Meta: The best potting soil will have a safe and effective plant nutrient component with other ingredients that make it fluffy without increasing the acidity.
There are many kinds of soils available for growing plants, but not all of them offer the same quality and performance. Some of the best potting soil includes ingredients other than sphagnum peat moss, which is a common substance that is cheap and effective.
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Product FAQs
If you are curious about potting soil, and the benefits of using it, read our frequently asked questions to find out more.
What is potting soil?
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Potting soil is a growing medium used for all kinds of plants and seed germination. This type of mix is more fluffy than other types of growing medium and often contains plant food and other amendments that encourage healthy plant growth.
Why do I need to use potting soil?
Potting soil is lighter and fluffier than just regular soil, which makes it easier for young plants to grow and develop more quickly. It’s also ideal for growing plants from seed as the plant food is less likely to burn the sprouts and is soft enough to allow for fast root growth.
Potting soil also holds moisture more evenly and can help reduce the amount of stress your plants experience from their soil drying out. It’s also important to note that some plant food contains more sphagnum peat moss than others, and this might mean you need to check the pH of the soil to ensure it’s not too acidic.
How We Reviewed
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Finding the best potting soil meant reviewing what the professionals use and what expert gardeners recommend. We also took into account what products worked the best for users in real-life scenarios.
Overall Price Range
The price range of potting soil can vary, and typically ranges from $5 to $20 per bag depending on the size of the packaging and the brand. Some potting soils contain added ingredients like fertilizer or other amendments, and these varieties will usually cost more.
Product Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Product
There are a few top contenders when it comes to potting soil so that you can narrow down your options early on. While some brands are much more well-known than others, lesser-known brands may perform just as well and cost a bit less.
If you don’t want a potting soil with amendments or fertilizers added you’ll want to read the packaging carefully to see what it contains. There are often generic brands of potting soil at your local garden store, but sometimes these don’t perform as well as name brand products.
– The Top 6 Products –
Our list of recommended products includes potting soil from a variety of different brands, and products best suited for slightly different applications.
1. Miracle-GRO Potting Mix
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Miracle-GRO is a well-known brand when it comes to plant products and gardening supplies, and their potting mix comes with a fertilizer that lasts up to six months.
Pros
- The fertilizer is mixed in and suitable for all plants
- Claims to grow plants twice as big as those without fertilizer
- Packages range from a few quarts to a few square feet
- Best for container gardening but also suitable in other applications
- Accessible for beginner gardeners to use
Cons
- Expensive
- Doesn’t have the same moisture holding abilities in a garden bed as a planter
- Users should wear gloves when handling this soil
Key Features
Miracle-GRO contains a chemical fertilizer that claims to last up to six months and help plants grow larger and more colorfully. The mix is also designed to hold in moisture, reduce the stress on plants due to drought, and maintain a fluffy texture.
Where to Buy
You can buy Miracle-GRO potting mix at The Home Depot, Amazon, Lowe’s, and other garden centers.
2. Burpee Organic Premium Potting Mix
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Burpee is well known for its high-quality gardening supplies, and their potting mix is designed to be perfect for growing any plant.
Pros
- Feeds plants for up to three months
- Contains coconut coir for moisture retention
- Organic and OMRI listed
- Available in multi-packs
- Average pH is 6.5
Cons
- Expensive
- No way to know when the plant food has been used up
- Not ideal for plants that like to dry out between watering
Key Features
Burpee Organic potting mix is suitable for outdoor gardening applications, but it is also perfect for indoor houseplants that require consistently moist soil. The packaging is also resealable which is ideal for indoor use with smaller containers.
Where to Buy
You can buy Burpee Organic potting mix on the Burpee website, Amazon, Tractor Supply Co., and Walmart.
3. Black Gold Organic Potting Soil
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Black Gold may not be as well-known of a brand as Miracle-GRO or others on our list, but it’s a high-quality organic potting soil perfect for all gardening applications both indoor and outdoor.
