The Difference between Potting Soil and Vermicompost

Gardeners often get confused between Potting Soil and Vermicompost. In today’s blog we will address this concern of home gardeners and explain the difference between the two types soils and their usage.

1. What is Potting Soil?

Potting Soil is a standalone growing medium which can be used for seedstarting and gardening. Potting soil generally contain a base of garden soil, aged compost, and other additives. These additives provide more nutrition to the plant which helps it receive an overall nutritional benefit.

Garden Genie’s Potting soil is ideal to be used as potting medium and seedstarting for any plant. It is our special 5 IN 1 Formulae enriched with Vermicompost, Dolomite, Gypsum, Coco-peat and Mycorrhiza Bio Fertilizer which not only provide a balanced nutrient to the plant for their overall growth but also improves water holding capacity of the soil which means less watering for you.

2. What is Vermicompost ?

The process of cultivating earthworms for converting organic waste into fertilizer is called vermicomposting and the end result provides us with Vermicompost

Vermicompost is a nutrient rich manure having high quantity of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium compared to any other compost and is used as a soil amendment in gardening.

Garden Genie’s Vermicompost is 100% virgin compost which improves the nutrient availability of the soil; improves water-holding capacity of the soil and improves soil texture. However, Vermicompost cannot be replaced for potting soil .

3. What to Use: Potting Soil Or Vermicompost?

3.1 For starting seedlings and propagating

Potting Soil are better for seeds and propagation. That’s because they can keep the soil moist, and they have good drainage to prevent wet and soggy conditions. Even if the potting soil you have picked lacks proper nutrients, it can be easily remedied with the right fertilizer.

2. For indoor plants

Potting soil are better because it is sterile without pathogens, and they are devoid of any smell which can be difficult to bear especially indoors. Potting Soil with the right ingredients also restricts weeds ad pests which can be difficult to manage indoors.

3. For outdoor gardens

Use can mix vermicompost or other fertilizers to garden soil for outdoor gardening primarily because of the cost. Vermiompost contains a variety of micro-organisms which would help the organic matter in the soil to decompose and slowly release plant nutrients over time.

4. For growing vegetables

It’s best to use a combination of garden soil with vermicompost for vegetables. It is not only cheaper, but compost also contains a variety of microbial activities which can help break down the plant nutrients in the soil over time and helps the proper growth of organic vegetables.

4. Can I Plant in Only Potting Soil?

You can plant in only potting soil because they are formulated to be substitutes for soil. As long as you’re using the right mix for your plant, you should get good results. But you might need to fertilize the mix at intervals depending on the nutritional content of your potting soil

5. Can I Plant in Only Vermicompost?

It’s not advised to plant in only vermicompost. Vermicompost is a soil amendment; it is not soil or a suitable alternative like potting soil. Vermicompost is light, and can’t support the root structure of plants. Furthermore, it drains easily, leaving plants needy for water.

If you are using garden soil for planting that it is beneficial to add vermicompost to garden soil in the ratio of 1:2 so that the plants get the required NPK.

6. Should I Add Vermicompost to Potting Soil?

There’s no harm in adding vermicompost to the potting soil. In fact, some potting soil contains vermicompost. Adding vermicompost to your mix will provide some nutrients to the plants.

Add 10 to 20 percent of vermicompost. You don’t need to mix it with the potting mix, just spread it on top, and worms, water, and microorganisms will do the mixing for you.

7. Overview Potting Soil Vermicompost

Type Used as potting medium

Used as Soil Amendment

Nature Every Potting Soil is different and the quality and its fertility is dependent on what additives has been added by the manufacturer. So read the ingredient

It is decomposed organic matter hence it contains high amount of NPK.