Compost is an organically rich material with a good texture that can lighten heavy clay soil and give substance to slippery sandy soil. Any soil texture, including garden soil, will benefit from compost because it’s a mix of many ingredients, all working together to create a harmonious environment for your plants to thrive.
So, apart from picking the right potting soil, potting compost is one of the best things you can give your container plants. If you cannot make your compost, buying the best one for your plants is your best bet.
Since many kinds of compost are available today, it can be difficult to pick the right one for your potted plant. This is why we have listed nine products below to help your potted plants thrive.
The Best Potting Compost For Your Plants
1 Earthworm Castings Compost by SunGro
Earthworm castings can aerate the soil in your potted plants and provide them with much-needed nutrients and beneficial microbes for healthy growth. You can mix this with your soil or use it as a top dressing. Apart from using it in containers and pots, you can also use it in raised garden beds and the borders of your landscape. Many people feel queasy working with worm castings, but this is great for organic gardening and can help prevent whiteflies.
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2 Organic Compost by Blue Ribbon Organics
Made from recycled materials, including cut firewood, garden debris, and vegetable waste, this compost doesn’t contain any animal bedding or manure. You’ll need to add three to four inches of this compost to your soil to refresh it or about 1 inch to replenish its nutrients.
Be cautious as animal manure can contain large amounts of salt that can burn and damage your plant roots. It also continues to release nutrients even when the plant is dormant, causing a nutrient overload that can stress and kill your plants.
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3 Black Gold Organic Compost by SunGro
If you’re looking for something that is both compost and mulch, you can’t go wrong with SunGro’s Black Gold Compost Blend. Made from aged bark, composted rice, peanut hulls, and Canadian sphagnum peat moss among other ingredients, this compost can aerate your soil and improve its structure for healthy plant growth. You can use it for raised garden beds, lawns, and container plants. That said, this compost contains no fertilizers and you shouldn’t use it as one.
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4 Super Compost by Soil Blend
Made from composted cow manure, alfalfa meal, and pure earthworm castings, this pet-friendly compost attracts bees and butterflies. Composted cow manure can add a good amount of organic matter to the soil and improve its moisture-retaining capacity. Cow manure that isn’t composted contains high amounts of ammonia that can burn your plants. Since this is a powerful concentration, add four parts of topsoil to one part of Super Compost and mix it thoroughly before using it for your potted plants.
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5 Organic Lobster Compost by Coast of Maine
Here’s an organic and lightweight compost for your potted plants. Made from ground-up lobster and crab shells, composted manure, and other organic ingredients, this compost promotes steady drainage and better water retention. You can use this compost in raised garden beds, patios urns, and container plants. It contains phosphorous, nitrogen, calcium, and peat moss, giving your plants the nutrition they need for healthy growth. This compost can condition and revitalize the soil while improving its texture for plants.
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6 Earthworm Castings Vermicompost by Earth Science
Made from 100% earthworm castings, this vermicompost is ideal for raised garden beds, large gardens, and container plants. Earthworm castings improve the overall structure of the soil while promoting healthy plant growth. They’re rich in nutrients and beneficial microbes that are slowly released into the soil without burning the plant roots. This compost can increase the soil’s water and nutrient-holding capacity. Sprinkle it around the base of your plant, work it into the soil or make compost tea for your plants.
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7 Charlie’s Compost
If you’re looking for compost that naturally fertilizes your plants, you can’t go wrong with Charlie’s Compost. Made on a farm located in Calhoun, Kentucky, this compost contains manure from chickens and other locally sourced organic material. The composting process, which takes anywhere between eight and ten weeks, transforms these organic products into the perfect blend of nutrients that promotes better soil structure and healthy plant growth. This compost can be used in raised garden beds and potted plants.
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8 Compost Tea Bags by Sustane
For a fast and controlled way to add compost to your plants, compost tea bags may just be what you’re looking for. You can either bury one tea bag near the root of your potted plants or water your plants with a compost tea bag brew. To prepare the compost tea, add 21 grams of tea bag per gallon of water. Let it steep for 24 hours, and use the infused compost tea to water your plants.
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Try Them Out!
If you’re looking for potting compost that naturally fertilizes your plants, we recommend Charlie’s Compost. It is ideal for outdoor and indoor use and contains everything your plants need for healthy growth.
On the other hand, if you’d like compost that attracts bees and butterflies to your garden, you should look no further than Super Compost by Soil Blend. Apart from adding a good amount of organic matter to your soil, it will also encourage pollination.
Lastly, if you want to add compost to your plants but don’t want to get down and dirty, you should pick Compost Tea Bags by Sustane. It’ll ensure that your plant roots are strong, well developed, and have enough aeration and nutrients. Moreover, this compost is quite versatile and can be used for a lot of plant types.
As for us, we prefer Organic Compost by Blue Ribbon Organics simply because it’s made from organic, recycled materials and doesn’t contain any animal bedding or manure. Moreover, most users agree that it can give the nutrients most potted plants need.
Hopefully, this article helped you decide on the best potting compost for your container plants. If you have any questions, please comment down below, and don’t forget to share this article with your friends and family!
Happy Gardening!