What Soil To Use In Raised Garden Beds

When growing plants in containers or raised beds, you need to pay special attention to the soil you use. Soil taken from your yard or a garden bed is too dense to use in a pot or raised bed. Instead, for containers, you'll want to use potting mix (also called potting soil), a lightweight and fluffy alternative. For raised beds, you'll want to use a slightly heavier soil made specifically for that type of garden.

Miracle-Gro Potting Mix being poured into a container.

A potting mix like Miracle-Gro® Potting Mix creates the ideal growing environment for your plants, thanks to the right blend of materials that provide excellent drainage, space for airflow, and even a good dose of plant food to provide your plants with the nutrition they need. What's more, using new soil means you don't have to worry about any diseases or bugs lurking in the ground, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting roots. For extra protection against over- and under-watering your plants, Miracle-Gro® Moisture Control® Potting Mix is an excellent choice. Planning to re-use last year's potting mix? Renew it first with Miracle-Gro® Refresh™ Soil Revitalizer to add back vital nutrients and reboot its ability to retain water.

Miracle-Gro Raised Bed Soil sitting next a raised bed on a green lawn.

Whether deep or shallow, raised beds give a gardener a way to create ideal soil conditions on an even larger scale. Potting mix is too light for use in raised beds, while garden soil is too heavy. The "just right" solution is Miracle-Gro® Raised Bed Soil, a pre-mixed blend of the two. It's organic, provides excellent drainage, and is specially blended for raised bed gardening. In short, it's precisely the growing environment your plants are craving.

Top-notch potting mix and raised bed soil may cost more than low-quality versions, but you really get what you pay for. Poor quality mixes and soils are often heavy, dense, and poor-draining, making it tough on roots—and if roots aren't happy, plants won't flourish.

Miracle-Gro Shake 'N Feed food products sitting on a patio in a row.

Speaking of flourishing, the best way to get amazing garden results is to pair great soil with just the right plant food to support your plants. To keep your green babies happy and well fed, begin nourishing them a month after planting with Miracle-Gro® Shake 'n Feed® All Purpose Plant Food to grow stronger, more productive plants (vs. unfed). Or, if you're growing in raised beds, use Miracle-Gro® Raised Bed Plant Food, which was designed with raised bed growing in mind. It has added calcium and micronutrients to feed both above and below the soil for up to 3 months. Whichever plant food you choose, be sure to follow label directions. And to get a big jumpstart on the growing season, start with strong, vigorous Bonnie Plants® veggies and herbs. Harvest time will be here before you know it!