Soil-based mix

Also known as: Potting soil, Garden soil, Compost-amended mix, Container mix

Properties

pH effect	varies by source
Water retention	high
Drainage	moderate
Oxygen to roots	moderate
Bacterial surface area	high
Reusability	moderate (2-5 cycles)
Cost tier	low
Weight	moderate

How it affects the system

Brings its own biology: any aquaponics or hydroponics system that uses soil ceases to be aquaponics or hydroponics in the strict sense
pH depends on the base: peat-based mixes are naturally acidic and are usually limed with chalk or dolomite to a working pH around 5.5-6.5, while compost-heavy mixes run neutral to slightly alkaline
Holds nutrients between waterings, reducing the frequency and precision of nutrient management compared with soilless systems
Pest and pathogen vector: introducing field soil into a clean indoor setup is a common route for fungus gnats (which lay eggs in moist soil) and root-knot nematodes, which is why commercial potting soil is usually sterilized

System compatibility

Works well in:

soil bed
wicking bed

Avoid in:

NFT channels
deep water culture (rafts)
media bed (ebb and flow)
drip
dutch bucket

Care notes

Used in wicking-bed systems and traditional in-ground or raised-bed gardens. The site lists soil-bed as a system option because many readers grow some crops in soil alongside their hydroponics/aquaponics setup, and the garden planner skips chemistry rules in soil-bed mode. Most modern potting mixes are largely soilless, built on peat, coir or bark with perlite or vermiculite for aeration.

Crops that work in soil-based mix

231 edible crops in the catalog list this medium as compatible.

Back to growing media reference

Properties

How it affects the system

System compatibility

Care notes

Crops that work in soil-based mix

Further reading