Just as creating a healthy soil environment is crucial for your in-ground plants, providing a suitable growing medium for your container plants is a key factor to success. Most gardeners do fine with bagged container mixes available at the nursery, but these one-size-fits-all options might not be the best options, especially if you are growing plants with specific soil needs.

Making your own container soil might sound like a lot of unnecessary work, but it can improve your plants’ performance. And because these mixes have the optimal amount of nutrients and proper drainage, they reduce the amount of time you spend feeding and caring for your containers.

Each of the following recipes can be mixed in a wheelbarrow or garden cart and tweaked based on your needs or what is available to you. You can also save time and money by purchasing the items in bulk and making large batches to set aside for a later date or to share with your gardening friends.

Learn more about the ingredients mentioned in these recipes.

Basic Blend

Simple ingredients make this adaptable mix easy and affordable for everyone

Moisten the ingredients to make mixing easier. Place a ½-inch mesh screen over a garden cart or other large container, and sift all ingredients to remove any large particles. Mix thoroughly.

The handfuls of garden lime, soybean meal, rock phosphate, and kelp meal (any of which can be omitted) provide extra nutrients that enable this mix to feed plants for a year or two without additional fertilization.

Watch the video

Recipe

1 part peat moss
1 part perlite
1 part compost
1 part good garden soil

Optional ingredients

A handful each of:

Garden lime
Soybean meal
Rock phosphate
Kelp meal

—Lee Reich, soil scientist, New Paltz, New York

Annuals

High in nutrients, this mix pumps out the flowers without extra feeding

Because the worm castings and chicken manure provide enough nutrients to last throughout the season and the pine bark continues to increase fer­tility as it decomposes, this mix requires little or no extra feeding on your part.

Watch the video

Recipe

1  part expanded slate
1  part composted chicken manure
1  part worm castings
1  part composted pine bark
1  part coarse river sand

—Bobbie Saul, Saul Nurseries, Atlanta, Georgia

Alpine Plants

Low fertility and a top-dressing of grit is best

Alpine plants are adapted to survive in the bare minimum of soil conditions, so many store-bought mixes high in organic matter won’t work. This recipe makes a lean soil that alpine plants love, but make sure the potting soil you use has no added synthetic fertilizer.

Mulch the surface of the soil with small pebbles or grit to keep the crowns of the plants from rotting.

Recipe

1  part expanded slate or shale
1  part bagged potting soil
1  part bagged playground sand

—Lori Davis, Sunny Border Nurseries, Kensington, Connecticut

Tropicals

The best blend has high fertility and the right pH

Though tropicals are a diverse group of plants, they generally prefer a loose, acidic, well-drained, fertile soil high in organic matter. Common tropical plants, like cannas and bananas, will grow in any good soil, but this mix will help them attain optimal growth.

Recipe

Mix together:

2  parts composted bark
2  parts pure pine bark
1  part rice hulls
Handful of charcoal pellets

Combine:

3  parts above mixture
1  part peat moss
1  part perlite
1  part calcined clay

—Glenn Stokes, Stokes Tropicals, Jeanerette, Louisiana

Cacti and Succulents

Perfect drainage makes this recipe succeed

Top-dress the container soil with small river rock, gravel, aquarium stone, or a fine-grade roofing gravel to keep the crowns of the plants from rotting.

To increase acidity just slightly—something all succulents like—add 1 tablespoon white vinegar to 5 gallons water when watering.

Watch the video

Recipe

5  parts perlite
4  parts bagged potting soil
1  part coarse sand
Pinch of rock dust

—Jeff Moore, Solana Succulents, Solana Beach, California

Woody Plants and Perennials

This long-lasting mixture is the perfect medium for long-term plants

If the mix clumps together and the compost you use is heavy, add more perlite to ensure good drainage. Use extra compost or bark when growing more mature plants, but don’t make it too rich for young plants—it could damage their delicate roots and stems.

Watch the video

Recipe

1  part peat moss
1  part composted bark
1  part compost
1  part sand
1  part perlite

—Rita Randolph, Randolph’s Greenhouses, Jackson, Tennessee

Regional brands are a good bet

If you want great container soil but aren’t ready to make it yourself, check out some local options. These are just a few examples, from small companies seeking to provide high-quality organic alternatives to larger, mass-produced products. Most are available at local independent garden centers. Ask for them by name, or look them up online.

South

Lady Bug Natural Brand Vortex Potting Soil, ladybugbrand.com

Mid-Atlantic

Organic Mechanics Peat-Free Potting Soil, organicmechanicsoil.com

Northeast

Coast of Maine Bar Harbor Blend Premium Potting Soil, coastofmaine.com

West

Black Gold Natural and Organic Potting Soil, blackgold.bz

Daryl Beyers is a former assistant editor and is a member of the Professional Gardeners’ Guild.

Photos, except where noted: Krista Hicks Benson

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

Ho-Mi Digger - Korean Triangle Blade

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Versatile Tool: The Easy Digger Korean Triangle Blade Ho Mi Ho-mi is a versatile gardening tool designed for leveling and digging in home and garden settings. Efficient Design: Its unique triangular blade shape allows for easy soil penetration and efficient leveling of garden beds or landscaping areas. Durable Construction: Crafted with sturdy materials, this tool ensures long-lasting performance and reliability. Ergonomic Handle: The comfortable handle provides a secure grip, reducing hand fatigue during extended use. Compact Size: Its compact design makes it easy to maneuver in tight spaces and store when not in use.

Buy at Amazon

Ashman Garden Cultivator (1Pack)

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Solid Build—The Ashman Garden Cultivator/Tiller is strong in construction so that it can withstand heavy work in the garden. The blade and the shaft are coupled well for deep digging and uprooting the soil from the depths. It serves the purpose of cultivation very well. Create a blooming crop and watch it blossom and reap the benefits. Sharpened Fine piercing Blade—The blades are razor sharp and are made to pierce into any kind of soil and to serve digging, loosening soil, and weeding. The blades are rust-proof and have chip-resistant coating enhancing durability. Use it to control weeds, bury crop residue in the soil, and for preparing a proper seed bed. High-Quality Design—The thoughtful design incorporated to shape the blades in L shape helps dig deep into the soil and rip it from beneath for cultivation. This helps a lot when weeding. Dig well and plant well. The handle is made to fit in the hand well and can be held tightly to apply push and pull forces effectively. Practical Utility—The garden cultivator is made with “practical utility” as the core of its purpose. It serves all the necessary purposes when gardening. Helps mix soil, which will loosen it up, providing more nutrients for the crops.

Buy at Amazon