Best-Rated Potting Soil for 2023 - Garden Gate Top Picks (2024)

The potting soil options out there are countless, but you must know that not all the options will give your plants the base they need. You should see the difference between features and the difference between both organic and inorganic garden soils. Instead, many people would go for organic potting soil for their indoor plants and outdoor plants because they don’t come with chemicals and pesticides. Keep reading to find out more about choosing the right soil product.

Things To Consider When Getting Potting Soil

As stated earlier in this piece, there are two distinct differences between potting soil types. The organic variant is costlier and heavier than the non-organic type. Organic soils are also made using organic matter, which is not like the inorganic option made using artificial components. Also, note that the inorganic mixes usually lose their nutritional value as time goes on.

You need to know the difference between the two to ascertain which of them is best for your plants. This guide will explore a few things you should consider before buying a particular type of garden soil.

Nutrient retention and moisture

Your choice of potting soil ought to be capable of holding essential nutrients and moisture because plants need them to grow. Before buying, always confirm if the potting soil can retain nutrition well. You can quickly ascertain this by checking the product description and reading the ingredients listed in the mix. For instance, with inorganic potting soil, peat moss ought to help with the retention of moisture and nutrients, which means that having more peat moss will lead to better potting soil performance.

Airflow

Aside from nutrients and moisture, your plant requires good airflow to thrive. It would help if you looked for potting soil that provides this. The perfect earth always comes with light and fluffy mixes, perfect for this purpose as they give maximum airflow. Also, the garden soil mix you go for ought not to be too dense when wet because this will help prevent it from developing molds.

Soil density

The density of soil is vital, and you ought to know if it will be perfect for your plants before you purchase the potting soil mix. You may test this by poking it using your finger, and if it is flexible, it is the right choice.

Also, note that the potting soil ought not to become compacted when water is added because it will lead to the plant’s roots becoming hard via the earth. One other way you can test the density of the potting soil is to lift the bag just before you open it. If the load is heavy, it is safe to say that the earth is full of fillers like mulch or sand, and this soil type is not suitable for growth.

Nutritional options

Avoid buying potting soil before you research the list of ingredients contained in it. The perfect potting soil should not offer only one type of nutrient because your plant needs variety. The more the nutrients, the quicker your plant will grow.

Tips for Maintaining Your Potting Soil

The first thing you must know is that you should never use potting soil from your yard or garden because it contains weed seeds, fungal diseases, and insects. Buying a potting mixture is always the most innovative way to go.

As far as watering the garden soil is concerned, you can do that once a week, depending on the weather. But note that plants will need more water during the summer because the warm weather will cause the quick evaporation of the moisture even before the plant uses it, and the larger your plant gets, the more water they will need. Remember to water the soil and not the leaves or flowers. Pouring water directly on the leaves may cause scorched leaf spots or fungal diseases.

Plants that grow in the ground are known to require less fertilization than those which grow in containers. The more you wet your garden soil, the quicker the nutrient will be lost from the earth. If you want the best crop yield, you should feed your plants using soluble fertilizer every few weeks.

How To Use Potting Soil

For newbies in the world of gardening, there are a few things you ought to know before you place your plants inside containers. If you want to use a big container to plant, ensure you put it in the place the plant will live. Moving the container from one place to the other can be stressful because it is pretty heavy.

Also, make sure you use containers that come with drainage holes because this boosts the outcome. If you don’t have access to such containers, you could drill holes in the containers to achieve this. This is especially important if the potting soil you use contains a high proportion of peat moss. By doing this, you will not overwater your plants. Remember to check the moisture needs of your plants. Too much water may lead to your plants getting damaged.

Under-watering your plant may also lead to issues similar to overwatering, which is why you ought to water the plants at will one time daily.

For more tips on moving your plants into new pots with potting soil, check out this video from Planterina:

Final Thoughts

Based on the buying guide and product descriptions, we can confidently say you can’t go wrong choosing any of the products on our list. It would help if you were on the lookout for soil potting with a quality base for most plants and one that is easy to use. Also, you should consider the nutritional content, water retention capacity, and user reports to assess whether a potting mix is a right pick for your plants.