Gardening can be a very difficult hobby when starting, It required learning what, when, and where to plant your vegetables and takes a long time before you can see any real results of your hard work. With tomatoes being the most picked vegetable for beginners to start with, A lot of veteran gardening companies decided to focus on ways to make it easier for people who just started to get the wanted results.
We did our research, checked the market, studied the average customer’s satisfaction level, and investigated the efficacy of each product & every product to end up with a list of the 5 best commercial potting mix for tomatoes:
- People’s Choice: Miracle-GRO Potting Mix.
- Most Convenient: Fox Farm FX14000 Garden Potting Soil Mix.
- Also Great: Espoma AP2 Organic Potting Mix.
- Our Recommendation: Osmocote Smart-Release Plus Potting Mix.
- Also Great: Burpee Organic Premium Potting Mix.
Miracle-GRO Potting Mix
Considered as a pioneer in the business of potting soil. Miracle Gro mix is one of the most widely spread & known products in the U.S.
The product includes 55-65% canadian sphagnum peat moss, fertilizer (21% Ammonium Nitrate, 7% Ammonium & Calcium Phosphates, and 14% Potassium Sulfate), perlite, and a wetting agent which creates a suitable potting soil for plants.
The nutrients in this product come from the good organic ingredients that were put together to make this mixture, Plus the bacterias and funguses in the rhizosphere. So the time release is basically the breakdown of those ingredients by the bacteria.
The pricing is quite affordable, And it comes with a great track record for growing plants big and beautiful, And is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use.
Pros:
- Designed For Most Plants.
- Lasts For Up To 6 Months.
- Certified By The Mulch and Soil Council.
- Amazing For Tomatoes.
Cons:
- Has a strange smell that tend to attract flies.
Fox Farm FX14000 Garden Potting Soil Mix
Next in line is a product that’s considered as the ultimate potting solution for most gardeners, The fox farm is an amazing potting soil for people looking for the best mix out there but still want something convenient that works as required.
The product comes with a potting mix included right out of the box. It consist of earthworm castings, sea-going fish, bat guano, crab meal, forest humus, moss…etc.
It has a PH level ranging from 6.3 to 6.8 which helps provide an optimal environment for the plants to grow ( Most plants soil PH to be in the 5.5-7.0 range).
The soils contains all the nutrients needed for the first 4 to 6 weeks period. After that you’ll need to start adding your own ingredients and gradually increasing the dosages as the plants become larger.
Overall, An Amazing All-In-One product to get if you’re all about convenience and ease of use.
Pros:
- Already Mixed Nutrient (Last up to 6 weeks).
- Tomatoes Friendly.
- Optimal PH level For Tomatoes.
- Most Convenient.
Cons:
- Higher price tag.
Espoma AP2 Organic Potting Mix
One of the best family owned businesses when it comes to gardening soil, The espoma ap2 potting mix is the result of over 80 years of work & experience put into one solution that will fit most people’s needs that are related to container gardening.
Including humus, perlite, alfalfa meal, kelp meal, shrimp meal, earthworm castings, limestone to help adjusting the ph level, And 45% to 55% sphagnum peat moss.
It does a good job absorbing the moisture and does not let the potting cake up which helps the plants do very well in the long run. Plus no gnats was found when using this mix which is always a great thing to have.
Furthermore, The amount of nutrients used is quite sufficient when dealing with containers and the cost of it is extremely affordable compared to its competitors.
Pros:
- Great For Tomato Growth.
- 100% Organic Ingredients.
- For Both Indoor & Outdoor.
Cons:
- Huge price increase over the last couple of years.
Osmocote Smart-Release Plus Potting Mix
Fortified with 14 essential nutrients, The osmocote smart-release plus potting mix is considered as a must have for any gardener that’s looking for a professional potting mix to improve his crop’s quality.
The ingredients included are: 15% Nitrogen, 9% Phosphate, 12% Soluble Potash, 1.3% Magnesium, 6.0% Sulfur, 0.02% Boron, 0.05% Copper, 0.46% Iron, 0.06% Manganese, and Zinc 0.05%.
The release time is pretty moderate (up to 4 months) which gives time for the plant to absorb everything nice & slowly and prevent any time of over fertilization from happening. A good measurement to follow would be 1 scoop per 4 square feet.
The selling point of this product is that it can be used with almost any plant and still performs perfectly. Which is something other potting mixes lack since they tend to do a great job with some specific type of plants but performs terribly with rest.
Pros:
- Optimal Release Time.
- Various Range Of Nutrients.
- Works Great With Tomatoes.
- Easy & Simple To Work With.
Cons:
- Top plastic seal could’ve been better.
Burpee Organic Premium Potting Mix
The perfect fit for those who are looking for a bug free organic product, The burpee organic premium potting mix is easily the most unique one in the whole market because of all the uncommon ingredients that are used to produce this mix.
It includes: coconut coir, perlite, fertilizer that’s derived from composted poultry manure, hydrolyzed feather meal, sulfate, peat, kelp, organic compost, and earth worm castings.
The release time is a little shorter than most other potting mixes in this list lasting roughly about three months. After that, you’ll have to remix your soil’s with another scoop of potting mix.
This mix works the best when used with vegetables (tomatoes, potatoes…etc), flowers, and herbs. anything else will require you to add other ingredients for the plants to thrive properly.
Pros:
- Various Helpful Ingredients.
- Both Indoor & Outdoor.
- Very Healthy For Tomatoes.
- Bug Free.
Cons:
- Not suitable for all plants.
Conclusion: Best Commercial Potting Mix For Tomatoes
The great thing about container gardening is the huge community that is behind it, Whether it is the various products for each specific need of yours, Or the online tutorials out there about the tips and tricks of the craft.
If you enjoyed our quick buyers guide on the best commercial potting mix for tomatoes, make sure to leave a comment down below telling us about your experience with it and what were some of the things you liked about it.
