We all love tomatoes in our gardens. It’s hard to resist their sweet and juicy orbs as they ripen in the sun during summer and fill the air with the scent of their vines. However, for these succulents to do well, they require good, healthy soil.
To have control over the crop’s soil type, you should consider potting your tomatoes. Potting will ensure that you have a beautiful and bountiful tomato garden. Suitable for indoor and outdoor crops, potting it provides support and anchorage for the roots enabling you to have control over the soil.
If you want the best results, it is advisable to get good potting soil for tomatoes. With so many options out there, it can be hard making the right choice. To help you choose the best potting soil for tomatoes, I have created this review and buying guide. If you need healthy plants and juicy fruits, I recommend you get one of the five choices below.
Image | Name | Category | Where To Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Organic Potting Mix By Perfect Plants For All Plant Types | Best Overall | |
 | Compressed Organic Potting-Soil For Garden & Plants | Portable | |
 | Espoma AP8 8-Quart Organic Potting Mix | Best For Optimum Results | |
 | Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix | Best For Dry Areas | |
 | Black Gold 8-Quart All Organic Potting Soil | Rich And Loamy |
Organic Potting Mix by Perfect Plants for All Plant Types – Best Potting Soil For Tomatoes
The Perfect Plants Organic Potting Mix is an all-natural blend of ingredients that helps to boost nutrients and enhance the soil conditions for potted plants. It’s suitable for both indoor and outdoor use, making it an ideal choice for growing tomatoes.
Three key features help the soil to absorb water and retain moisture. These are coconut coir, peat moss and perfect plant perlite.
Coconut coir is a textured agent whose role is to create air pockets in the soil. It plays a key role in aerating the soils of containerized tomatoes. The draining agent has a neutral pH balance and doesn’t impact the overall pH when added to the mix.
Sphagnum peat moss is very key to the soil as it is able to absorb more than 20 times its weight in the water. This ensures that the naturally occurring fungi are able to grow, removing toxins from the soil. Moss also has major and minor nutrients that are suitable for healthy tomatoes.
In many instances, soil tends to compact together, and this can leave certain parts of the pot compacted, leaving these parts suffocated. Perlite helps to create air pockets within the soil, enabling the roots to grow comfortably with enough access to the nutrients.
The Perfect Plant organic Soil Potting Mix was created by professionals who were looking for a perfect potting mix that would help to manage moisture and at the same time, enrich the condition of the containerized plant.
It contains Mycorrhizae, a plant-healthy fungus that helps to protect the plant’s root system. The growth enhancement formula occurs naturally and can help to improve root establishments. The fungus improves the soil’s nutritional levels without the use of fertilizers. This helps to improve the plant yield.
Verdict
Perfect Plant Organic Potting Mix is a top-quality mix for tomatoes. It helps to enhance flowering and production of fruits even as it increases the durability of the plant. The soil comes in a heavy-duty reusable bags that enable you to store any remaining soil in a pest-free container.
Due to its ability to maintain the right moisture balance, Perfect Plant Organic Potting Mix is our choice for the best potting soil for tomatoes. It can help to achieve a longer production period and enable the plants to last longer, whether indoors or outdoors.
PROS | CONS |
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Compressed Organic Potting-Soil for Garden & Plants – Most portable
One of the features that set Compressed Organic Potting-Soil for Garden & Plants is that it can expand seven times after it has been mixed with water. While it comes in a two-pound bag, it will produce three gallons of potting soil when mixed in a ratio of 3:1. This makes it convenient to store and easy to carry to your garden.
The soil is made of ingredients that are 100% natural such as worm castings, ground coconut cor, and beneficial bacteria that can help to boost nutrients. This helps your tomatoes grow three times bigger. The nutrient-rich soil is organic, making it suitable for your garden. It will cause no harm to your children and pets.
The potting soil for tomatoes works very fast in getting air and water to the thirsty roots. It can hold up to 50% more water as compared to the regular soil. This makes it suitable for growing tomatoes in gardens and flower beds.
Verdict
If you do not want to lug a heavy bag of soil with you, you should go for the Compressed Organic Potting Soil for Gardens & Plants. It contains trace minerals and other beneficial bacteria, providing your tomatoes with a real boost.
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Good garden soil should have the right combination of physical components, chemical components, and biological matters. This can help to achieve good production. If you would are searching for a rich organic soil that will enable you to reap a bountiful tomato harvest, you should consider the Espoma AP 8 8-Quart Organic Potting Mix.
The soil is rich, dark and packed with all the essential components needed by tomatoes. It is able to retain moisture despite its soft and light texture. It is suitable for pitting and can be used in indoor or outdoor containers. It has been improved with Myco-Tone Water Saving Formula that ensures that a minimal amount of water is used. The formula is also good for retaining moisture and reducing drought-related stress.
This is among the best soil for tomato plants with the original earthy smell. It also contains small twigs and pieces of wood. When you use this mix, you will be assured of good success with the growth and stability of your tomatoes. Even if you are using it for indoor plants, you will still see the same kind of results.
The soil comes in a bag that seals shut to prevent bugs from getting inside. It is advisable to store it in a cool area without a lot of moisture.
Verdict
If you are searching for a soil that will provide your tomatoes with all the nutrients they require, you should choose the Espoma AP 8 8-Quart Organic Potting Mix.
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|---|---|
Miracle-Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix – Best for dry areas
As compared to the normal garden potting soil, the Miracle-Gro Moisture Potting Mix can absorb 33% more water. This will ensure that your plants remain hydrated for a period of
The specially formulated mix will feed your crop for a period of 6 months. The potting mix will do its job well and will keep the soil moist at an optimum level.
