The first thing to remember is never to use your outdoor garden soil for interior houseplants. The soil may contain insects (or their eggs), weeds (or their seeds), and other disease organisms that are not harmful to outdoor plants but will destroy interior plants.

Out door soil will also not contain the ingredients that are necessary for the healthy growth of houseplants. These ingredients include perlite, which allows aeration of the soil, peat moss that absorbs the water, and bark or vermiculite for nutrient retention. No matter what brand of soil you buy, it should contain these three elements.

Soils are classified as light mix (drains very easily), medium mix (acceptable drainage), and heavy mix (does not drain well). If the soil is too light or too coarse, it will not retain enough water and nutrients for plant growth. On the other hand, if the soil is too heavy, it will retain too much water and suffocate the roots.

Over time the soil in you houseplants will shrink as the organic components decompose and the soil settles in the pot. This will lead to a heavier mix with poorer drainage. If you notice this happening, carefully remove the plant from its pot, shake a little of the soil off of its root ball, put some new soil into the bottom of the pot, replace the plant, and add some more new soil to the surface.

Good soil is essential for your plants to grow and be healthy. Cheap bargain soil is not a bargain in the long run. Finally, don’t forget that if you add a layer of moss, mulch, or gravel to the top of you soil, it will affect how quickly the soil dries out and you will not have to water as often.

Next Section: Fertilizer

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