Pros
- Loamy for consistent moisture
- Uses worm castings for nutrients
- Contains perlite and pumice for a fluffy texture that drains well
- OMRI listed
- Comes in packages of varying sizes
Cons
- Very expensive
- Earthworm castings may take time to breakdown and feed plants
- Formulated for specific regions
Key Features
Black Gold potting soil is one of the more expensive options on our list, and that is partially due to it being organic. The price is also a reflection of the worm castings used to supply nutrients where other brands would use chemical fertilizer.
Where to Buy
You can buy Black Gold Organic potting soil on Amazon, eBay, Walmart, and Ace Hardware stores.
4. Espoma Organic Potting Mix
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Espoma Organic potting mix is perfect for container gardening indoors and outdoors. The fluffy texture helps to promote root health.
Pros
- Uses Earthworm castings and Myco-tone to nourish plants
- Excellent moisture retention
- Reduces plant stress from droughts
- Formulated to save water, and help plants grow
Cons
- Expensive
- Can be difficult to locate to buy
- May need to adjust the pH for some plants
Key Features
What sets the Espoma Organic potting mix apart is that it contains earthworm castings and Myco-tone while other brands contain worm castings or chemical fertilizer. This product may be pricey, but the additions to the soil make it cheaper than adding them to soil yourself.
Where to Buy
You can buy Espoma potting mix on Amazon, Walmart, and Sears.
5. Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix
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Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix is made from a few natural ingredients, a plant food, and a wetting agent.
Pros
- Comes in small 8-quart bags for small projects
- Includes a wetting agent, so the soil stays evenly moist longer
- Plant food is mixed in
- Can be used to germinate seeds
Cons
- Unclear how long the plant nutrients last
- Expensive for a general-purpose mix
- May need additional amendments for some plants
Key Features
This potting mix has a limited number of ingredients and primarily uses peat moss, which can be acidic. This mix counteracts the acidity with limestone.
Where to Buy
You can find Fertilome Ultimate potting mix at The Home Depot and Amazon.
6. Proven Winners Premium All Purpose Potting Soil
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This potting mix is suitable for growing all kinds of plants and seeds but doesn’t rely on sphagnum peat moss alone to achieve its consistency.
Pros
- Can be used in containers and garden beds with equal success
- Includes plant food that lasts up to six months
- A lower amount of peat moss, and more softwood bark and other components
- Medium weight mix that drains well
- Excellent fluffiness for better root development
Cons
- Slightly expensive for what you get, but not too bad
- Comes in a large bag that might be too much for some users
- May be difficult to find depending on your location
Key Features
This potting mix from Proven Winners is the same mix that they use on all of their plants and can work well in any growing situation from containers to full garden beds. This mix is unique as it includes less sphagnum peat moss and more of other ingredients that make for more fertile soil.
Where to Buy
Proven Winners potting soil is available at Walmart, The Home Depot, Amazon, and eBay.
Comparison Table
Below is a table with more helpful information about our recommended potting soils.
|
Title/Name |
Contains chemical fertilizer? |
Organic |
Best for? |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Miracle-GRO Potting Mix |
Yes |
No |
Container gardens and indoor/outdoor plants |
|
Burpee Organic Premium Potting Mix |
Yes |
Yes |
Outdoor vegetables, flowers, and herbs |
|
Black Gold Organic Potting Soil |
No |
Yes |
All gardening applications |
|
Espoma Organic Potting Mix |
Yes |
Yes |
Indoor/outdoor containers |
|
Fertilome Ultimate Potting Mix |
Yes |
No |
All gardening applications |
|
Proven Winners Premium All Purpose Potting Soil |
Yes |
No |
Outdoor gardening applications |
Final Verdict
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The best potting soil won’t rely solely on sphagnum peat moss as its primary ingredient and will include other components for a well-rounded and nourishing soil. Our top pick when it comes to potting soil is the Black Gold potting mix as it uses pumice and perlite to lighten the soil.
The Black Gold potting mix also includes worm castings as the nutrient supply for the plants and this is an effective and safe delivery method. Worm castings can also be replenished so that this soil can stay enriched and useful for many years.
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Last update on 2022-01-27 at 20:02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
