If It’s Going In The Ground, Do I Fill A Terracotta Pot With Soil, Or Potting Mix?

Question

I plan on making an outdoor catio area next year, and I wanted to put pet safe, insect repelling plants like mint in. However, since I don’t want anything to spread aggressively in the area, I saw that I can plant it directly into a pot, such as terracotta, and plant the entire pot in the ground. My question is; if I do that, should I still be using a potting mix to help with drainage and water retention, or will it be fine to use actual soil?

Answer 1

Using top soil will still likely compact over time. I'd stick with potting soil. You could amend it with a little compost, or top it with compost.

Here is an article that will offer some information on the care of mint:

https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/edible/herbs/mint/how-to-grow-mint-plants-in-your-garden.htm