The 7 Best Potting Soils

What to Look for in Potting Soil

Purpose

The kind of potting soil you need depends on what you are growing. Many of our recommended blends are all-purpose, and for many projects, these are your best bets, as they serve a variety of plant types. If you have a patio full of cacti or succulents, select something tailored to them, because they have different moisture-retention needs than typical flowers. Indoor plants may require an extra kick of nutrition that they miss from not being outdoors. In that case, consider one of the suggested blends that contain additional plant food. Sarah Bartlett of the FoxFarm company points out, “Not all plants are the same, so knowing what you’re growing is the first important step.”

Ingredients

Ingredients vary across the potting soil spectrum, with some being exceptionally light on the variety, and others packed. Organic ingredients break down slowly, creating longer-lasting plant growth and nutrition. Rich ingredients, such as bat guano, sea minerals, humus, and earthworm castings, are ideal for heavy feeders such as flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Cacti and succulents do not pull as many nutrients from the soil and prefer a lighter mix.

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Nutrients

All soil adds some nutrition as it slowly breaks down, releasing nutrients that plants can use, and some plant potting mixes double as additional fertilizers. The benefit here is that they are available for plants to use when they need them. Additional plant food included in soil blends is in tiny amounts and is slow-release, carefully balanced to ensure that plants do not end up burned from over-fertilization. If using fertilizer makes you nervous, starting with quality soil helps reduce or even eliminate the need for it.

Organic or Not?

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Organic soil mimics what you would find if you were to dig around in your backyard. That magic topsoil layer, which contains decomposing leaves and other material, is what creates that rich, nutrient-dense soil that plants love. For that reason, you often see packaged organic potting soil enhanced with ingredients such as earthworm castings and humic. Organic potting mix breaks down slowly, and those nutrients are available for the plant when it needs it, creating a complete ecosystem in a container, which allows you to do less but gain more.

FAQs

What is the difference between potting mix and potting soil?

Potting mix and potting soil can contain ingredients such as moss, coconut coir, or perlite, but there are several key differences between the products:

Potting mix contains no sand or topsoil. As a result, it is usually much lighter and completely sterile of bacteria or fungi. Potting mix is more likely to come with an added fertilizer. You would want potting mix for some plants (especially cacti) and for seed starting.

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Potting soil can contain sand or topsoil. It is heavier than potting mix and less likely to be sterile of bacteria or fungi. Potting soil relies on natural composted items to be the fertilizing component.

Can you use potting soil in plant beds?

The short answer is yes, but there are limitations. While you can use potting soil anywhere you want, it becomes exceedingly expensive to do so, even for a small space. Instead of using it to amend your existing soil, try using compost or a soil conditioner. Not only are those more cost-effective, but they provide additional nutrition for your backyard. Topsoil is often mistaken for potting soil. It is designed to be used directly in the ground, and it costs less.

Can you reuse potting soil?

If the plants you grew from last season were healthy, there is no downside to reusing your potting soil from last season. However, your new plants might not flourish as well, since the prior plants may have zapped much of the nutrition from the soil. One effective way to reuse your soil is to mix it in with some new potting soil or add in additional compost, earthworm castings, or soil conditioner.

Why Trust The Spruce?

This article was researched and written by Amanda Rose Newton, a freelance writer and garden reviewer for The Spruce. As a horticulture professor, business owner, and entomologist, she delighted in personally testing out the products above to provide advice to those with unique needs, yards, and values when it comes to all things soil. To make this list, Newton tested each product in 3-gallon-container gardens featuring flowers, herbs, and hot peppers. Over a month, she monitored their growth and soil-moisture retention, and the overall condition of the plants. For expert insight, she also consulted Sarah Barlett, a soil expert from FoxFarm Soils.

Source: https://gardencourte.com
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