Choosing soil for hydrangeas can feel like a challenge, but it doesn’t have to be. Deciding how to choose a gardening soil is one of the most important steps in gardening. I composed this list of the 10 best soils to use for hydrangeas.
Personally, my choice for the best soil for hydrangeas is the Dr. Earth Acid Lovers Organic Soil. This soil is my top choice because of the rich blend of organic nutrients, you can really tell they made this soil with the health of your hydrangeas in mind.
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Top 5 Soil for Hydrangeas
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What Kind of Soil Mix is Best for this Plant?
The best soil suitable for hydrangeas is a soil mix that is lighter and well-draining, a hydrangea should not sit in water for too long.
10 Soils for Hydrangeas
1. Dr. Earth Acid Lovers Organic Soil
Dr. Earth provides a strong, organic mixture that is sure to make your hydrangeas the envy of the town. This acidic pH potting soil is the perfect acidity to suit the specific needs of the hydrangeas. On top of that, this soil for hydrangeas boasts that it is made from an all-natural blend of nutritious ingredients that include cottonseed meal, aloe vera, and yucca extract. This product comes in a 1.5 cubic feet sized bag.
Reviews
Reviewers were very pleased with this soil, with some saying that it is the only soil they trust for their acid loving plants, including their hydrangeas. However, some reviewers were unsatisfied with this product, saying that their soil’s pH was not acidic and did not work for their plants.
2. Coast of Maine Organic Acid Loving Planting Soil
This Coast of Maine soil mixture is a great organic soil for hydrangeas. This acidic soil mix is made with a combination of compost, peat moss, aged bark, and lime. This bag is available in a large 20 quart bag, so it can accommodate repotting larger hydrangeas in pots.
3. Miracle Gro Moisture Control Potting Mix
Miracle-Gro’s potting soil helps keep your plants adequately watered without the effort. The addition of peat moss is what keeps the soil moistened. In addition, this soil mix is also enriched with plant food and nutrients, so your plants can be happily fed for up to 6 months. This product is available in an 8 quart bag.
Reviews
Happy buyers of this soil say that it helped keep their plants perfectly watered without the effort of constant watering. They also noted that they were pleased with the plant food that kept their plants fed for six months. However, some reviewers who were not impressed with this product reported that they found bugs in this soil mix.
4. Miracle-Gro Trees & Shrubs
This Miracle-Gro soil mixture meant for trees and shrubbery is an ideal choice if you ever intend on planting your hydrangeas in-ground. This soil mixture is strengthened with phosphorous and iron, and the soil mixture keeps plants fed and satisfied for up to 3 months. This large bag covers 1.5 cubic feet of space.
Reviews
Reviewers loved this soil mixture for their plants, saying it is the perfect addition to their home garden and their plants love it too! Some reviewers were unimpressed however, saying there really wasn’t anything special about it, and they had neither positive nor negative experiences.
5. Sun Gro Black Gold All Purpose Potting Mix
This Sun Gro potting mix is perfect for just about any occasion, including as a soil for hydrangeas. This soil medium is composed of Canadian sphagnum peat moss, worm castings, forest humus, and pumice stone. Together, they create a blend of natural nutrients, drainage, and water retention. This combination is perfect for any container plant.
Reviews
Happy reviewers raved about the high quality of this potting mix, saying that it helped their plants absolutely flourish. Some comments also praised the manageable bag size, with customers happy to have an easy-to-lift bag for maneuvering through the garden. However, there was some reviewers who had the unfortunate experience of finding gnats.
6. Wonder Soil Premium Organic Potting Soil Mix
This Wonder Soil sure lives up to its name, providing a top quality product for your hydrangeas in pots. This all-purpose soil mix is comprised of dry coco coir with added mycorrhizae, kelp, worm castings, and perlite. Also, this soil expands 4 times its size when water is added, making it a great space-saving choice, while keeping the soil airy and draining.
Reviews
Reviewers were satisfied with the quality of this soil, giving the seal of approval for its organic ingredients. They were also surprisingly pleased with the expanding feature of this soil. On the other hand, unhappy reviewers did report mold in their soil mixture after use. Other reviewers did warn that the mix is very dusty before pre-wetting the mixture, and they did advise to take caution when opening the package.
7. Proven Winners All Purpose Potting Soil
This soil mix from Proven Winners is a professional choice that suffices the needs of all outdoor gardening. Good for both in-ground use or containers, this mixture is made from sphagnum peat moss, softwood bark, perlite, and dolomite lime. One package covers 1.5 cubic feet of space.
