Best Organic Potting Soil For Vegetables And For Indoor Plants

Rating	Image	Products	Score	Price
1		Ocean Forest Organic Potting Soil by Fox Farm
2		​1.5 Cubic Feet Ocean Forest Organic Potting Soil by Fox Farm​​​
3		​​8-Quart AP8 Organic Potting Mix by Espoma​​​
4		​​1302040 Organic Potting Soil in 8-Quart by Black Gold​​​
5 Best		​​0.33 to 1 cubic foot Incredible Expanding Planting Mix by Nature’s Care Editor’s Choice

The organic potting mix can either be bought or be made at home

The organic potting mix can either be bought or be made at home

Indoor gardeners sometimes find it frustrating to look for the best organic potting soil that is appropriate for their indoor plants. This is because several bagged organic planting soil sometimes does not contain the necessary nutrients needed by the plants. With this, some indoor gardeners would prefer to have organic potting soil DIY to ensure that their indoor plants get the proper macro and micronutrients. However, there are also some indoor gardeners that would prefer to buy potting mix brands that are known to manufacture the best organic potting mix.

What is the best organic potting soil to buy out on the market? Let’s find out!

The best organic potting mixtures are those made of organic materials

Top 5 Best Organic Potting Soil 2018 Reviews

There are lots of brands that manufacture organic planting mix available on the market. However, not all of these can nourish your indoor plants successfully. To help you choose the best organic potting soil appropriate for your indoor plants, we curated a list on the 5 best potting soil reviews.

#1 Ocean Forest Organic Potting Soil by Fox Farm

Ocean Forest Organic Potting Soil by Fox Farm. Via: Amazon.com

First on the list is the organic potting mix from Fox Farm. This potting soil is a mixture of earthworm castings, bat guano, fish and crab meal, sandy loam, peat moss, and forest humus (composted). This features the perfect blend of both macro and micronutrients suitable for herbs and vegetables.

Pros

• This organic potting soil features a blend of premium organic ingredients, which include bat guano, earthworm castings, and also both fish and crab meal.
• This also contains sphagnum peat moss, sandy loam, as well as composted forest humus.
• This has the ability to grow indoor plants quickly and healthily.
• This product’s pH level is already adjusted at 6.3 to 6.8, which enables the plants to have optimum uptake of fertilizers.
• This is ideal for indoor herbs and vegetables.
• This product can be purchased in a 12-quart pack, 2-pack 12-quart, 3-pack 12-quart, 4 pack 12-quart, and 5-pack 12-quart.

Cons

• This potting soil does not retain enough moisture needed by the plants.
• The soil can immediately dry out.

#2 1.5 Cubic Feet Ocean Forest Organic Potting Soil by Fox Farm

1.5 Cubic Feet Ocean Forest Organic Potting Soil by Fox Farm. Via: Amazon.com

This organic potting soil is still manufactured by Fox Farm. It features essential micronutrients plus earthworm castings and bat guano. This is also featured in a light texture and is also well aerated. This is perfect for containers and is available in 1.5 cubic feet product package.

Pros

• The pH level of this organic potting soil is already adjusted to 6.3 to 6.8, which allows the plants to have maximum fertilizer uptake.
• This product contains premium bat guano, earthworm castings, and sea-going fish, as well as crab meal meticulously mixed with sandy loam, sphagnum peat moss, and composted forest humus.
• This is considered as a good organic potting mix for coriander and other herbs and vegetables.

Cons

• This organic potting soil may attract bugs and insects that can destroy and damage the plants.
• This soil mixture is too hot for seedlings and sprouts. Hence, proper room temperature and airflow must be observed.

#3 8-Quart AP8 Organic Potting Mix by Espoma

8-Quart AP8 Organic Potting Mix by Espoma. Via: Amazon.com

This organic potting mix is manufactured by Espoma. It features all natural ingredients including earthworm castings. This is specially designed to have great moisture retention. This also includes an enhanced Myco-Tone water saving formula that promotes root growth of both indoor and outdoor plants.

Pros

• This organic potting soil is designed to lessen drought stress on plants with its improved water retention ability.
• This features Myco-Tone water saving formula, which is very useful in conserving water, as well as energy consumed in watering the plants.
• This soil’s formula promotes excellent root growth and is capable of making your plants grow big and healthily.
• This soil mixture is perfect for tomatoes and also for blueberries.
• This product comes in a resealable bag.

Cons

• This product is too hot for seedlings, sprouts, and small herbs.
• This soil mixture has the tendency to attract fungus gnats and other bugs if stored improperly.

#4 1302040 Organic Potting Soil in 8-Quart by Black Gold

1302040 Organic Potting Soil in 8-Quart by Black Gold. Via:Amazon.com

This product is one of the best organic potting soils available on the market. It is manufactured by Black Gold. This product is guaranteed to be all natural and organic. Aside from organic ingredients, this also includes fertilizer that helps plants grow quickly and healthily. This soil mix is ideal for vegetable garden and flowers.

Pros

• This organic potting mix is specially formulated to have a light texture and well aerated.
• This product has a well-balanced mixture of organic ingredients that effectively yield positive results in growing plants healthily.
• This product has the ability to retain enough moisture needed by the plants to grow healthily.
• This product is the best organic potting soil for seedlings.
• This is ideal for containers.

Cons

• This product has the tendency to be manifested with fungal gnats.

