Your lawn, your garden beds and your vegie patch all want a different soil mix underneath them. Use the wrong one and you're fighting an uphill battle before you've even planted anything. Here's which of Daisy's three soil mixes goes where, and how to use each one properly.
Not All Garden Soil Does the Same Job
"Garden soil" isn't one product, it's a category. A lawn needs something different underneath it to a vegie patch, and a general garden bed sits somewhere in between. Daisy's blends three separate mixes for exactly this reason: Lawn Mix, Organic Mix and Vegie Mix. Using the right one for the job makes a real difference to how well things grow.
Lawn Mix, Organic Mix or Vegie Mix?
|
Best for |
Under new turf or lawn areas |
General garden beds, natives |
Vegetable gardens, new veggie beds |
|
Made from |
Organic mix and sandy loam |
Sandy soil, composted organic matter and manures |
Mushroom compost, manures and organic matter |
|
Key benefit |
High nitrogen, drains well, minimal settling |
Nutrient-rich, good structure, worm-friendly |
Optimised for water absorption and root penetration |
|
Not for |
Top dressing (use turf sand or white washed sand instead) |
Top dressing, or natives needing low phosphorus |
Top dressing (use turf sand or white washed sand instead) |
Lawns: Using Daisy's Lawn Mix
Lawn Mix is a blend of organic mix and sandy loam, built specifically for what's underneath new turf or a freshly seeded lawn. It's high in nitrogen for vigorous early growth, drains well without drying out too fast, and settles evenly so you don't end up with a lumpy lawn six months later.
To use it:
1. Clear the area of old grass, weeds and debris.
2. Spread Lawn Mix evenly to the depth you need (our volume calculator will work out how much to order).
3. Rake it level and lightly compact it before laying turf or spreading seed.
4. Water thoroughly straight after laying turf or sowing seed.
Not sure how much you need? Our volume calculator will work it out for you.
Garden Beds: Using Daisy's Organic Mix
Organic Mix combines sandy soil, composted organic matter and composted manures. It's a genuine all-rounder: good structure for root growth and drainage, nutrient-rich, and friendly to worms and soil microbes. It suits most Australian native plants too, other than the handful that specifically need low-phosphorus soil.
To use it:
1. Dig Organic Mix through existing soil in the bed, or use it as a top layer for direct planting.
2. Work it in to at least spade depth for new beds.
3. Water in well after planting.
Vegetable Gardens: Using Daisy's Vegie Mix
Vegie Mix blends mushroom compost, manures and organic matter, formulated specifically to optimise water absorption, aeration and root penetration for vegetables. It's suited to both new vegie beds and topping up existing ones.
To use it:
1. For a new bed, fill to your desired depth and settle with a light watering before planting.
2. For an existing bed, dig Vegie Mix through the top 15-20cm of soil before each new planting season.
3. Don't use it as a top dressing, turf sand or washed sand is the right product for that job.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some common questions about our Daisy's soils.
They're not interchangeable. We've covered the full difference in our guide to garden soil vs potting mix.
Not entirely. Vegetables draw nutrients out of the soil each season, so digging fresh Vegie Mix through the bed before replanting keeps it productive, but you're topping up and refreshing existing soil, not starting from scratch every time.
You can, but ordinary garden soil usually isn't structured or fed the way a vegie-specific mix is, so you'll often get better, more consistent results digging in a proper vegetable garden mix like Vegie Mix instead.
It depends on your area and how deep you're filling. Our volume calculator will give you an accurate figure so you're not guessing.
Daisy's Soils and Composts
Get the Right Mix for Your Garden
Whether you're laying a new lawn, refreshing a garden bed or starting a vegie patch, Daisy's stores across Melbourne and Geelong carry the full range in bulk and bagged sizes. Shop our full soils and composts range online, or drop into your nearest store and our team will help you get the right mix.