This Is the Best Soil To Use in Your Container Garden

Container gardens are a go-to planting style for many. Some prefer the way they look, while others appreciate how much easier they can be on your back. But no matter why you opt to use flowerpots and various other containers to grow your garden, you'll want to ensure that you're using the right planting medium.

That's because container gardens require a special type of soil for plants to thrive.

Want to know which soil is best for your container garden? Keep reading to see what the experts suggest and to find out everything you need to know about creating the container garden of your dreams.

Want to grow your plants in a container instead of planting them directly into the ground? Then you'll need to get started with the right soil. According to the University of Maryland Extension, that means using a potting mixture (or growing media) designed to help these types of gardens thrive.

That means picking soil that is loaded with nutrients, aerated enough for root growth, and physically able to hold your plants.

If you're opting to make your own, you're going to need to create a mix that will give you a total pH of around 6.2 and contain the following ingredients:

• Coconut coir
• Sphagnum peat moss
• Compost
• Perlite
• Composted bark
• Vermiculite

You may also need to add small doses of fertilizer and lime, depending on what you're growing and where you're growing it. The exact mixes of these will vary depending on the size of your container and your plants, but this will give you a good idea of where to start when you're planning to create your own container garden soil.

Want to skip the mixing and buy something from the store instead? You're in luck, most garden centers and nurseries sell soil as well.

Just remember, you'll want to pick a type that is specifically labeled for use in a container garden. The reason for this is because other mixes, like topsoil, may be too thick or concentrated for your container garden. This can cause poor drainage, resulting in root rot.

Container gardening is the process of growing plants in flowerpots or containers instead of directly in the ground. People in urban areas without access to yards often do this, as do older gardeners or those with mobility concerns who don't want to bend down as far to tend to their plants.

According to the USDA's National Agricultural Library, it can also be a great alternative for people in areas with poor soil.

Some people like container gardening for the aesthetics. Adding a garden using containers can help add pops of color, or even change the height and dimension of your space.

But, no matter how you create your container garden, finding the right soil, plants, and places to put them all is key. Otherwise, your garden may fail to thrive, leaving you with a mess of unsightly plants and a lot of disappointment instead.