13 Best Tomato Potting Mix of 2021
I think you’ll agree with me that the secret to growing the tastiest tomatoes lies in three things: sunlight, water, and the best tomato potting mix.
Admit it. Every grower, in one way or another, gets caught in a love-hate relationship with potted tomatoes. It’s great that they are easy to grow. All we have to do is leave them in a place with direct sunlight and water them regularly. The only downside, though, is that they’re picky when it comes to potting mixes. If they don’t grow in the right soil condition, they don’t taste as flavorful as we’d want them to be.
For tomatoes to thrive, you need fluffy, moist, well-draining soil. Hence, sand and garden soil are a big no-no when growing potted tomatoes. As you know, garden soil dries out quickly and drains poorly. Some even have weed and diseases.
Based on experience, I find that soilless mixes with organic material are your best choice for potted tomatoes. Luckily for you, I’ve rounded up the best tomato potting mix on the market. You’ve got ones with perlites, coco coir, and vermiculites, and a lot more. Cool, right?
So, what are you waiting for? Read on!
Table of Contents
Quick Overview of the Best Tomato Potting Mix
(in no particular order)
FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Mix Indoor Outdoor for Garden and Plants | Plant Fertilizer | 12 Quarts | 2 Pack + THCity Stakes
Organic Potting Mix by Perfect Plants for All Plant Types – 8qts for Indoor and Outdoor Use, Great for Veggies, Herbs, and Cannabis Plants
Mother Earth Terracraft Potting Soil, All Purpose Potting Soil For All Plants, Flowers, Vegetables And Tomatoes, 2 Cu. Ft.
Water (You read that right!)
In-Depth Reviews of the
Best Tomato Potting Mix
Interested in knowing why they landed on the best tomato potting mix? Great! This part discusses each of their unique characteristics. Besides that, I also included the downsides and upsides when using them. Hence, it’s easier to find one that’ll fit your growing needs.
FoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil Mix
There is a reason why this is the most popular potting mix from Fox Farm. I kid you not, you can throw in your dying tomato plant in this. Then, see it come to life in no time.
This is all thanks to the powerful ingredients inside the Fox Farm Ocean Forest Potting Mix. Don’t believe me yet?
What are the ingredients?
This potting mix is an organic powerhouse featuring an array of natural fertilizers from the ocean and earth, hence the name. In case you’re wondering, the ones that come from the sea are fish emulsion, crab meal, and shrimp meal. Meanwhile, the earth part features bat guano and earthworm castings. Moreover, it has base ingredients like forest humus and sandy loam.
Aeration and Drainage
I have great news for you. The Ocean Forest Potting Mix has a light, well-draining texture due to sandy loam. The bad news, though, is that this has no perlites in it. Hence, if you have tendencies to overwater or underwater, I’d suggest you add a few perlites to this mix for better aeration and drainage.
Pros
- Contains organic fertilizers. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has pH level of 6.3-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains fish emulsion, crab meal, shrimp meal, bat guano, earthworm castings, forest humus, and sandy loam
Cons
- On the pricier side
- No added perlites
Burpee Premium Organic Potting Mix
As the old saying goes, “A garden is only as good as its dirt.”
The Burpee Premium Organic Potting Mix is one of the best dirt designed to produce healthy and flavorful tomato plants. You can use this not just for tomato seedlings, but also for oregano, sage, daisy, cannabis, and a lot more.
What are the ingredients?
The Burpee Premium Organic Potting Mix is one of the best potting mixes that you can find on the market. It’s made of organic ingredients, which means that it ensures healthy and safe growing conditions for your plants.
In case you’re wondering, the soil features 40% coco coir, 40% topsoil, and 20% green matter compost. They also added Burpee Plant Food as fertilizer.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, well-draining texture due to coco coir. As if that’s not enough, this also has perlites. So, you won’t have to worry about overwatering and underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains Burpee Plant Food. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- OMRI-listed, suitable for organic gardening
- Contains coco coir, perlites, garden soil, and green matter compost
Cons
- On the pricier side
- Small bag/ quantity for one tomato plant (<20 quarts)
- Might be prone to gnats. So be sure to store the extra potting mix in an airtight container
Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix 72776430 6 Quart (2 Pack)
I think you’ll agree with me that nothing disappoints us more than knowing that our potting mix is infested with gnats. Good thing, Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix can get rid of this problem for you.
In this selection of the best potting mix, Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix is without a doubt one of the best options. It’s a mix that has been designed to create the perfect environment for your potted tomatoes and other indoor plants.
What are the ingredients?
