mix can be used as a general soilless medium indoors or outdoors. Adapt the mixture with different materials to suit specific needs of your plants.

For a quick look at growing plants with a DIY soilless pot mix, view this. Happy gardening.