8 Best Potting Soils for Outdoor Plants in 2022: Reviews and Top Picks

woman hands putting soil in the pot

There are a ton of different possibilities for potting soil. If you are searching for the ideal outcomes or the greatest deal, it can be overpowering to sift by way of the dozens of different kinds of potting soil, hoping to discover one that will operate for your backyard garden. Some soils are great for bouquets, even though other individuals are much better for herbs. Which potting soil is correct for you?

To assist reply that question, we have marshaled together eight of the very best potting soils on the market place right now for 2022. There are general goal soils, specialty soils, organic soils, and expanding soils on this record that can fulfill a bevy of various planting requirements. There is also a buyer’s manual incorporated at the end to support slim down the choices to greatest suit your specific gardening requirements.

A Quick Comparison of Our Favorites in 2022

Rating Image Product Details

Best Overall

Winner

FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Mix
FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Mix
  • Tons of unique additives
  • Made for outdoor container gardens
  • Special pH balance for fertilizer

  • Best All Purpose

    Second place

    Michigan Peat 5720 Garden Magic Potting Soil
    Michigan Peat 5720 Garden Magic Potting Soil
  • Versatile potting soil
  • No additives
  • Proven results

  • Best On a Budget

    Third place

    Miracle-Gro Potting Mix
    Miracle-Gro Potting Mix
  • Great deal
  • Known commodity
  • Versatile potting soil

  • Best For Vegetables


    SUNGRO HORTICULTURE Black Gold Organic Potting Soil
    SUNGRO HORTICULTURE Black Gold Organic Potting Soil
  • Great for outdoor planter use
  • Works great with herbs and common veggies
  • Preloaded with nutrients for seeds or mature plants

  • Best For Flowers


    Coast of Maine Organic Natural Gardening Compost Potting Soil
    Coast of Maine Organic Natural Gardening Compost Potting Soil
  • Proven results
  • Well used and well liked
  • Specialized specifically for flowers
  • The 8 Best Potting Soils for Outdoor Plants

    1. Best Overall – FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Mix

    FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Mix

    Weight: 8 lbs.
    Volume: 12 quarts
    Fertilized: Yes

    FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Combine is an really exclusive potting soil that has everything you want to increase flourishing outside plants. This soil is specially formulated for use in outdoor containers and has special additives. These additives blend the very best of land and sea for a proprietary mix of plant foodstuff made to supercharge your backyard garden. FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Combine consists of a mixture of worm castings, bat guano, fish and crab meal, forest humus, and moss. This is a rich mixture of plant foodstuff that you won’t find everywhere else.

    Not only that but the soil has been tweaked to be at a pH amount of six.three, which is far more ideal for fertilizer intake than other soils. That signifies that any further food items or fertilizers you include will be taken into the soil a lot more efficiently, major to far better benefits. All of this provides up to an outside potting soil that has every little thing your crops could want contained in one single bag. It encourages healthier roots, thicker stems, much better branches, and much better veggies. The soil is effectively-aerated and nicely-draining.

    These bags contain twelve dry quarts of soil and weigh just 8 kilos. You can purchase one baggage, packs of two, or packs of four. This is the perfect acquire for an individual attempting to commence a wholesome, lively container yard with veggies, bouquets, or herbs.

    The most significant downside to this soil is that it is tremendous natural, meaning that it can incorporate bugs, mites, and other very small organisms. That can be surprising and irritating for those who are unaware of the hazards that occur with hugely natural soil. In any other case, this is the very best all-goal soil on the market for out of doors vegetation.

    Pros
    • Tons of unique additives
    • Made for outdoor container gardens
    • Special pH balance for fertilizer
    • Great for vegetables, herbs, or flowers
    Cons
    • Can contain tiny organic organisms

    2. Best All Purpose – Michigan Peat 5720 Garden Magic Potting Soil

    Michigan Peat 5540 Garden Magic Topsoil

    Weight: 20 lbs.
    Volume: 1.5 cubic feet
    Fertilized: No

    If you are just looking for a basic all-function out of doors potting soil that can be used in a variety of distinct methods, you want to get the Michigan Peat 5720 Backyard Magic Potting Soil. This is a no-frills solution that provides a abundant soil combination with out any chemicals, additives, or fertilizers. It is porous sufficient to let extra h2o operate by way of but moist adequate to keep sufficient water to avert excessive dryness. You can just as effortlessly incorporate this soil to a single hanging flowerpot or use it to soil an entire vegetable bed.

    This is a very flexible soil combine that aims to do all of the basic issues well. The 20lbs luggage are sturdy but not overly large. They carry around one.five cubic toes of soil for every bag. A handful of luggage will be enough for most gardeners to get some very good use out of.

