Finding the best potting soil for herbs starts with getting to know your plants and their physical properties. Most everyone knows that a plant needs sufficient water and sunlight, but do you know the soil preferences of your herbs and which brand of the best potting soil for herbs meets those predilections? The goal of this guide is to teach you everything you need to know about the uses of soil with herbs and which ones make the top pick.
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Reading: Best potting soil for herbs
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What Kind of Soil Herbs Love?
Herbs in containers grow the best-quality harvests. Their roots do not need much room and can be as short as 3 inches. Compared to the 12 inches and deeper roots of other plants, this makes for more room in your planter; but you will still need the best potting soil for herbs to get the best results.
You will find that most herbs grow best with a potting mix. A potting mix is similar to potting soil for gardening, but there is a small difference in its physical properties. Typically, potting mixes have no dirt mixed in with the other ingredients; potting soils are the complete opposite. When we refer to the best potting soil for herbs, this will include mixes and soils. To learn how to adjust your soil pH click here.
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Most herbs will need a soil pH of around 6.5, but that level can change with the type of plant.
11 Best Potting Soil for Herbs
Potting Herbs in Soil Q&A
Which herbs like acidic soil?
Any potting mix with a soil pH below 7 is going to be considered acidic. Most herb soils are already at 6.5, but some herbs, like garlic, chives, lemongrass, and oregano, enjoy something even more acidic. Typically, the soil pH for herbs should be higher than at least 5.
What herbs like alkaline soil?
The soil pH for herbs depends on the plant. Alkaline soil has a pH higher than 7. Herbs that like this type of soil thrive with less water compared to other herbs. Some herb plants that prefer alkaline soil are lavender, anise, sage, thyme, and horehound.
Which herbs like dry soil?
Even though most herbs produce the best harvest when planted in moist soil, some varieties are drought-tolerant and love dry, virtually moisture-free soil around their roots. Drought-tolerant herbs include silver mound artemisia, bay laurel, Baptista, cat thyme, fennel, and more.
Which herbs like wet soil?
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For mint, bee balm herb, marshmallow plant, and meadowsweet, they grow best in wet soil. You should never overwater plants, but with these herbs, some extra moisture is beneficial. It may be a good idea to purchase a soil humidity sensor.
Which Potting Soil for Herbs to Choose
All of these potting soils are fantastic. However, which one is best can greatly depend on how you intend to use it. For example, if you plan to start some seedlings for an herb plant, you may want to use FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Organic Mix, which is the best potting soil for herbs in their beginning stages of life. You can also continue to use the soil as the herbs continue to grow.
On the other hand, for a set of indoor herb plants that are in containers, use the Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix; it is specifically formulated to keep the soil moist so that the plants can go several days without water. It is the perfect soil for people who are not home often but would still like the pleasure of growing an herb garden.
Summary
Every garden is different, and all gardeners have their opinions on what soil is the best soil for herbs and how to treat those plants. One gardener may stick to creating compost for herbs, while another person trusts in special potting mix ingredients. These soils are all wonderful candidates, just make sure to pay attention to specifications – for example, the best soil for rosemary is loamy soil. The overall best potting soil for herbs is, without a doubt, the Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix.
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