Q. I am cleaning out my terra-cotta containers and wonder if I can save the soilless mix for next year’s pots? –Warren Tolberts, Chicago A. If you save old potting mix for the following year, be sure ...

If some plants can live in the same pot for years, why do articles tell us to always dump the pots at the end of the season and start with fresh potting soil the next spring? A: Sounds like something ...

There’s a lot of focus these days on grow mediums, and one common misconception for new growers centers upon soil and soilless mixtures. To start, real Earth topsoil is rarely used indoors anymore.

We see and hear the phrase “Use a good quality potting mix” all the time when we are getting ready to plant houseplants, deck containers or starting seeds. But what the heck is potting mix and why ...

Decades ago, horticulturists studied ways to provide potted plants with a medium that offered support and nutrition as well ...

Q-I am confused about soilless versus soil-based potting mixes. What is the difference, and which do you recommend? A-”Soilless” describes the growing mediums that are widely used in commercial ...

Some of my taller flowers last summer grew too tall and flopped over. Can I pinch these back next year to control height without losing flowers? Most types of annual and perennial flowers can be ...

I make a lot of compost. Can I use it in place of potting soil if I add perlite? A: I wouldn't use it in place of potting mix, but I think it makes good sense to add compost to these mixes, which are ...

I am always looking for ways to be more efficient with my gardening at home. I don’t mulch established planting beds in my ...

There are many benefits of growing a container garden. They are ideal for gardeners with unique growing conditions, gardening in tight spaces, and adding a decorative touch to any location around the ...

My gardening season begins on my garage floor. Here I mix potting soil that will nourish this season’s seedlings and replace worn-out soil around the roots of houseplants. The three basic ingredients ...

The Springfield News-Leader in Springfield, Missouri, partners with the Master Gardeners of Green County each week to bring readers a question-and-answer column with some of the expert horticulturists ...