    The only drawback is that for simple outside potting soil, some individuals have identified greater benefits at their local components retailers. Baggage are less complicated to obtain and a little cheaper. They will not necessarily be far better, but in some situations, men and women locate it more convenient to choose up neighborhood soil than get on-line. Michigan Peat 5720 Backyard Magic Potting Soil is prone to this due to the fact it does not have any extravagant additives or updates to make it stand out from the group. But it is a quite great outdoor potting soil, however. Some people want the basics for their gardens.

    Pros
    • Versatile potting soil
    • No additives
    • Proven results
    Cons
    • Ordering online can be a hassle
    • Local soil is sometimes more affordable

    3. Best On a Budget – Miracle-Gro Potting Mix 1 cu. ft.

    Miracle-Gro Potting Mix

    Weight: 16 lbs.
    Volume: 1 cubic foot
    Fertilized: Yes

    When it will come to getting a excellent deal, it is not just about the price. It is about the price you get for your dollar. Often, the most affordable merchandise are the worst items. Buying a bum product is not a very good offer. It is a letdown. That is why Miracle-Gro Potting Blend is the greatest benefit for a gardener on a budget. It is a established solution with a great observe document. It is reasonably priced and successful. You know you are obtaining potting soil that will function without losing your funds.

    Wonder-Gro Potting Combine is a adaptable planting soil that can function in indoor or out of doors containers. Customers report more substantial plants, more vivid bouquets, and bigger veggies in excess of other potting mixes. All of those rewards are offered for an incredibly truthful price tag that will not set any individual out. It includes Wonder-Gro plant foods that will slowly feed your garden for a time period of six months, keeping almost everything happy and healthful.

    Wonder-Gro Potting Mix does not do something spectacularly well, but it also is a great offer for the money. This potting soil is virtually universally well received without having any major problems or letdowns. But it is not specialized.

    Pros
    • Great deal
    • Known commodity
    • Versatile potting soil
    Cons
    • Not specialized

    4. Best For Vegetables – SUNGRO HORTICULTURE Black Gold Organic Potting Soil

    SUNGRO HORTICULTURE Black Gold 1302040 8-Quart All Organic Potting Soil

    Weight: 5 lbs.
    Volume: 8 quarts
    Fertilized: Yes

    If you are seeking to commence a small vegetable or herb garden, look no further. SUNGRO HORTICULTURE Black Gold Organic and natural Potting Soil is an outstanding potting soil developed for use in out of doors spaces. It has a proven observe record with basic herbs like basil, mint, and oregano. It has also been used to expand big and colorful tomatoes, healthy lettuce, and peppers. This potting soil blend is pre-charged with all sorts of dense vitamins aimed at making the most out of a tiny vegetable garden. This soil can help seeds begin, or it can give a improve to languishing soil high quality.

    The natural and organic fertilizing aspects integrated in this potting soil are worm castings, Canadian sphagnum peat moss, and forest humus. This mix works to feed plants of all ages and support them make huge edible greens. This is a gain above straightforward potting mixes that act only as a substrate, not as plant foodstuff. This is the perfect item for anybody seeking to dabble in outdoor herbs or lifted vegetable beds.

    The a single point to be aware of is this bag’s dimensions. An eight-quart bag is not very big, and the value can be a little large based on what you are utilised to. Do not be fooled by the photos and the critiques. This bag will not fill an entire garden. You will require numerous luggage if you are performing a lot more than 1 small planter.

    Pros
    • Great for outdoor planter use
    • Works great with herbs and common veggies
    • Preloaded with nutrients for seeds or mature plants
    • Organic
    Cons
    • Small bag
    • Price can be steep if you need to order multiple bags for your project

    5. Best For Flowers – Coast of Maine Organic Natural Gardening Compost Potting Soil

    Coast of Maine Organic Natural Gardening Compost Potting Soil

    Weight: 23 lbs.
    Volume: 20 quarts
    Fertilized: Yes

    If you are an avid gardener with a emphasis on flowers, you want potting soil that is as dedicated as you are to the floral craft. Coastline of Maine Organic and natural All-natural Gardening Compost Potting Soil is a specialized potting soil mix that is made to develop wholesome colourful bouquets. This potting soil can be employed in containers or in flower beds. It is specially formulated to aid roses develop further roots and thicker stems. It involves organic fertilizing supplies like compost, bark, lime, and peat moss.

