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If you’re cultivating containers of indoor or outdoor plants, herbs or vegetables, you need potting soil. Potting soil is different from topsoil and garden soil in a number of ways.
Typically, topsoil is what you already have in your yard, or you might purchase some to fill a large lawn or landscaping area. Topsoil can be of any quality — sandy and low on organic ingredients, or extremely rich in organic matter derived from dead leaves, vegetation and animals. Garden soil is what’s known as a “soil amendment;” it’s mixed with topsoil to enrich the latter and create a better growing environment.
Potting soil, as its name suggests, is for potted plants or plants grown in containers. It’s formulated to create a chemically balanced, aerated, well-drained habitat for plants that will spend all or most of their lives in containers. For all potted and container plants, be they indoors or out, potting soil is a must.
What To Look for When Buying Potting Soil
Most potting soil is packaged in sealed bags, so you probably won’t get to run your hands through it first. But here are a few things to look for:
- The bags should feel soft, like the soil isn’t too damp or tightly packed, nor so lightweight that it’s dried out.
- Ingredients should include a mix of peat moss, ground pine bark, and perlite or vermiculite. These latter two make the soil lighter and provide aeration.
- Potting soil should contain a small amount of plant food or fertilizer. It may also contain limestone and a wetting agent to keep the moss and pine bark from drying out. Find out how much soil you need for your yard.
Our Top 7 Potting Soils
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Overall Winner: Black Gold All Organic Potting Soil
“The potting soil did all the work,” writes one satisfied home gardener on Amazon. The proof is in the results. Black Gold All Organic Potting Soil has won fans due to how quickly they’ve seen seeds sprout and droopy plants revived once transplanted to this loamy soil.
We like that the soil composition varies depending on what region of the U.S. you’re in. So you’re most likely to get a soil with regionally sourced organic ingredients, which cuts down on the product’s carbon footprint.
Black Gold All Organic Potting Soil Pros
- It’s organic!
- All-purpose soil suitable for indoor and outdoor plants, vegetables, herbs, annuals and perennials.
Black Gold All Organic Potting Soil Cons
- It’s more expensive than non-organic varieties.
- Some buyers complained that their bags of soil had mold or mites.
