10 Best Black Gold Potting Soils in 2024: Reviews & Top Picks

Potting soil is likely your best friend if you like to garden or grow many indoor plants. However, not all brands are created equal, and some won’t work as well as others. Black Gold is becoming increasingly popular because of its high-quality ingredients, but many other options are available, so it can be hard to find what you need. Keep reading as we list reviews of several popular varieties of Black Gold potting soil and explain when you should use them. This way, you can be better informed and have more plant success.

A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024

Rating	Image	Product	Details
Best Overall		Sun Gro Horticulture Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil	Canadian sphagnum peat moss Time-release fertilizer Versatile	CHECK PRICE
Best Value		Sun Gro Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix	Canadian sphagnum peat moss Versatile Contains compost	CHECK PRICE
Premium Choice		Black Gold Garden Compost Blend	High-quality ingredients Indoor and outdoor use Works with many plants	CHECK PRICE
Best for Seeds		Black Gold Seedling Mix	Formulated for seeds Contains an organic wetting agent Organic ingredients	CHECK PRICE
Best for Outdoor Pots		Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil	Coconut fibers Organic ingredients Excellent water retention	CHECK PRICE

The 10 Best Black Gold Potting Soils

1. Sun Gro Horticulture Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil — Best Overall

Sun Gro Horticulture Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil is our pick as the best overall Black Gold potting soil. You can use it for many plants, including hanging baskets, house plants, and patio containers. It uses a Canadian sphagnum peat moss as a base, so it is well-draining but able to hold moisture, and it also contains a time-release fertilizer that will continue to feed your plants for several months after you plant them.

The downside to the All Purpose variety is that some bags contain a large number of small sticks that can make it difficult to work with in smaller containers.

2. Sun Gro Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix — Best Value

Sun Gro Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix is our pick as the best Black Gold potting soil for the money. It has a Canadian sphagnum peat moss base, so water can drain away quickly and the roots don’t sit in moisture. It also contains small crystals that help absorb excess water that they will release back into the soil if it gets dry, helping your plants better survive drought conditions. It works well with most plants and is a great choice for indoor pots, hanging plants, and more.

The downside to the Moisture Supreme variety is that it can hold too much water for plants that like the soil to dry out completely between waterings.

3. Black Gold Garden Compost Blend — Premium Choice

Black Gold Garden Compost Blend is our premium choice of Black Gold potting soil. It contains many great ingredients, like peat moss, composted bark, mushroom casing mix, and dairy manure, to be a versatile potting soil that you can use indoors or outside. It will even work well as a soil conditioner for your garden. Use it on your perennials, trees, shrubs, and patio plants for larger and faster growth.

The only downsides to the Compost Blend are that it is expensive compared to many other compost brands and that it has an odor that can make it unusable in the house if you use it frequently.

4. Black Gold Seedling Mix — Best for Seeds

Black Gold Seedling Mix is our pick as the best for seeds. This blend contains peat moss and all-natural organic ingredients to provide the nutrients that your plant needs and a wetting agent helps ensure water penetration for faster sprouts and a better percentage of germinated seeds.

The downside to the Seeding Mix is that it only works well to get your seeds started. It doesn’t contain any fertilizer, and many users complain that you need to transplant your plants quickly into more suitable soil for optimal growth.

5. Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil — Best for Outdoor Pots

Black Gold Waterhold Cocoblend Potting Soil is our pick as the best Black Gold potting soil for outdoor plants. It combines high-quality peat moss with coconut fibers to create potting soil that is well-draining yet retains enough moisture to protect your plants during drought or high temperatures. It also contains earthworm castings for nutrition and pumice for aeration.

The downside to the Cocoblend variety is that it can hold too much moisture for plants that like to dry out between waterings, and some users also complained that it can contain horsefly eggs, which would make it unsuitable for use in the house.

6. Sun Gro Horticulture Black Gold Cactus Mix

Sun Gro Horticulture Black Gold Cactus Mix is our pick as the best Black Gold potting soil for cacti. It also works well on succulents, so it is ideal for aloe vera and spider plants. It contains pumice, perlite, sand, and forest humus to be a soil with excellent drainage and just the right nutrients to help your plants grow strong. You can use it right out of the bag without adding any fertilizer.

The main downside of the Cactus Mix is that it contains large rocks and sticks, making it hard to use in small pots.

7. SunGro Black Gold Indoor Natural & Organic Orchid Potting Soil Fertilizer Mix

SunGro Black Gold Indoor Natural and Organic Orchid Potting Soil Fertilizer Mix is our pick as the best for orchids. It contains many high-quality ingredients, including peat moss, bark, pumice, and cinders, to create a well-draining nutritious soil perfect for orchids and a wide variety of indoor plants. It’s ready to use right out of the bag and doesn’t contain any large rocks or sticks, so it is easy to use.

The downside to Organic Orchid soil is that it can hold too much moisture for some plants, so you will need to be careful with your watering schedule.

8. Black Gold Natural & Organic Raised Bed & Potting Mix

Black Gold Natural and Organic Raised Bed and Potting Mix is our pick as the best for beds. It contains ingredients that help it retain moisture, so your plants can withstand drought conditions and high temperatures. You can use it alone or mix it with existing soil to improve a large area, and it’s suitable for a wide variety of plants.

The downside to the Raised Bed mix is that it contains wood chunks that won’t affect it in beds but will make it hard to use in pots.

9. SunGro Black Gold Outdoor Natural & Organic Garden Flower/Vegetables Blend

SunGro Black Gold Outdoor Natural and Organic Garden Flower and Vegetables Blend Potting Soil Mix is our pick as the best Black Gold potting soil for gardens. It contains organic ingredients, like tree bark, that break down and help add nutrients to the soil. It drains well, so there is less risk of root rot, and you can use it to improve the soil in your garden so the plants grow better, and it works well with flowers and vegetables.

The downside to the Garden Flower and Vegetable Blend is that it contains too much bark for some gardeners.

10. Black Gold All Organic Potting Soil

Black Gold All Organic Potting Soil is our pick as the best Black Gold organic soil. It’s extremely versatile, so you can use it in hanging baskets, herb gardens, patio containers, and more. It’s a well-draining soil that retains moisture and is suitable for flowers and vegetables.

The downside to the Black Gold Organic potting soil is that it can hold water, so you need to be careful watering, or you can get mold growth.

Buyer’s Guide: Choosing the Best Black Gold Potting Soil

What should I look for in potting soil?

Potting soil should be light and fluffy so it will drain easily. The air pockets make it easier for the roots to grow and gather nutrients from the soil.

Does potting soil go bad?

Unfortunately, potting soil does go bad if you store it for too long because it contains organic ingredients like peat moss that can break down over time. If the soil is compact, smells like rotten eggs, or contains insects or mold, it’s time to get a new bag.

How can I refresh my soil?

You can refresh old or stale soil by mixing it with new potting soil or adding it to a compost pile. Adding ingredients that can break down over time, like wood chips, will help improve the soil and aerate it so the roots can grow and absorb nutrients more easily.

Conclusion

We highly recommend our top pick when purchasing your next bag of Black Gold potting soil. Sun Gro Horticulture Black Gold All Purpose Potting Soil is peat moss-based and well-draining. It also contains time-release fertilizer to help your plants grow faster and stronger. Another great choice is our pick as the best value, Sun Gro Black Gold Moisture Supreme Container Mix. It contains peat moss and compost that is well-suited for many plants.

Featured Image Credit: progressman, Shutterstock