Reviews
Reviewers were pleasantly satisfied with this potting mixture, saying that they approved of this mix’s ingredients to make for one excellent soil mix. However, unhappy reviewers reported that they found gnats in their soil mix upon opening.
8. Miracle-Gro Expand ’n Gro Container Mix
Miracle-Gro provides a quality soil that is meant for container use with a couple added bonuses. Like most of the company’s products, this soil mix is enriched with plant food that keeps your plants fed for up to six months. This soil also boasts that it will expand three times its size with the introduction of water.
Reviews
Reviewers were very pleased with not only the expanding feature of this soil, but also with the addition of the plant food to keep their plants healthy. Some unimpressed reviewers did report that they found some spiders, as well as mold in the package upon opening it.
9. FoxFarm Happy Frog Organic Potting Soil Mix
FoxFarm brings you a quality organic soil mix that is fantastic for plants that love nutrients. This soil is amended with mycorrhizae and humid acid to provide a nutrient-dense potting mix that your hydrangeas will love. Included is also a pair of protective gardening gloves to use while you garden!
Reviews
Reviewers were pleased with this soil mix’s nutritious formula, saying their plants have never been better since using this product. On the other hand, some buyers did have the misfortune of finding mold in their potting soil.
10. Miracle-Gro Houseplant Potting Mix
This Miracle-Gro potting mix is a great standard container soil you can use to plant your hydrangeas if you are looking to keep them inside the home. Enriched with plant food, this soil mix recipe will feed your plant for at most six months. This soil mix is a blend of perlite and sphagnum peat moss that will give your plant the right moisture while filtering out the excess water.
Reviews
Reviewers agree this potting mix is a good, standard potting mix that is ideal for indoor usage. They also loved the introduction of plant food in the mixture. However, some unhappy customers did report findings of bugs and mold in the package upon opening it.
Which One Should You Choose?
There definitely is a lot of soil for hydrangeas to choose from out of this list. If you want a classic, acidic soil for your plant, I would suggest Dr. Earth Acid Lovers Organic Soil or Coast of Maine Organic Acid Loving Planting Soil. If you want to plant your hydrangeas outdoors, try Miracle-Gro Trees & Shrubs or Proven Winners All Purpose Potting Soil.
What pH Range is Best for this Plant?
For hydrangeas with a blue flower, plant them in soil that has a pH range of 5.2 – 5.5. For pink flowers, simply plant your hydrangeas in a soil with a pH of 6.0 to 6.2. If you’re looking to lower the pH range to achieve blue flowers, you can amend the soil with soil sulfur for hydrangeas. But overall, the soil preference for hydrangeas is between 5.2 and 6.2, the color is a preference for the owner
What Fertilizer Ratio is Best for this Plant?
Hydrangeas do best with a balanced, slow release fertilizer ratio such as 10-10-10.
What is a Good Pot Size for a Young Plant?
An appropriate pot size for a young hydrangea would be something that is two or three times the size of the root ball. When you purchase a juvenile plant from the nursery, please inspect the root ball to give yourself a good idea of how big of a pot you need. Hydrangeas do well in larger pots because the soil within them dries out at a slower rate.
What is a Good Pot Size for a Fully Grown Plant?
When growing hydrangeas in pots, the pot should be large, at least 18″ or 20″. Small planters tend to dry out faster, and are unsuitable pots for hydrangeas. They also do not like being root bound, as it can prevent water from reaching all of their roots.
What is the Original Habitat of this Plant?
The Hortensia is originally native to the woodlands of China and Japan
Where do Hydrangeas Grow Best?
Hydrangeas grow best in an area with partial shade, however certain varieties will tolerate full sun. In terms of hardiness zones, hydrangeas do best in zones 3 to 9.
How to Acidify Soil for Hydrangeas
While preparing soil for hydrangeas, you can acidify soil by introducing soil sulfur to lower the pH level.
Can You Use Ericaceous Soil for Hydrangeas
Yes, ericaceous soil works for hydrandeas when you want to plant them in something more acidic to produce blue flowers.
My Personal Choice
My selection out of these many great soils is the Dr. Earth Acid Lovers Organic Soil. I love this soil because it is packed with nutrients that cater to the specific needs of hydrangeas. This soil for hydrangeas is pH balanced to be acidic, which will in turn, result in beautiful blue hydrangea flowers. In addition, this product comes in a large 1.5 cubic feet bag, so I could plant in large pots to accommodate my hydrangeas. For these reasons, this is why I feel that this is my favorite soil for hydrangeas.
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