Anyone who has ever cared for plants has probably purchased commercial potting soil at some point in their lives – but did you know that almost all commercial potting soils are made from peat – a ...

An old moss plant asked a new moss plant how he likes living in the bog. “I’m lichen it so far,” was the response. As a young gardener, I remember my mom buying large bales of peat moss, sold as ...

If your hanging baskets aren't looking all that lush lately, and it feels like you're spending all your free time keeping them hydrated, it might be time to rethink your potting mix. Lugging around a ...

A few years ago, a hastily purchased bag of “expanding” potting soil introduced me to coir. Distracted, I hadn’t paid attention to what I had, but when I added the required water, the soil did expand ...

Unless you’re a bona fide green thumb, you’ve likely never heard of coco coir before. Pronounced “coco coy-er,” it’s the fibrous husk that comprises the outer layer of a ripe coconut. Gardeners often ...

Potting soil may seem like it lasts forever, but it has a shelf life. Over time, the organic materials in most potting mixes, such as peat moss, bark, compost, or coconut coir, break down. As they ...

Dear Master Gardener: What’s a good replacement product for peat when I make or purchase potting mixes? Why shouldn’t we use peat products anymore? Are there any peat bogs in Minnesota? Answer: ...

Have you experienced sticker shock recently when buying potting soil for your container vegetables? Like many products these days, potting soil is not cheap, challenging gardeners to try DIY soil ...

Did you hear about the ghost who got evicted from the graveyard? He couldn’t pay his rent because he was dead broke. We all need to stretch our dollars, but potting soil isn’t the place to scrimp when ...

As anyone who has ever parted with a dear plant knows, raising healthy flora is a daunting task. In addition to considering variables like water and sunlight, you need to be mindful of your plant’s ...