#5 0.33 to 1 cubic foot Incredible Expanding Planting Mix by Nature’s Care

0.33 to 1 cubic foot Incredible Expanding Planting Mix by Nature’s Care. Via:Amazon.com

This product is the best organic potting mix due to its ability to expand from .33 cubic foot up to 1 cubic foot just by adding water. This is also available in .67 cubic foot that can expand up to 2 cubic feet. This potting soil has the ability to grow plants 3x bigger and healthier than plants planted in native soil. This can also hold more water of up to 33% than other basic and ordinary potting soils available on the market.

Pros

• This potting soil is an excellent substitute for ordinary garden soil or regular potting mix due to its all natural and organic ingredients.
• This potting soil has the ability to expand 3 times from its original size. This is done simply by just adding water to the soil.
• This is guaranteed to be lightweight and well aerated.
• This product has 90% more air as compared to other potting mixtures. This enhances the development and growth of the plant’s roots.
• Aside from its incredible expanding feature, this product can also grow plants 3 times bigger and healthier.
• This potting soil can hold more water of up to 33% as compared to other potting mixtures.
• This product is made of 100% recyclable resources.
• This is ideal for both indoor and outdoor gardening.

Cons

• This product has an undesirable odor.

Why Getting The Right Nutrients Is Crucial For Indoor Plants?

Outdoor plants basically get the right nutrients, both macro and micro, from the soil where they are planted. Therefore, it is preferred by most outdoor gardeners to plant their plants in an area with rich soil. However, plants planted in not so rich soil are usually supplemented with fertilizers so that the plants can get the proper nutrients for them to grow healthily.

Some potted plants also need fertilizers if the soil is not of high-quality

This also goes with indoor plants. The attention needed by indoor plants is more crucial than those planted in an outdoor garden. If plants do not get the proper nutrients, they will grow unhealthily and sometimes, do not actually thrive. That is why fertilizers and other supplements should be given to indoor plants so that they will grow healthily and successfully.

Potted plants with low-quality potting mix do not survive successfully

To ensure the success of growing your plants, it is best to test the soil where you intend to plant using digital pH meters and test kits. By doing so, you will be able to identify the amount of lime, fertilizer, and even the nutrients– nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, etc.– present in the soil. This can also determine the pH level of the soil.

Test kits can be used in testing the potting soil to be used

What Organic Nutrients To Look for In a Potting Mix/Soil?

Basically, plants do need macro and micronutrients to grow healthily. Therefore, these nutrients should be the ones to look for in a potting mix or potting soil.

Plants need both macro and micronutrients to grow healthily

There are three key nutrients needed by the plants to grow healthily. These three key nutrients are known as the macronutrients. Therefore, these three should be present in your chosen best potting soil. These are the nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, or basically known as the N-P-K.

The macronutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium

Aside from these, potting soil should also contain some of the micronutrients that support the functions of the macronutrients. These are calcium, boron, chlorine, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, and zinc. It is recommended to choose potting soil and mix that contain more organic materials such as peat, vermiculite, bark, and coir fiber since these usually contain some of the micronutrients.

How To Use Or Apply Organic Potting Soil To Plants?

Successful container gardens usually start with the usage of premium organic potting soil and mixes, as well as the proper application of these. Others might think that potting soil and mixes can be applied directly and immediately to seedlings and grown plants. However, it is not. There are some necessary steps to be followed in transferring your plants into containers using organic potting soil.

1. Choose a High-quality Potting Mix.

High-quality potting mixes are those that contain the three macronutrients, some of the micronutrients, as well as some organic materials. To identify whether your chosen potting mix contains these, check the label for its ingredients. It is also better to choose potting soil and mixes that are well aerated and are capable of holding moisture.

2. Choose a Container That Has Holes At The Bottom.

Containers used for potted plants should have holes at the bottom for good drainage. Without holes, water poured onto the plants will be stagnant in the pot which may cause rotting of the plants’ roots.

Use pots with holes at the bottom for better drainage

3. Fill in the container with 2/3 full of the potting soil, then put and arrange the plants in the pot.

It is better to put the plants when the container is not that full of the potting mix. This is to ensure that the roots are not placed too deep or too shallow in the pot. It is also recommended to check the roots of the plants to be transferred in the pot whether it is tangled or not.

Place the plants when the pot has 2/3 of soil to secure the roots

4. Add a Tittle More Potting Mix To Cover The Roots.

Pour more potting mix and firm it up with your hands so that the roots and the base of the plant’s stem are covered well. It is advised not to fill the pot with potting soil up to the top. Leave some space on top so that there will be some space to put water and not having it run over the edge of the top.

Conclusion

Indoor gardeners always have the option whether to buy the best organic potting mix or DIY organic potting soil to ensure optimum organic potting soil benefits. Just always make sure that your chosen organic potting mix contains the macronutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Also, choose the organic potting mix that contains organic materials such as sphagnum peat, coir fiber, bark, perlite, and vermiculite. These actually keep the potting mix well-aerated and increase the property of holding moisture.

On my part, I highly recommend the 0.33 to 1 cubic foot Incredible Expanding Planting Mix by Nature’s Care. This organic potting mix has the ability to expand 3 times its original amount, to hold more water of up to 33%, and has 90% more air than other potting soils. Furthermore, this product is made of 100% recyclable ingredients.

Thank you for reading this article. Share this with other indoor gardeners who are struggling in growing their indoor plants successfully.