For a plant to grow, it needs five elements: sunlight, air, moisture, nutrients and proper temperature. Four of these five elements depend on the quality of the soil you use. Without the right soil, your plant will not get the air, moisture or nutrients it needs to survive.
Is all soil the same, or does organic soil make a difference in your garden? Keep reading to find out.
One of the first things you probably learned when venturing into the rewarding world of gardening was that dirt is not soil. The difference between the two is that dirt is not alive, but soil is. If all you have is dirt, your plants will never grow. In other words, all soil is organic.
Organic is a popular marketing buzzword that has become synonymous with "healthy" in the food world. This is because food that is labeled USDA-Certified Organic is the most heavily regulated food system in the U.S. However, when the word organic is used in conjunction with soil, it is not a certification; it’s more of an adjective that might not mean what you think it means.
While it can seem confusing that all soil is organic, but not all soil is labeled organic, there is a difference. Regular soil is manufactured using ingredients such as peat moss, bark, perlite, vermiculite and styrofoam. While some of these ingredients are organic, they don’t usually contain impressive amounts of nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium, the three elements needed for plant growth. The rest of the ingredients found in regular soil help with water drainage and aeration, so plants’ roots can get sufficient moisture and oxygen.
On the other hand, organic soil contains ingredients such as compost, seaweed, fish meal, bat droppings, bone meal, soybean meal, manure and worm castings. These items add essential nutrients to the soil, raising the level of nitrogen, phosphorus or potassium so a plant can thrive. In short, using organic soil is roughly the equivalent of a human having a purposeful, nutrient-rich diet – all the elements needed for healthy growth are present.
Like everything else in life, organic soil has its pros and cons.
Miracle-Gro Nature's Care Organic Garden Soil
An OMRI-listed product that is formulated for in-ground gardens. It contains bone meal, earthworm castings, kelp meal and more, and it is suitable for fruits, vegetables and flowers.
Sold by Home Depot
Burpee Organic Premium Potting Mix
This versatile product is suitable for use in container and raised-bed gardening. It provides slow-release nutrients that can feed your plants for up to three months. It is formulated with coconut fiber, which can help maintain moisture between waterings.
Sold by Amazon
Miracle-Gro Nature's Care Raised Bed Soil
This specially formulated organic soil is designed for fruits, flowers and vegetables in raised-bed gardens. It contains alfalfa meal, kelp meal, earthworm castings and bone meal to nourish your plants.
Sold by Home Depot
Black Gold Natural & Organic Potting Soil
This organic potting soil is for western regions only. It is an all-purpose soil you can use for indoor containers, outdoor containers, raised beds, flowers, vegetables and herbs.
Sold by Amazon
Burpee Organic Seed Starting Mix
An eco-friendly soil alternative mix that is designed to be used for starting seeds. This compressed brick of coconut fiber expands to 8 quarts after adding water, and it is OMRI listed for organic use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Want to shop the best products at the best prices? Check out Daily Deals from BestReviews.
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Allen Foster writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
