Should you plant flowers in premium garden soil, or do you need compost?
For beautiful, flourishing flower beds, you need the right growing medium. And the decision on whether to use high-quality potting mix or whether to opt for compost depends upon the quality of the soil already in your planting beds and your gardening priorities.
As a general rule, going with garden soil saves you time, while using compost allows for greater flexibility. To help you decide which is best for your flower beds, take a look at what each product has to offer.
![Garden Soil or Compost: Which Is Best for Your Flower Beds? | The Dirt Bag (1) Garden Soil or Compost: Which Is Best for Your Flower Beds? | The Dirt Bag (1)](data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==)
Garden Soil
Bagged and bulk potting soil is a ready-to-use growing medium, typically made from a blend of nutrient-rich loam and aged compost. Most suppliers of premium soil – including The Dirt Bag -- screen the mixture to ensure the best consistency and perform tests to achieve optimal soil composition.
Garden soil can be a great option if your planting beds currently have sandy or heavy clay soil. Simply add the premium potting mix and plant your flowers, and you will get your garden off to the right start
Compost
Premium organic compost – which is what we offer here at The Dirt Bag – is made from a custom blend of plant waste, steer manure, black peat, forest hummus and other decomposed organic matter. Available in bags and in bulk, compost improves the quality of native soil by promoting better water and nutrient retention.
Some gardeners prefer to have a specific compost-to-soil ratio in their flower beds – and if that’s the case for you, buying organic compost and working into your existing soil may be the best approach. This does, however, take more time and effort than planting in premium garden soil.
Though no-till compost methods can be effective if your current planting bed soil is of decent quality and consistency, soils with poor structure – like those with too much sand or clay, which are common in Utah – benefit more with compost worked in.
Deciding Between Garden Soil and Compost
To determine what growing medium to use in your flower beds, you need to consider your gardening priorities.
If you want a quick, ready-to-use growing medium that can help your flowers thrive, plant them in high-quality potting mix. Using premium soil is faster and easier than adding compost to your planting beds.
On the other hand, if you enjoy hands-on gardening and would rather have complete control over the composition and consistency of your growing medium, compost is probably the right choice for you.
Either way, The Dirt Bag has exactly what you need. Our high-quality bagged and bulk potting mix and organic compost come with affordable prices, and our friendly, knowledgeable team is always happy to answer questions and offer advice.
As leading northern Utah landscape material supplier, The Dirt Bag understands how to create a healthy environment that allows for beautiful flower beds. For help exploring your growing medium options, or to schedule delivery of our bagged or bulk garden soil or organic compost, contact or West Jordan office today.
FAQs
Using premium soil is faster and easier than adding compost to your planting beds. On the other hand, if you enjoy hands-on gardening and would rather have complete control over the composition and consistency of your growing medium, compost is probably the right choice for you.
What is the best soil for a flower bed? ›
Soil falls into three main types - sand, clay and silt. Generally speaking, the best potting soil for growing flowers is an even mix of the three aforementioned soil types and is called sandy loam. This mix will ensure optimum growth conditions for most flowers.
Should I use top soil or compost for flower beds? ›
Topsoil is better for use on larger areas of land, such as garden spaces or for landscaping projects, while compost is better suited for potted plants and flowers. Topsoil has enough nutrients for general purposes, including lawn turf, grass plants, flowers, shrubs and even trees.
What is the best soil to fill a raised garden bed with? ›
Add a mixture of compost and purchased topsoil in a 1:2 or 1:1 ratio, to the top of the bed. There are vendors who sell topsoil mixed with compost. Alternatively, fill the bed with compost and a soilless growing mix in a 1:1 ratio.
Is compost good for flower beds? ›
When it is ripe, or fully mature, compost is the perfect organic amendment for planters and flowerbeds, the vegetable garden, lawn, and generally all plants. It improves soil structure. Prepare the earth by mixing compost into the soil to ensure healthy plant growth.
Can you plant flowers in compost only? ›
Growing plants in pure compost can cause problems with water retention and stability as well. When mixed with topsoil, compost works wonders with water, as it allows good drainage through heavy soil while it retains water in sandy soil. Used on its own, however, compost drains quickly and promptly dries out.
Can I use garden soil in my flower bed? ›
Use it when you're planting or maintaining flower beds. Garden soil is the cheapest way to enrich the soil in gardens and flower beds. You can also use garden soil as an ingredient in homemade potting soil.
Do plants grow better in soil or compost? ›
Compost – Promotes Healthier Plant Growth. Compost is most well-known for its contribution to healthy and resilient plant growth. It has a number of complementary benefits to plant growth, among them that it balances soil density, adds and retains nutrients, and discourages disease, pests and weeds.
Should you mix compost with soil? ›
In vegetable gardens, compost not only adds a low level of nutrients, but it also adjusts the soil's moisture- holding capacity, increasing the soil's ability to shed or retain water. Potted plants, flower gardens, and new trees and shrubs all require specific ratios of compost to soil.
Is topsoil or compost better for garden beds? ›
Compost is usually used more as potting soil, a top-layer fertilizer to your plants, or to amend your current soil. Whereas topsoil is better for building up your soil level or as a landscape filler.
Raised beds that are small and shallow (under 12 inches deep) are typically only filled with soil. Adding other organic materials to shallow beds usually isn't a good idea. Sticks, twigs, and other materials further reduce the limited soil space and can interfere with plant root growth and water drainage.
What should I fill the bottom of my raised garden bed with? ›
We recommend buying high-quality, nutrient-rich soil in bulk. Or, you can make a soil mix with equal parts topsoil, organic materials (leaves, composted manure, ground bark), and coarse sand.
Can you fill a raised bed with just compost? ›
Yes, filling a raised bed with just compost is possible, but it's important to proceed with caution. Here's a closer look at the factors to consider: Nutrient Intensity: While compost is packed with nutrients that plants love, an all-compost environment might be too much of a good thing.
What kind of dirt to put in a flower bed? ›
Use organic compost.
The soil needs to be loose and fluffy (filled with air that plant roots need) and be chock-full of necessary minerals and nutrients, so be sure to add copious amounts of compost to your existing soil when preparing your beds for edibles.
How often do you put compost in a flower bed? ›
For existing garden beds: Apply a layer of compost, a quarter-inch to 1-inch deep, to the bed surface each year. Add other amendments such as lime and N-P-K fertilizer as needed. Incorporate the materials into the top 8 to 12 inches with a digging fork or spade.
Is topsoil or potting soil better for flowers? ›
Topsoil is excellent for landscaping and filling spaces, but potting soil is better if you need a growing medium for container plants. And if you want an Earth-positive soil that's beneficial for any potted plant, you'll love Rosy's Indoor Potting Mix.
Do flower beds need topsoil? ›
Topsoil is the main source of nutrients for plants, and it is crucial for their survival. Without topsoil, plants would struggle to absorb the necessary nutrients and water to grow and thrive. Topsoil is usually sold to home gardeners in bags at hardware stores, nurseries or garden centers.
How to prepare the ground for a flower bed? ›
Work the soil when it is moist, but not wet. Turn the soil over to a depth of at least 12 inches. Add 2-3 inches of compost and turn it into the bed. Either cover the bed with a thick (3-4") layer of mulch or use a weed and feed to help keep weed seeds from germinating.
What is a good potting soil for flowers? ›
Sphagnum Peat Moss: It helps hold water moisture and improves aeration. Perlite and Vermiculite: They add air space to the soil for better root health. They're also essential for improving drainage in your gardening containers. Compost: It provides organic material for your plants containing essential nutrients.