Have you visited your favorite garden store for your spring plants yet? Container gardens and potted plants usually require a few bags of potting soil, but the average potting soil may not be the best environment for your plants. Consider these additions to help your plants thrive!

• Sand. 

A sand and soil mix offers the best of both worlds for your succulents. Potting soil provides the nutrients that the plants need to grow and thrive long-term. Coarse sand (not fine) provides proper drainage to help avoid overwatering. 

• Compost. 

A compost mixture full of kitchen scraps, yard clippings, wood chips, and straw is full of nutrients. The ideal ratio is 3 parts dry materials to 1 part wet materials. You can find a complete guide to composting from NPR right here.

• Fertilizer. 

If composting isn’t right for you, fertilizer is a great alternative to still supply your plants with the nutrients they need. Choose a fertilizer specifically for your type of plant, and be sure to follow the directions provided. Warm months are often when you’ll do the bulk of your fertilizing. 

• Worm castings.

Worm castings are a completely natural fertilizer that can offer year-round nutrition. They’re completely safe and odorless, and unlike other organic fertilizers, they are packed with all of the nutrients and minerals your plants need.

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