    You can use Coastline of Maine Natural All-natural Gardening Compost Potting Soil in new yard beds with clean bouquets, or you can include it to current soil to help revitalize the beds for a new time. The luggage are bought in twenty-quart measurements, and you can get packs from singles to ten shipped right to your doorway. Higher-finish flowers, this kind of as roses, can be finicky, and simple potting soil typically doesn’t do enough to help facilitate healthier progress for particular flowers. Coast of Maine Organic and natural All-natural Gardening Compost Potting Soil closes that hole and gives you a merchandise you can truly feel excellent about putting in your rose mattress.

    The only factor that may well set somebody off is the inclusion of particular fertilizing factors. Not everybody likes to use lime or peat moss in their gardens, but these items are included premixed right here. If you are looking for much more of a pure soil, then you may want to compare other options.

    Pros
    • Proven results
    • Well used and well liked
    • Specialized specifically for flowers
    Cons
    • Premixed with fertilizing agents

    6. Best For Seeds – Burpee Premium Organic Potting Mix

    Burpee Premium Organic Potting Mix

    Weight: 5 lbs.
    Volume: 8 quarts (x2)
    Fertilized: Yes

    Burpee Top quality Natural and organic Potting Mix is a soil made for starting seeds. If you are hunting for a fantastic outside potting soil that can be utilised to supercharge your seedlings, then you want to check out Burpee Top quality Organic Potting Mix. This potting soil contains coconut coir and other proprietary plant foodstuff that are made to feed your seeds and get them likely greater than plain potting soil. The plant foods will slowly and gradually seep into the soil over the program of 3 months, making this the perfect soil for outdoor elevated beds or herb gardens. Burpee Quality Organic and natural Potting Combine has been established to perform on organic and natural herbs, traditional herbs, veggies, and flowers.

    This solution contains two packs measuring eight quarts each. The baggage are little, light, and best for use on small beds or person pots. Following you plant your seeds, you won’t have to be concerned about fertilizing or feeding them for weeks which is a great reward of this certain soil mixture.

    A single of the most significant grievances about this certain soil combination was the fact that some bags contained big chunks in them that folks did not care for. Some end users described obtaining items of sticks, wooden, and mulch in their luggage. A couple of other people noted obtaining some type of rubberized material alongside with their soil. That very last report was particularly relating to for people hunting for a wholly natural and organic mix. Or else, outside the house of these uncommon issues, this is a well-regarded potting soil for seed starts off outside at home.

    Pros
    • Slow-release plant food included
    • Organic soil mix
    • Great for herbs and vegetables
    • Small easy to handle bags
    Cons
    • Some bags contained large pieces in the soil
    • Organic soil occasionally attracts gnats

    7. Best Organic – WONDER SOIL Organic Potting Soil

    Wonder Soil Organic Potting Soil

    Weight: 3 lbs.
    Volume: 12 quarts
    Fertilized: Yes

    Ponder SOIL Organic and natural Potting Soil is a great choice for individuals hunting to stock their garden with only organic supplies. This potting soil is entirely normal and crammed with natural additives that are aimed at creating healthy and thriving vegetation. Wonder SOIL Organic Potting Soil contains worm castings, mycorrhizae, kelp, perlite, gypsum, magnesium, minerals, and even hummus. The outcome is a soil blend that aims to recreate the natural circumstances of reside soil discovered on the ground in the convenience of a resealable bag.

    In addition to the excellent fertilizing supplies combined into this soil is the fact that this is expanding soil. The bag weighs just 3 lbs . when it comes, creating it a breeze to go out to your backyard. After introducing h2o, the soil will increase to twelve quarts which are excellent enough to fill several out of doors pots. This light-weight, nicely-draining soil with all-natural fertilizer will help conserve you income on synthetic fertilizers and plant foods even though retaining your pots nice and moist between waterings.

    Users’ main complaints revolve close to the measurement of the bag. This is a little bag of organic and natural soil. Organic and natural objects are frequently far more pricey than non-natural possibilities. Even so, this minimal-volume bag carries a hefty value. The quantity of soil has dissatisfied more than one person so gauge its usefulness by the volume and the weight fairly than the photos, which can be deceptive.

    Pros
    • Completely organic
    • Very light bag
    • Filled with healthy natural nutrients for plants
    Cons
    • Small bag
    • Pricey

    8. Best Expanding – Glee Potting Mix- Lighter Soil and Bigger Plants

    Glee Potting Mix- Lighter Soil and Bigger Plants

    Weight: 7 lbs.
    Volume: 0.4 cubic feet
    Fertilized: No

    When it comes to growing potting soil, there are couple of better possibilities than Glee Potting Mix- Lighter Soil and Even bigger Crops. This is a new product that fuses the healthful foundation of rich potting soil with new hydra fiber engineering. This bag will expand to above double the dimensions following you soak it in water. This enables you to easily purchase potting soil online with out having to fret about receiving extremely large luggage by way of the mail. This bag weighs just seven lbs . generating it very effortless to ship, have and haul.

