Herbs have plenty of useful applications. Some help with healing, while others, like rosemary and thyme, are flavor bombs.
The cool thing about growing herbs at home (or anywhere else) is that it saves you time and money, and you can get them whenever you want.
Plants can be frustrating to grow if you don’t have the right medium. Tending to those busy little guys can become an uphill battle if their garden soil doesn’t promote plant growth, so I suggest you grow your herbs in organic potting soil.
Potting soil is a special mix of soils made for plants grown in pots. There is plenty to choose from these days, so it can get confusing!
But don’t worry, I’ve introduced you to five excellent organic potting soils for herbs and tips for how to select the very best for you.
In my opinion: Miracle Grow soil is ideal for most indoor plants and particularly herbs. And you can have it delivered right to your front door from Amazon!
No more awkwardly carrying home those heavy bags full of dirt from the gardening center! Win Win!
Why Potting Soil Is Better Than Garden Soil for Herbs
You can use potting soil and garden soil for growing herbs.
However, potting soil and garden soil are two entirely different materials, and potting soil is definitely superior.
To begin with, potting soil retains moisture better than garden soil.
Interestingly enough, when potting soil does retain water, it can absorb the appropriate amount for the potted herbs and allow excess to drain.
As for garden soil, the soil is spread across a large surface area, and tends to hold too much water.
Holding onto water as a result of the fact that garden soil spread out through the larger surface area is not good for the health of potted plants.
Also: Some garden soil types contain some clay. When the soil has clay, it will not easily release from the side of the pot and turns into hard concrete. It clogs up the pot, and I don’t want the potting herbs to clog up.
Factors to Consider When Buying Organic Potting Soil for Herbs
Choosing good organic potting soil for healthy herbs isn’t easy.
There are a lot of options and each one is different.
Here are some factors to help you choose the right soil for your needs.
Price
There are price ranges for organic potting soil as many as there are types available.
There is good chance that you would find something that fits within your budget.
You have to be careful about over-paying or under-paying for this product.
Quality
If you want good results, quality is another consideration.
Some organic potting soils are of great quality, others are pretty poor quality.
Whatever soil you choose, you should try to make sure it has been tested and approved.
Quality comes with a price, so you should be prepared to pay.
Ingredients
There are a variety of potting soil mixes available.
The choice to make, is which ingredient mix to use, that varies based on which herbs you are growing.
For example, the ingredient mix for thyme could be fine for rosemary or other herbs.
So, do your due diligence and research which ingredient mix is best for the herbs you intend on planting.
Brand
There are a ton of different brands that make potting soil for herbs.
So do your homework to see which brand or brands are most likely to meet your needs (in terms of potting soil).
It doesn’t hurt to take a look at reviews and ratings of the consumers that have used the products before.
Water Retention Power
You want soil that can control the amount of moisture it retains between waterings.
The soil should also be able to drain excess water to avoid flooding and destroying the herbs.
pH Level
Most herbs will grow well in soil with a pH of 6.3 – 6.9 – in other words, soils that are slightly acidic.
This is based on the fact that acidic soils generally contain nutrients the herbs depend on. Therefore, checking the pH of the soil is a good idea before you purchase it.
If it’s not provided, check with the manufacturer, or you can also test it yourself at home if you have the relevant kits.
Best Organic Potting Soils for Herbs
1. Foxfarm FX14053 Ocean Forest Organic Potting Soil
Key Features
- 12 quarts of a blend of ingredients
- pH levels of between 6.3 and 6.8
- Weighs 9.28 pounds
The Fox Farm potting soil is of fantastic quality, and has all the ingredients you will ever need for the healthy growth of your herbs.
In this 12 quart bag, that is sure to last a long time, of soil contains a mixture of sphagnum peat moss, earthworm castings, forest humus, and bat guano.
The mixture provides a light and aerated texture which is excellent for growing your herbs.
The organic soil has a pH levels of 6.3 to 6.8, which is great for the soil to uptake fertilizer maximally. So, your herbs will have optimal access to the supplements it requires.
Your plants will grow robustly with good branching which is what you would desire from a containerized plant.
Pros
- Excellent quality
- It leads to the growth of strong and sturdy herbs
- It has a pH of 6.3 to 6.8, allowing the soil to absorb fertilizer optimally
- It is made of many essential ingredients
Cons
- It is not completely devoid of bugs
Keep in mind that right at the beginning, you wouldn’t need nitrogen anyways.
At 9.28 pounds – this is a reasonable size if your garden is just a few herb plants.
And remember to replace this in a reasonable time if you run out.
2. Black Gold 1302040 8-Quart All Organic Potting Soil
Key Features
- High quality plastic material
- Rich loamy soil for all gardening applications
- Can use in various places- patios, hanging baskets, herb gardens
Black Gold is a really rich organic potting soil, made from a really rich and loamy mix, thus its title of, ‘black gold.’
It uses a 100% organic base of tested ingredients: Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss, aged bark, earthworm castings, horticultural grade perlite, cinders, and organic grade fertilizer.
This soil has an excellent history of performance, so you can have peace of mind your herbs will grow and thrive.
