Best Potting Soil for Healthy Plants
Growing plants takes work, dedication, effort, and the best potting soil available. No matter if you have indoor or outdoor plants, the best potting soil for your plant type can help give them the nutrients they need to grow and thrive. There are dozens of different types available from reputable companies that it’s challenging to narrow down one or two to use on your plants. I understand this, and I know how important your plants are to you. This is why I researched and pulled 10 of the best potting soil mixes available.
You can compare each review side by side to see which one or two will meet your needs the best. If you’re not sure what to look for when you start shopping, take a peek at the buyer’s guide at the end of the post. This will give you a good idea on what sets the best potting soil apart from the competition.
The best potting soil is a mix of lightweight and airy ingredients that help retain moisture and nutrients without suffocating the plant. There are many different varieties available, and it’s important that you match your soil to your plants for the best results.
1. Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix
First up on the list of the best potting soil is by well-known brand Miracle Grow. This is a premium indoor potting mix that comes with a blend that suits a broad range of containers. If you’re growing Mediterranian herbs inside, this potting soil mix would suit it well to encourage rapid and healthy growth. A single application of this potting soil will feed your plants for up to six months, and this reduces the general amount of work you have to put into your plants making sure they have the correct balance of nutrients. You can mix this potting soil in when you repot your plants or refresh them throughout the year.
There is no bark or compost in this best potting soil mix, and this can help make it less prone to attracting fungi or gnats inside your home. It comes with a healthy mix of coconut coir included in the blend that helps your plant retain moisture and keep the soil relatively wet between watering sessions. You can order a single six-quart pack, a pack of two, or an entire plant care bundle all at one time.
Benefits:
- Works well on a broad range of indoor plants
- Coconut coir retains moisture
- One feeding can last up to six months
Drawbacks:
- May hold too much moisture for some plants
- Don’t get a lot in every order
- Packaging is slightly more flimsy
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2. Osmocote Smart-Release Plant Food
You can choose from an Outdoor and Indoor formula or a Flower and Vegetable formula when you pick this best potting soil. It also comes in 1, 2, 4.5, and 8-pound bags that allows you to customize your order to suit your needs. There are 11 essential nutrients packed into this formula that help support healthy growth and make your plants less resistant to bug or fungi infestations. Once you apply this plant soil, it has enough nutrients to feed your plants for up to six months. When the six months are up, you will want to mix more of this soil into your containers or flower beds to keep feeding them.
As long as you use this best potting soil as specified on the package, it comes with a no-burn pledge. If you accidentally get it on your plant’s leaves or stems, it won’t damage or burn them before you remove it. This is great when it comes time to add more to your containers. All you have to do is add one scoop of the product to each container, mix it into one or three inches of soil, water it, and let it work on your plants.
Benefits:
- Easy to apply and reapply
- Comes in two formulas and several sizes
- Won’t burn your plant leaves or stems
Drawbacks:
- May take a while to see results
- Too strong for sensitive plants
- Can wash away in areas with heavy rains
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3. Organic Succulent and Cactus Soil Mix
You’ll have to repot your cacti or succulents eventually, and this is the perfect time to add this best potting soil to their containers to encourage healthy growth. This is a professionally formulated potting soil mix that comes straight from Denmark, and it’s specially formulated to provide optimal growing conditions for both cacti and succulents. It’s a very lightweight mix that drains relatively quickly, and it has a pH ranging around 5.5 to help provide the drainage and support these finicky plants need to survive all year round. This is a 100% organic mix that is free of any chemicals.
If you accidentally overwater your plants, this best potting soil will quickly drain the excess water away to help prevent root rot or mold from taking over. The neutral pH of this potting mix is what these types of plants prefer, and it comes in three sizes. It has a low fertilizer content with 75% substrate and 25% perlite. You get excellent air capacity with this potting soil that helps keep your plants healthy.
Benefits:
- Imported from Denmark
- Very lightweight any airy mix
- Allows for excellent drainage
Drawbacks:
- Can have a very strong smell
- Get very little for what you pay for it
- Compacts in the pot
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4. Espoma Organic Potting Mix
Espoma’s best potting soil comes in a single pack, or you can get a 2, 3, 4, or 5 pack. There is also a Delux option or an eight-quart size. This potting soil mix is suitable for both outdoors and indoors applications, and this means that you can use it on a broad range of plants, flowers, and vegetables without worrying about it damaging them. The unique Myco-Tone Water Saving Formula found in this potting mix allows your plants to get enough moisture when you water them without having to water as much. It’ll retain a little moisture without overwhelming your plants.
There are earthworm castings mixed into this best potting soil to add nutrients that encourage big plant growth. It is slightly more dense, but it’s not compact enough to trap a lot of moisture close to your plant’s roots. You do want to periodically refresh their potting soil throughout the year to add more nutrients, but this mix should last for at least six months. It’s very easy to apply, and you can fold the bag over to reseal it between uses.
Benefits:
- Works outdoors and indoors
- Has the Myco-Tone Water Saving Formula included
- Slightly dense formula
Drawbacks:
- Not as strong as some on the list
- May attract bees to your containers
- Have to wear gloves when you use it
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5. FoxFarm Happy Frog Potting Soil
Anyone who wants to try their hand at creating a container garden should try this best potting soil. This is a nutrient-rich option that comes highly recommended for plants in containers because they can benefit from more concentrated amounts. The pH comes adjusted out of the bag so it’s ready to use and it gives your plants the maximum nutrient intake possible, and it comes packed with mycorrhizal fungi and soil microbes to feed your plants for months at a time without having to add more soil to their containers. These beneficial nutrients encourage healthy growth, large leaves, and make your plants resistant to disease.
You’ll get enhanced flower and fruit production with this best potting soil, and it comes in several pounds when you buy it so you have enough for several plants and flowers. The lightweight soil compacts slightly when you add moisture to help your containers retain it, but it allows a lot of the water to drain through it to prevent root rot or water damage to the stems, leaves, and roots.
Benefits:
- Excellent for container planting
- Fully pH adjusted
- Beneficial nutrients encourage strong growth
Drawbacks:
- Better for seedlings
- Can retain too much moisture
- May have to add perlite
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6. Succulent and Cactus Soil Mix by Perfect Plants
This is another best potting soil for succulents or cacti, and it comes in four or eight-quart sizes. Your plants will enjoy an excellent balance of moisture and air, and the soil retains a host of beneficial nutrients for your plants to feed on. This soil is professionally mixed from staff at Perfect Plants Nursery to ensure each bag has a high-quality product in it that supports plant growth for months at a time. They formulated this to make the perfect environment for succulents and cacti to grow and thrive. It’s light enough that it’ll drain quickly and easily without holding onto too much moisture.
This best potting soil mix contains sand, perlite, composted pine bark, and garden coir that allows you to use it with any succulent. As a bonus, the bag is easy to seal once you open it to keep the mix fresh until you’re ready to use it. You can fill an entire container with it or use it as the top few inches of soil around your cacti or succulents. It also mixes well with other compost or potting soil.
Benefits:
- Light and airy mix
- Mixed by professional gardeners
- High quality control standards
Drawbacks:
- Not good for sensitive succulents
- Minor issues with drainage
- Bag is difficult to reseal