The Miracle-Gro Indoor Potting Mix contains a blend of sphagnum peat moss, perlite, plant food, coco coir, and a wetting agent. Compared to other Miracle-Gro mixes, this contains less composted pine barks. Hence, you won’t have to worry about nasty gnat infestation. This mix definitely ensures healthy and safe growing conditions for your plants.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to coco coir and peat moss. As if that’s not enough, this also has perlites. So, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains plant food. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains peat moss, perlite, plant food, and coco coir
Con
- Small bag/quantity for one tomato plant (<20 quarts)
Organic Potting Mix by Perfect Plants for All Plant Types
Ever wondered why your tomatoes taste bitter, floury? You can blame your soil for that. To yield the tastiest tomatoes, you have to plant seedlings in rich soil with lots of organic matter or compost. The more organic your potting mix is, the better.
Just look at Perfect Plants Organic Potting Mix. It boasts an all-natural blend of nutrient-boosting ingredients that help enhance soil conditions for potted tomatoes.
What are the ingredients?
This mix contains a blend of coco coir, mycorrhizae, worm castings, composted pine bark, peat moss, and perlite. Even though it’s full of organic ingredients, it doesn’t attract gnats and diseases. So you’re sure that your plants are protected and healthy.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to coco coir and peat moss. As if that’s not enough, this also has perlites. So, you won’t have to worry about overwatering and underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains organic fertilizers. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains peat moss, perlite, coco coir, pine bark, worm castings
Con
- Small bag/quantity for one tomato plant (< 20 quarts)
Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix, 8 qt. 2-Pack
No questions asked. This is by far the best potting mix for tomato plants if you are trying to grow them from seeds. Let me give you a hint: it only takes three days to get your seeds sprouting!
What are the ingredients?
The Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Potting Mix contains a blend of sphagnum peat moss, perlite, plant food, coco coir, and composted pine bark.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to coco coir and peat moss. As if that’s not enough, this also has perlites. So, you won’t have to worry about overwatering and underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains plant food. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains peat moss, perlite, plant food, coco coir, composted pine bark
Con
- Might be prone to gnats due to composted pine bark. So be sure to store the extra potting mix in an airtight container
Jiffy Natural & Organic Seed Starting Jiffy Mix
Here comes the tough competitor for Miracle-Gro Seed Starting Mix!
The Jiffy Natural & Organic Starter Mix has landed on the list for its awesome ingredients, and water retention and seedling qualities. But here comes my favorite: the set comes in two packs of 10 quarts of dirt, which is ideal for growing one potted tomato.
What are the ingredients?
The Jiffy Natural & Organic Starter Mix features three ingredients: peat moss, vermiculite, and lime. In case you’re wondering, lime was added to adjust the pH level of the potting mix.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to the peat moss. Moreover, this has vermiculites, which is a great alternative for perlite. Hence, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Contains peat moss, vermiculite, lime
- Set comes with 20 quarts of potting mix, ideal for potted tomatoes
Cons
- Does not contain plant food/fertilizer
- Needs to be mixed with water before use
Wonder Soil | Premium Organic Potting Soil Mix
It still amazes me how this little bag makes such a huge amount of soil! I kid you not. Just pour water on the Wonder Soil Premium Organic Potting Soil Mix and see how it easily transforms to twice its size.
What are the ingredients?
The Wonder Soil Premium Organic Potting Soil Mix is the only compressed coco coir with added natural fertilizers. It also features worm castings, mycorrhizae, kelp, and perlite. Even though it has a wide array of organic ingredients, it doesn’t attract gnats and diseases. So you’re sure that your plants are protected and healthy.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to the coco coir. Moreover, this has perlites to ensure better drainage. Hence, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains plant food. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has kelp, perlite, worm castings, mycorrhizae, coco coir
- Bang for your buck; expands to twice its size
Cons
- Needs to be mixed with water before use
- The pH level of this mix ranges from 5.2 to 6.3. On the other hand, the ideal pH for potted tomatoes ranges from 6.0 to 6.8. Hence, make sure to check the pH level before use. If it’s too low (<6.0), add a tinge of lime to the mix.
FoxFarm FX14100 Coco Loco Potting Mix
You’ll never go wrong in using Fox Farm products. There I said it.
Fox Farm’s Bush Doctor Coco Loco Potting Soil is a great alternative to the Ocean Forest variant. It also features multiple nutrient-enriching ingredients, perfect for growing your potted tomatoes.
What are the ingredients?
The Bush Doctor Coco Loco Potting Soil has plenty of good stuff. In case you’re wondering, it features coco coir, aged forest products, perlite, earthworm castings, bat guano, Norwegian kelp meal, oyster shell, and dolomite lime. Unlike the Ocean Forest variant, you get perlites in the mix, which is great!
