Here’s what you should know and why it matters.

When shopping at your local gardening center or plant nursery, you'll probably come upon hefty bags of potting soil and potting mix. They tend to look the same, and you might think you'll just pick up ...

Walk down the aisle of any nursery or garden center and you’ll see bag after bag of materials for potted plants or garden beds. But before you heft the cheapest one into your cart, you should ...

Think of your indoor and outdoor plants a little bit like Goldilocks: They need a just-right potting mix or soil to help them really thrive. And although the words “potting mix” and “potting soil” are ...

Garden columnist Dan Gill answers readers' questions each week. To send a question, email Gill at [email protected]. I live on the northshore. Can I grow peonies here and be successful? I just ...

I worked at a lawn and garden center for over a decade. Some of the most frequently asked questions customers would have were: • Can I use potting soil in my garden? • Can I use top soil in my ...

Neil from Struthers: I want to grow vegetables in containers and raised beds this year. But I’m confused about what kind of soil I should use — soil, garden soil or potting mix? Can you help? David: ...

For new gardeners, all soil probably seems the same. However, the potted cactus you keep in your living room won’t thrive in the same soil the marigolds in your garden do, so you can’t use all soil ...

Nancy Adams pots alyssum and petunias in a pot at her home in New Orleans on Tuesday, March 16, 2010. (RUSTY COSTANZA / THE TIMES-PICAY) QUESTION: What is the difference between potting soil and ...