SHERIDAN, WYOMING – May 27, 2025 – Home gardeners across Germany now have a reliable new resource to better understand the quality of the potting soils they purchase, thanks to a joint initiative from the Industrieverband Garten (IVG) and the Gütegemeinschaft Substrate für Pflanzen e.V. (GGS).
Helping consumers make informed choices in the garden
Each year, 8 to 9 million cubic meters of potting substrates are produced and sold in Germany for hobby and professional gardening. Yet for consumers, it can be challenging to evaluate whether the products they buy actually deliver on their promises. Now, a new guide from IVG and GGS is stepping in to help.
The guide is designed for consumer protection organizations and the media but offers essential insights for any gardening enthusiast. It outlines how quality testing for potting soils should be performed based on current industry standards to ensure fair and accurate assessments.
Special focus on peat-free and reduced-peat soils
One of the key highlights of the guide is its focus on peat-reduced and peat-free soils. These sustainable alternatives use materials such as:
- Wood fibers
- Green waste compost
- Bark humus
- Coconut products
Peat-free products behave differently in the garden compared to conventional peat-based soils. Their water retention, nutrient content, and stability can vary more widely depending on the composition and quality of the raw materials used.
“Peat-free soils can be a great eco-friendly choice, but consumers need to understand that variations in nutrient and salt levels, as well as pH, are normal — especially if the soil is stored improperly for a long time,” the guide explains.
Clear guidelines for accurate testing
The guide emphasizes that any product testing — especially by consumer watchdogs — must follow precise methodologies and account for legally accepted tolerances to produce reproducible and meaningful results.
For example:
- The declared nutrient content on potting soil labels reflects the condition at the time of packaging.
- According to German fertilizer regulations, deviations of up to 50% in nutrient content and 0.4 pH units are legally acceptable.
This means consumers should not automatically assume a soil is defective if their test results vary slightly from the label — these tolerances are built into the system to ensure fairness.
Free access and transparent communication
To make this resource easily accessible, IVG has published the guide online for free download via its information portal. It's a welcome move that supports transparency and informed decision-making in the garden sector.
About the organizations behind the guide
IVG is the leading industry association representing approximately 150 companies across the green sector — from plant nutrition and garden tools to lifestyle products and soil producers. The association’s mission centers on providing information, building networks, and advocating for the industry’s interests.
Meanwhile, GGS ensures the quality of horticultural substrates through rigorous RAL certification processes. Their oversight includes product categories such as potting soils, raw substrate materials, bark products, rooftop and tree substrates, and expanded clay.
A greener future starts with smarter soil choices
As more consumers turn to sustainable gardening practices, understanding what's inside the soil they buy has never been more important. With this new guide, IVG and GGS are making it easier for everyone — from casual gardeners to industry professionals — to make smarter, greener choices.
Learn more at www.ivg.org and www.substrate-ev.org.