Potting Mix vs. Soil: What’s the Difference?

Indoor plants are like Goldilocks. Their potting mix needs to be just right.

Using the wrong one can impact how your plants grow. danchooalex/Getty Images/TCA

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 used often interchangeably, they refer to different products with different uses—and using the wrong one can impact how well your plants grow.

So before you repot your favorite houseplant or set up your container gardens or garden beds, learn whether potting mix, potting soil, or garden soil will be the right choice for your gardening project.

What Is Potting Mix?

Potting mix isn’t soil at all—and it contains no actual dirt or earth. It’s a sterile mixture made up of organic matter like peat moss and organic materials that’ll help promote drainage. Common ingredients in a potting mix include coir, moss, perlite, and vermiculite. Potting mix may also contain fertilizers and other ingredients to help support the health of your plant.