Can Grass Grow in Potting Soil? A Quick 6-Step Guide

Potting soil is commonly used in gardening throughout the world. You can grow a wide variety of plants due to its mixture of organic nutrients and breathability. However, using potting soil for lawns can be a bit of a gray area for many homeowners.

Grass can grow in potting soil, but it won’t act as effectively as topsoil. Potting soil doesn’t have enough real soil in it, which makes it difficult for grass seeds to grow and stay healthy. Adding a mixture of topsoil within the potting soil can increase the chances of grass growing to a thick green lawn.

This article will also teach you loads of helpful info about growing grass in potting soil, including:

• Step-by-step instructions
• Comparisons between topsoil and potting soil
• Tips for growing grass in a pot
• The best way to grow grass for your lawn

How to Grow Grass in Potting Soil

According to Coloradoan, potting soil is made out of mostly peat moss, composted sawdust, and a variety of other organic matter. It’s an incredibly lightweight substance since it’s mostly comprised of air.

The ventilation of potting soil isn’t in question; It’s the effectiveness of the nutrients and amount of dirt found in it. Let’s check out how you can use potting soil to grow grass at home below.

1. Till the soil to loosen up the top 3 to 4 inches of dirt. This process is necessary to prevent roots, rocks, and other debris from mixing with the grass seeds. It’s also a good idea because it ventilates the soil for the roots to grow.
2. Fill the loosened dirt with 2 to 3 inches of potting soil. You should have quite a bit of loosened soil and dirt for about 5 to 7 inches on the ground. Garden Guides shows that the lightweight nature of potting soil allows grass to grow quickly.
3. Mix the dirt and potting soil together evenly. If you find any chunks of clay or rocks, remove them before you proceed with mixing. This step will ventilate the soil while adding a high amount of nutrients to provide for the grass seeds.
4. Split the grass seeds into four groups and lay each group over the entire lawn once at a time. In short, pour 1/4 of the grass seeds throughout the potting soil. Repeat this step four times until you’ve used all of the seeds.
5. Use a gardening rake to push the seeds just below the surface, ensuring that none of them are exposed. A light dragging movement will be more than enough to keep the seeds safe while pushing them down to the perfect level.
6. Take a lawn roller and roll over the whole seeded area of the lawn. The goal here is to flatten the dirt and push the seeds down to an even level into the soil. Try out the Brinly PRC-24BH Lawn Roller since it’s budget-friendly and easy to use.

Note: Adding a sprinkler or drip system to your lawn will take some of the extra work off of your shoulders. Later on, when your grass is ready to be mowed, you can adjust your lawn mower deck to grow mulch. For more info, check out my article here.

The Differences Between Potting Soil and Topsoil

Despite their similar names and functions, there are quite a few areas that topsoil and potting soil differ. They’re far from the same ingredient, and they shouldn’t be used as such.

Here’s a list of differences between potting soil and topsoil:

• Topsoil is made out of sand, clay, and other heavy materials, whereas potting soil is made from moss, sawdust, and more lightweight materials. For this reason alone, you can’t use only one of the other to perform each other’s purposes.
• Potting soil drains much faster than topsoil. The dense materials found in topsoil allow it to absorb and hold onto water. However, potting soil is mostly air, which means that water can often drip right through it.
• Topsoil is found to be incredibly rich in organic matter in nature, but potting soil is made with rule sets by companies. When it’s found in the woods and other far-out locations, topsoil is made from countless decades of old, dead vegetation. The broken-down materials make for an unbeatable soil.
• While topsoil is typically used in open areas, forests, and gardens, potting soil is often used in small containers and planters. You can use both materials for any part of your lawn and potted plants, but they need to be mixed properly with one another.
• Unlike topsoil, potting soil has a speedy expiration date. As SF Gate points out, potting soil can go bad is as quick as 6 months. Topsoil, on the other hand, lasts indefinitely under the right conditions. Either way, you should renew the soil once a year or so.

The differences between topsoil and potting soil are worth looking into. If you choose the wrong type of soil, you could end up ruining your garden.

Remember that topsoil is good for hydration and nutrition, and potting soil is an excellent choice for ventilation and growth of grass.

Will Grass Grow in a Clay Pot?

Potting soil can be used to grow grass when you’re using a clay pot. Whether you’re growing patches for Easter egg hunts, mini indoor gardens, or DIY patches to fill your lawn, this method is as useful as can be.

Here are the required supplies:

• The POTEY Terracotta Flower Pots (or a same-size alternative ranging from 3 to 6 inches)
• Potting soil of your choice
• Water
• Grass seed

Once you’ve gathered all of the necessary materials, it’s time to start planting your grass. Line up all of your clay pots and follow the detailed guide below.

Growing Grass in Potting Soil in a Clay Pot

1. Start by filling each of the clay pots 3/4 full with potting soil.
2. Next, sprinkle the grass seeds over the top of the soil.
3. Dust the top of the seeds with more potting soil to coat the top layer.
4. Spray the soil with water enough to soak it, then set the pots in direct sunlight.
5. Repeat step four every day for two to three days until you start to see grass growing.

It usually takes about three weeks before the grass will get full and vibrant with color. Continue to spray it with water every day until it’s reached the desired length.

If you’re using this method to patch your lawn, remember to loosen the ground soil before you plant the new grass. Also, try to remove the grass and potting soil together rather than separating the roots from the soil.

Wherever you grow grass, keep in mind that it needs an adequate amount of sunlight, water, and oxygen. By using potting soil to ventilate and provide oxygen while mixing in topsoil for maximum water retention, you’ll create the best environment for a healthy, thriving lawn.

Final Thoughts

Potting soil is an essential part of at-home gardening. The lightweight organic soil is unmatched by most other substitutes. You can grow grass with potting soil by mixing it with a few inches of top soil for the best results.

Never try to use potting soil by itself for grass, unless you’re growing it in clay pots. The vital nutrition found in topsoil can’t be replaced by anything else, in most cases.

• Potting soil is lightweight, airy, and semi-nutritious for grass.
• Mix potting soil with topsoil for an unbeatable lawn.
• You can grow grass in clay pots to fill patches in the yard.
• Topsoil can hold moisture well, whereas potting soil drains quickly.