Potting Soil Mix Recipes

Make quality potting soil and soil-less mixes at home.

Seedling Mix For Seedlings In Styrofoam Flats

2 parts compost
2 part peat moss or coir
1 part perlite

The second recipe is a soilless recipe based on the Cornell Mix concept; the third is a classic soil-based formula.

Organic Substitute for Cornell Mix (large quantity)

1/2 cu. yd. Sphagnum peat or coir
1/2 cu. yd perlite
10 lbs. bonemeal
5 lbs. ground limestone
5 lbs. bloodmeal

Classic Soil-Based Mix

1/3 mature compost or leaf mold, screened
1/3 garden topsoil
1/3 sharp sand

Note: This mix results in a potting soil that is heavier than modern peat mixes, but still has good drainage. Compost has been shown to promote a healthy soil mix that can reduce root diseases. Perlite can be used instead of sand. Organic fertilizer can be added to this base.

Prick-out Mix For Growing Seedlings To Transplant Size

6 parts compost
3 parts soil
1-2 parts sand
1-2 parts aged manure
1 part peat moss, pre-wet and sifted
1-2 parts leaf mold, if available
1 6″ pot bone meal

The following recipe is credited to Eliot Coleman.

Organic Potting Mix

1 part sphagnum peat or coir
1 part peat humus (short fiber)
1 part compost
1 part sharp sand (builder’s)

to every 80 qts. of this add:

1 cup greensand
1 cup colloidal phosphate
1 1/2 to 2 cups crabmeal, or bloodmeal
1/2 cup lime

Learn More About Potting Soil

If you’re interested in learning more about how to make your own potting soil and why,m read how To Make Your Own Potting Soil. You can also get more recipes for potting soil. Have you ever wondered if you can reuse potting soil?