It is also approved by Organic Materials Review Institute for organic food and fiber production.
The price is inexpensive, but you will receive great value.
Also this potting soil, is made with both pumice and perlite to create pore space and air space for your herbs to have optimal growth needs.
Pros
- It is of excellent quality as it is made in the United States
- A rich, loamy mix
- Affordable
Cons
- It easily gets infested with bugs and the growth of mold
You also get the added benefit of choice – you can use it in multiple ways – as a hanging basket, on the patio, in any other place, that you can use organic soil.
It is definitely, a smart buy.
3. Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix
Key Features
- Feeds for up to 6 months
- Are not prone to gnats and other pests
- Has water retention power
This potting soil is perfectly formulated for sweet herbs, all three types of basil, several varieties of mint, spinach, and dozens of container plants and best for indoor plants.
So, if you like to grow your herbs inside your home, then it’s the one for you.
At 21 pounds, it will feed your plants for almost up to six months, which is super convenient.
You will not need to worry about pests having no compost and no bark to help keep fungus gnats, and many long-lived indoor plants and herbs rely on the capacity of a soil to hold moisture.
Because the medium has coconut coir, it quickly holds and releases water and returns to being rewetted much easier than peat-based products.
As a result, your herbs can be sufficiently moist and learn the importance of moisture in the growing process.
Pros
- It lacks compost and bark, which attract pests
- Blended for a wide variety of containers
- It has coconut coir, which enables the soil to rewet easily
- Easy to use
Cons
- It is spore contaminated
This soil is really easy to use.
First, decide which container you’re going to put your herbs in, making sure there is a drain hole at the bottom of the container. Fill 1/3 of the container with soil.
Next, loosen the root ball and put your herb in the container. Add more of the soil mix until it sits 1 inch from the top of your container and give it a light press.
The next thing to do is water your container and let it drain. For best results, feed your herbs miracles gro plant food 30 days after the transplant.
4. Espoma AP8 8-Quart Organic Potting Mix
Key Features
- Can use it with indoor and outdoor containers
- Has water retention mechanisms
- Manual power source type
You can use this potting soil to plant your herbs in the house or a garden because it works for both.
It contains an 8-quart mix of ingredients to encourage your herbs to grow into strong and healthy plants.
It is also supplemented with myco-tone water-saving formula so that the plant is always hydrated without over-watering.
The water-saving formula provides adequate moisture retention and helps to reduce drought stress.
Pros
- Free of pests
- It is suitable for both the indoors and the outdoors
- It has myco-tone water formula to control the moisture retention capacity of the soil
- Affordable
Cons
- It has super fine particles that tend to retain water
On top of that, it doesn’t attract any bugs, so you won’t have fungus gnats or any other bugs, either.
It’s a really reasonable deal for the price!
5. Burpee Organic Premium Potting Mix
Key Features
- High quality plastic materials
- Formulated with coconut coir, which is renewable and sustainable
- Enriched with Burpee plant food
This dirt is loaded up with burpee plant food to grow healthy, bright and tasty herbs!
It feeds the plants instantly and then steadily for three months!
It slowly releases plant food the whole time.
It fits your lifestyle for container gardening or raised bed gardening – it’s your pick!
In addition it contains coconut coir that is what holds moisture between waterings so that the soil is wet enough for the herbs to live.
If you want to worry about the quality of the soil, don’t bc it is listed in OMRI for organic food!
Pros
- Enriched with burpee plant food
- It feeds the herbs steadily for 3 months
- Suitable for both container and raised bed gardening
- It has coconut coir to keep the soil adequately moisturized
Cons
- Relatively expensive
This soil will make it a breeze to grow your herbs.
It’s also resistant to bugs, so you won’t have to deal with gnats and other pests on your plants!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a downside to using potting soils?
Regular old potting soils don’t have enough organic ingredients in them. So, you’d have to mix them up yourself to get the proportions that you want. Most brands of potting soil do sell the already mixed-up soils, so you won’t have to worry about that.
What pH is most suitable for herbs?
Most herbs are fine in slightly acidic soils. As such, potting soil for herbs, should have a pH slightly less than 7 and ideally between 6 and 6.5.
However, some herbs are like lemongrass, oregano, and chives will flourish in more acidic soils and appreciate a pH of about 5.
Which containers are the best for planting herbs using organic potting soil?
It is advisable to use a well-trained pots.
Still, most containers can do the job just fine with respect to planters. Plastic, wooden and metallic containers are all appropriate if they are in good condition and have drainage holes in the bottom.
You can also pick the container according to size. Of course small containers are perfect if you’re producing individual plants.
If you consider a garden bed type of planters, then large pots would be the best option.
Final Words
Having home-grown herbs is really great because you can use them anytime you want.
If you’re going to start growing your own, you might as well buy organic potting soil, especially if you want an easy time growing your plants.
I don’t think you can go wrong with using the Miracle grow soil from Amazon.
It’s a best-selling soil with a great reputation. Plus, it is delivered to you, so you don’t have to carry it up the hill
This article gives informative information about the soil, and reviews some of the best soil out there.
Feel free to click on the links if you have questions or even if you are interested in buying it.
Good luck!