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to the coco coir. Moreover, this has perlites to ensure better drainage. Hence, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains organic fertilizers. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has pH level of 6.3-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains coco coir, aged forest products, perlite, earthworm castings, bat guano, Norwegian kelp meal, oyster shell, and dolomite lime
Con
- Since you’ll be getting a big bag of this soil (2 cubic feet), you might find that it’s easier to get infested by gnats. So, make sure to store it carefully.
FoxFarm FX14054 Happy Frog Potting Soil
It’s true what they say, “Third time’s a charm.”
Even though the Happy Frog Potting Mix doesn’t get as much traction as the Ocean Forest and Coco Loco variants, I say it’s one of the best choices for beginning growers.
What are the ingredients?
The Happy Frog Potting Mix contains a blend of sphagnum peat moss, forest humus, perlites, oyster shells, dolomite lime, and bat guano. Compared to the other variants from Fox Farm, this mix has fewer “hot” ingredients, hence less overwhelming for beginners.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to peat moss. As if that’s not enough, this also has perlites. So, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains organic fertilizers. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 30 days
- Has pH level of 6.3-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains peat moss, forest humus, perlite, bat guano, oyster shell, and dolomite lime
Cons
- On the pricier side
- Small bag/ quantity for one tomato plant (<20 quarts)
Uncle Bud's Coco and Perlite Potting Mix
This is the best tomato potting mix for growers that want complete control over their plant’s growing conditions. Curious to know why?
What are the ingredients?
Uncle Bud’s Potting Mix has just two ingredients: coco coir and perlite. This means you are free to toss in nutrient-enriching ingredients to the mix, as long as the pH level is in the ideal range. You can add compost, worm castings, or soluble fertilizers to ensure your plants grow healthy. Or better yet, use it on its own.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to the coco coir. Moreover, this has perlites to ensure better drainage. Hence, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Ideal for growers who want complete control over their soil condition; Perfect to mix and match with other mixes
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains coco coir and perlite
Cons
- If you choose to add other ingredients, make sure the pH level stays in the ideal range.
- Small bag/quantity for one tomato plant (<20 quarts)
Mother Earth Terracraft Potting Soil
Here’s a fact: All premium bagged soil mixes are on the pricier side. But, for the quality of the Mother Earth Potting Mix and the volume you get for the price, this is such a steal!
What are the ingredients?
Mother Earth Potting Mix has peat moss, perlite, forest products, and earthworm castings.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to the peat moss. Moreover, this has perlites to ensure better drainage. Hence, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains organic fertilizers. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 14 days
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains peat moss, perlite, forest products, and earthworm castings
Con
- On the pricier side
Black Gold 1310102 16-Quart All Purpose Potting Soil With Control
The Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil is a well-balanced fluffy mix that is perfect for potted tomatoes. Or better yet, also use this for your favorite spring-blossoming flowers!
What are the ingredients?
This potting mix has Canadian sphagnum peat moss, worm castings, forest humus, and pumice.
Aeration and Drainage
You’ll love that it has a light, fluffy, well-draining texture due to the peat moss. Moreover, this has pumice to ensure better drainage. Hence, you won’t have to worry about overwatering or underwatering issues.
Pros
- Contains organic fertilizers. Hence, no need for additional fertilizer for up to 14 days
- Has pH level of 6.0-6.8, perfect for potted tomatoes
- Pre-mixed and ready to use
- Contains peat moss, worm castings, forest humus, and pumice
Con
- Small bag/ quantity for one tomato plant (<20 quarts)
Water (For Hydroponics)
Yes, you read that right. I know that water isn’t traditionally considered as a potting mix/medium. But when we are talking about hydroponics gardening, it definitely is!
In case you’re wondering, hydroponics gardening is the best alternative to soil gardening. In fact, I find this setup better and more efficient. Don’t believe me yet? Then, hear me out!
Advantages Over Soil Gardening
Hydroponics has lots of advantages over soil gardening. For one, it’s space-saving. No need to worry about buying a new pot when the plant roots are starting to spread out. Because in hydroponics, you can dump your plant root in a nutrient-rich water reservoir/bucket. You can even place your plants closer together, unlike with soil gardening.
Secondly, hydroponics solves weed problems. Thirdly, you save more water in hydroponics, especially with the Deep Water Culture system. Due to the recirculating nutrient reservoir system, your plants only take up the water they need and save up the rest later. With soil gardening, this is not the case. A lot of times, water drips out or evaporates hence leaving your plant’s roots unhappy.
Moreover, you produce a better yield in hydroponics. This is because all the nutrients and vitamins are readily absorbed in the roots. But here comes my favorite: you have complete control over your plant’s life. You can control the sunlight, humidity, growing schedule, and even the nutrient mixture inside your grow room.
