What is the difference?

In Potting Soil and Potting Mix?

Technically Potting mix or planter mix does not contain any soil. Potting soil may contain a small amount of soil.
George

Thanks geoz...

George, I've wondered about this myself. What are the (perceived) merits of a soilless mix, or one that does contain some soil?

Maggie

Soilless mixes have been sterilized and are generally used for seeding or small transplants that are being potted up because they are free of various organisms that cause damping off and other problems.

Aubrey

I've always been a little amused by the vocabulary in this matter. For most there is either Planting Mix/ Planter Mix or Potting soil.

Potting soils in this part of the country rarely...if ever...have any real earth in them and are almost always sterile unless specifically for outdoor use.

Planting/Planter Mixes are almost always a compost/ composted manure blended with raw or "nitrolized" wood products.

The confusion that ensues is often horrifying or disastrous for new/novice/ or beginner garderners and it's not exactly by accident. Too many secret handshakes in the gardening industry. I'm so glad for so many that Dave's Garden exists because it is a free exchange forum for information between experienced gardeners and for beginners.

It is wonderful to see how quickly replies were made to this question before a potential disaster of putting planter mix in a pot or potting soil in a hole happened.

DG rocks!!!

Amen!!

Hi, everybody---one more followup question if you don't mind...

So then, if you are using something like Miracle Gro potting soil for containers, is it necessary to add more compost and amendments, etc. or are you supposed to use it as is? I know it has fertilizer in it good for three months already...

I'm thinking of for use in planting hostas or ordinary annuals...

thanks... t.