Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t "the blacker the better". Instead high quality potting soil can be identified by looking for lighter and more structurally coarse soil. Black soil often contains a lot of black peat, which is compressed and poorly permeable to air. High-quality raw materials such as coconut and wood fiber or white peat are naturally bright and provide a light colour soil. These materials make the soil looser, providing the roots with more oxygen and preventing them from becoming waterlogged.
The components of the soil determine how well plants will grow, so one bag of potting soil isn’t the same as the next. Raw materials such as coconut, wood fiber or white peat are more expensive, but provide roots with plenty of air. Compost is often advertised as "peat-free" soil. An earth with> 50% compost has a high salt and potash content, but hardly any nitrogen. The plant grows, but never reaches its full potential. Test it yourself! Take the potting soil in your hand and feel the difference! Then compare the growth of the same plants in Jardino potting soil and your local “cheap” brand of potting soil.
Our answer: Yes, you do! Potting soil usually contains only enough nutrients for 6 to 8 weeks. In some cases fertilizer is needed at an even earlier stage, for instance when long storage periods or high percentages of compost lead to low levels of nitrogen in the soil. Such potting soils can even need to be fertilized 1-2 weeks after planting. Exceptions to this rule are the soils that contain slow-release fertilizers. For example, there is a variant in which the fertilizer pellets are completely enveloped and dissolve only slowly. The nutrients are therefore slowly released into the soil over 5-6 months. This is the case for Jardino terrace potting soil. It really does not need to be re-fertilized. Other Jardino soils contain fertilizer for 6 to 12 weeks. The exact duration is indicated by an easy-to-understand icon on the bag.
The plants do! Soils can be acidic, neutral or calcareous, i.e. basic. For certain plants, the type of soil may be a critical factor in determining whether the plant thrives because the plants can only absorb nutrients in a certain pH range. An incorrect pH value inevitably leads to deficiency symptoms and a poor development. For example, most plants prefer a neutral to slightly acidic soil, i.e. a low pH. However, rhododendrons, autumn gentiana, heaths or azaleas will only thrive when planted in an acidic soil, with a pH of 4-4.5.