Pros
- Nutrient intake
- Space-saving
- Water-conserving
- No Pests and Weed
- Produces better yield
Cons
- Set-up costs. There are hydroponic systems that don’t need a complex setup, such as the Kratky Method. With this method, you can use materials lying around your house. I have an article about this. So, check that out!
- Learning Curve. If you’re worried that hydroponics gardening is more complex and difficult than traditional gardening, then let me assure you that it is not. I have created articles on Rudd’s Home Farm Blog and videos on my YouTube Channel to help you out.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Best Tomato Growing Mix
Haven’t figured out what to get? No worries, I’ve answered some of your most sought-out questions about potting mixes to help you out!
Q1. What is the best tomato potting mix?
Each of the products I listed here is great on its own. Hence, it boils down to your preferences and budget. If you’re on a tight budget, you might want to check the bulky and affordable ones on my list. If I were you, I’d also check if my potting mix ticks off these three aspects.
- Texture and Moisture Level – As mentioned, well-draining, loose soil is your best bet when it comes to tomato plants. Based on experience, mixes with coco coir, peat moss, or perlite are perfect for this purpose.
- Nutrients– Tomatoes are suckers for food and nutrients, So, I suggest you stock up on good mixes with ample amounts of Phosphorus, Nitrogen, Potassium, and Calcium. But here’s a little reminder: don’t go overboard with nutrients. My rule of thumb is this. When my potting mix already has the nutrients I need, I don’t feed them 5-10-10 fertilizers until their second week. Otherwise, I add the fertilizer to the soil mix before planting.
- pH level- Checking the pH level before planting your tomatoes is an important step. Tomatoes will thrive better in acidic environments. Your goal is to have a pH level of around 6.0 to 6.8. Besides, you can always tweak the pH level if you need to. If it’s too high, you can decrease the pH by adding a tinge of Sulfur. If it’s too low, though, you may add some drops of lime to it.
No worries, all the products I listed here satisfy these three aspects. So, you’re sure your tomatoes grow healthy and flavorful!
Q2. Can I make my tomato potting mix?
Definitely! Aside from the fact that it’s less costly, making your tomato potting mix is very doable. I have two recipes you can try:
DIY Best Tomato Potting Mix Recipe 1
- Gather the ingredients: garden soil, sphagnum peat moss, and perlites. Other alternatives for perlites are sand and vermiculite.
- Mix all of them in equal amounts.
DIY Best Tomato Potting Mix Recipe 2
- Gather the ingredients: Garden Soil, bone meal, crushed eggshells, and compost
- Mix all of these ingredients in equal amounts.
In case you’re wondering, the only difference between the two is that the second recipe has organic nutrients/fertilizers mixed in already. Before you start using them, check their pH level. Make sure it’s around 6.0 to 6.8. Easy, right? Let me know which between the two is your favorite recipe!
Q3. How much potting mix do I need for my plants?
When growing tomatoes in pots, I find that I need more than 12 quarts of pre-made mixes. Here’s the thing. Tomato plants need really big pots. I am referring to containers that are at least 1 square foot.
If you have a pot with at least 2 square feet, then that’s better! And since you’ll be dealing with big pots, it’s safe to say that you need large amounts of soil to fill those up. So, here’s my tip: stock up on at least 20 quarts of potting mix for every tomato plant.
But if you find that you need more, I suggest you order the Mother Earth Premium Soil Mix as it contains 77 quarts. Or better yet, you can always drop by your nearest nursery to get access to more soil mixes.
Q4. How to grow tomatoes hydroponically?
Believe it or not, tomatoes are pretty easy to grow hydroponically. Firstly, you have to start by identifying the system you want to use for growing. There are about six types of systems you can choose from.
But I find that the Kratky Method is the easiest, cheapest, and most effective for me. In case you’re wondering, the Kratky Method is pretty much the Deep Water Culture System without a pump. Hence, you save more on electricity bills. It’s also perfect for small and large plants.
Here’s my video explaining how the Kratky Method works and the pros of using it over other systems.
Meanwhile, this video shows you the steps I make to grow hydroponic strawberries using the Kratky Method. You can switch up the strawberry seedlings for tomato seedlings. And since tomatoes have longer root systems than strawberries, I suggest you use larger containers and net pots.
As you can see, it’s super easy to grow hydroponically. Just prepare your seedling, container, lid, net pots, growing media, and hydroponic nutrients. Happy hydroponics growing!
Conclusion
Finding the best tomato potting mix shouldn’t be difficult. I hope this article has helped you find the potting mix that’s perfect for your growing needs.
In case you’re interested in setting up an indoor grow room like mine, then check out my article here.
So, which one’s your favorite potting mix? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments section.
Also, don’t forget to check other blogs from Rudd’s Home Farm to learn more tips and tricks on hydroponics gardening.