The potting soil will provide a firm foundation while providing key nutrients and the right environment for the roots of the plants. It will help protect your crops from under and overwatering. Whether you want to use it indoor or outdoor, you can be assured of healthy plants.
Verdict
The Miracle Gro Moisture Control Mix is a high-quality soil for potting plants. It will work well for your tomatoes. You will be in a position to grow plants that are twice as big.
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Black Gold 8-Quart All Organic Potting Soil – rich and loamy
The Black Gold 8-Quart All Organic Potting Soil is an organic soil that fits different needs. The US-Made soil has been tested to ensure optimum performance. It is among the best options out there for application in gardens.
It s fortified with Perlite and Pumice for optimum air and pore spaces, ensuring sturdy growth. You can use it in herb gardens, patio containers, baskets, veggies planting and other areas where you would like to introduce organic soil. The soil comes well packaged and is moist with a rich feeling.
Verdict
The Black Gold 8-Quart All Organic Potting Soil is very rich and loamy. It contains the right amount of vermiculite that helps to prevent it from solidifying. You will notice a difference in your tomatoes within a few days.
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|---|---|
How To Choose The Best Soil For Tomatoes - A Detailed Buying Guide
Now, I gave you our picks on a platter, but in case you want to learn the why's and what's, we have a buying guide as well. There are several factors you need to consider when choosing the best soil for your tomato plants, all of which we will talk about in this section.
Essential nutrients
The soil should contain all the major nutrients such as Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. These will ensure the optimum growth of your plants.
Soil pH
This is what shows whether the soil is alkaline or acidic. It usually ranges from zero to 14. When the number is lower, it shows the soil is acidic. The right pH level for the growth of tomatoes is between 6 and 6.8. This is slightly acidic.
Before you buy the best soil for tomatoes in pots, you need to check the pH. If this is too low, it means that soil is too acidic. You will need to add an alkaline solution to make it suitable for your succulents. One of the most commonly added substances is lime.
If the pH is too high, it’s too alkaline, and you’ll need to add an acidic substance such as sulfur.
To make sure you're accurately measuring the pH level of your soil, check out our buying guide for the best soil pH tester.
Soil type
While tomatoes will do well in many kinds of soils, avoid the clay-heavy soils. This is because clay can get notoriously hard, making it difficult for the roots to grow well. It is also extremely hard for water to pass through clay. The best soil type for growing tomatoes is loam as it is a material that is evenly balanced.
Ability to aerate and drain water
The best soil for tomato plants should allow water to drain through. The soil should also be well aerated. It shouldn’t be too loose to the point where it doesn’t retain nutrients and moisture for the plant’s needs.
Organic water
Choose soil that contains enough favorable matters and other helpful microorganisms like earthworms.
Tips On Potting Tomatoes In Pots
We have already noted that tomatoes are relatively easy to grow. However, tomatoes aren't easy to grow in containers. The good news is that there are some tips that can help you get better results. These include:
- Use bigger containers. The roots of tomatoes will often grow in the first 12 inches of soil before spreading out. This is why you need a pot that is at least 2 square feet.
- Choose the right tomato variety. Remember that not all variety of tomatoes do well. Some of the best options to choose from include Boy Bush tomatoes, Bush Champion, Tumbling Tom, Buy Champions among other.
- Plant deeply. While this is not recommended with many other veggies, you need to plant tomatoes deeply. This can help to enhance the growth of roots.
- Use a cage or stake to support the plant. This will ensure that the plant’s fruit doesn’t make it sag.
- Avoid planting other things in the same pot. Avoid even small herbs. If you want your tomatoes to grow well, you should not allow them to compete for nutrients and water.
- Avoid regular potting soil. This will not provide your plants with enough nutrients. This is why you should choose one of the above-mentioned plants.
- Check the drainage. Ensure that the soil is moist but not too wet. If there is too much water in the soil, this can result in root rot.
- Water once in a day. The best time to do that is in the morning. If the weather is dry or hot, check to see if the water has dried up. If the tomato plants don’t get enough water, it will not produce good fruits.
- Water roots and not leaves. When water is sprayed directly on leaves, this can result in fungus and other issues.
- Use the self-watering containers where possible. This is one of the ways of preventing problems while watering.
- Choose an area with enough light. Ensure that your tomatoes are getting at least 6 hours of sunlight in a day. If more, the better. One benefit of using containers is that you can easily move them around. Therefore, if you feel that the crops are not getting enough light, you can take them to another area.
- Avoid extreme weather. Tomatoes don’t like cold weather. Tomatoes also don’t like extremely hot weather. If the temperature reaches 85 degrees F, this can affect fruit production. Moving the plants and containers indoors until the temperature stabilizes to around 50 degrees F is an easy way of protecting them from damages that could be caused by extreme weather conditions. Remember to do the same in extremely cold weather.
- Harvest time. When the tomatoes become red and firm or fall off the stem before they turn to the right color, put them in a paper bag with the stem facing up. You should then store them in a cool and dry place until they are fully ripened.
- Avoid placing tomatoes on a windowsill to ripen for a long period of time. This can cause them to over-ripen and later rot.
Final Words
The good thing with tomatoes is that they are relatively easy to grow for even a new gardener. Bear in mind that regular soil doesn’t have the minerals and nutrients necessary for your tomatoes to thrive and achieve their maximum. The best potting soil for tomatoes in pots will have all the necessary nutrients and the right ingredients’ mix to provide the right nourishment and ensure that any excess water drains in an effective way.
When you use the right method of planting, a good soil for tomatoes and the right watering, you will be in a position to grow plants successfully and have that great harvest during fall. You can choose one of the above options for your tomato crops. With the above five best potting soils for tomatoes, you'll be off to a great start.