    Glee Potting Mix is incredibly functional. It can be employed for indoor pots or outside backyard garden beds. This soil can be utilized for perennials, annuals, greens, fruits, succulents, bouquets, and herbs. The growing nature of this potting soil tends to make it straightforward to clean up, it employs considerably less water than conventional soil many thanks to the hydra fiber technological innovation, and it has a massive volume of air which assists root expansion.

    The described downside of this new solution is the reality that some individuals drop volume in the course of soaking. If you do not soak in a sealed container, you have a chance of losing some of the soil to clean out. That can happen with any soil, but it is frustrating when you pay out for unique growing soil to watch it clean absent. The other factor consumers complained about is the reality that it does not have the same appear and come to feel as traditional soil. Expanding soil is a diverse beast from standard soil, so be conscious of that prior to you get.

    Pros
    • A new formulation that includes hydra fiber technology
    • Extremely lightweight and easy to haul
    • Very versatile
    Cons
    • Some material was lost during soaking
    • Doesn’t look like potting soil

    Buyer’s Guide

    Soil Volume

    Often shell out attention to the soil volume before creating a buy. Some bags are much more compact than others. The prices, images, and weights can all be misleading. The surefire way to know how a lot soil you are getting for your cash is to look at the volume. Some luggage can be as modest as 8 quarts or as large as 20 quarts. Some baggage only have .4 cubic feet of soil, while other people can include 2 cubic ft of soil. It is incredibly disappointing and annoying to buy a specialty bag of soil only to understand you purchased 8 quarts when you required a whole lot much more to end your job. That can result in both the time and the funds to rapidly increase without you noticing it.

    Specialized vs. General

    There are two wide types of potting soil on the market for outdoor crops, common and specialised. Common soil generally is made up of no additives, and it is not geared toward any distinct variety or species of plant. General soil is also recognized as all-purpose soil. The foil to all-objective soil is specialty soil. Specialty soils include additives or mixtures that purpose to make them far better for specific sorts of plants at the expense of other individuals. Specialty soils can focus on flowers, herbs, greens, fruit, cactuses, succulents, and far more. If you are arranging on increasing a certain variety of plant, you may possibly want to look into specialty soils as opposed to standard soils.

    Buying In Bulk

    If you are doing a big project, you may well want to use a soil calculator to determine out how considerably soil you need to have prior to you acquire. In several situations, you can preserve income by acquiring in bulk. If you know you are heading to need to have multiple baggage, you can research for a deal that will ship two, 4, 5, or even 10 baggage to your doorway for a price reduction. Buying soil piecemeal in one deals is the most costly way to get soil. Carrying out a minor math and guesswork forward of time can help save you funds on the backend if you are in a position to get a number of bags at one time.

    man holding soil
    Image Credit: jokevanderleij8, Pixabay

    Organic vs. Non-Organic

    Another point you want to consider is natural compared to non-organic soil. Organic and natural soil includes natural materials and is typically created from manure, peat moss, and other similar supplies. Organic and natural soil is wonderful for folks who want to grow an authentic natural backyard garden, but it does have some drawbacks. Natural and organic soil can contain microorganisms this sort of as germs and fungi. They are more difficult to handle and tougher to handle than non-natural soils. Natural soils have a inclination to mould and can introduce new bugs into your backyard garden.

    Non-organic and natural soil does not have any organic matter in it. It is mostly dust and minerals. That is great for some individuals who do not want to deal with the dwelling ingredient of natural and organic soil. Several gardeners prefer natural and organic soil, but not all of them do. Be positive to double-check no matter whether you are buying organic or non-natural soil before making a purchase.

    Additives

    The other point you want to verify is what kind of additives the potting soil contains. Potting soil can incorporate all sorts of additives, from lime to magnesium to peat and even worm castings. Additives can also include chemical fertilizers like nitrogen or phosphorus. Manure also qualifies as an additive. Some people like additives since they incorporate food, nutrition, and fertilizer to the soil, although other men and women do not like additives. Some gardeners like particular varieties of additives and not other people. It is crucial to check the additive checklist before placing anything into your yard, so you know just what is likely into your soil.

    Conclusion

    With so numerous alternatives on the market, it can be overwhelming to purchase outside potting soil. You really don't want to get ripped off, and you really do not want to get ineffective soil that will not aid your crops prosper. Luckily, there are lots of efficient possibilities and great products available for gardeners of all types. Regardless of whether you want to commence a modest outdoor herb yard for personal use or develop several raised beds for serious vegetable development there is a potting soil on this checklist that will operate wonderful for you.


    Showcased Picture Credit history: rolkadd, Shutterstock

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