Best Soil for Gardening in Maryland
Maryland has 25 USDA soil survey areas, and they vary considerably in how friendly the ground is for growing things. We ranked every survey area by the percentage of well-drained soil — the single most important soil property for most garden plants.
At the top, City of Baltimore, Maryland has 94% well-drained soils — conditions where most vegetables, herbs, and flowers can thrive with basic soil preparation. At the other end, Somerset County, Maryland comes in at 14%, meaning more of the landscape has drainage challenges that may require raised beds, soil amendments, or careful site selection for a productive garden.
Remember that these are area-wide averages. Even in a low-ranking survey area, individual properties can have excellent garden soil. Look up your specific address for exact conditions.
| # | Survey Area | Well-Drained Soils | Dominant Drainage | Dominant Soil Order |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | City of Baltimore, Maryland | 94% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 2 | Frederick County, Maryland | 93% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 3 | Howard County, Maryland | 91% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 4 | Carroll County, Maryland | 90% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 5 | Montgomery County, Maryland | 90% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 6 | Harford County Area, Maryland | 90% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 7 | Washington County, Maryland | 90% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 8 | Garrett County, Maryland | 89% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 9 | Baltimore County, Maryland | 89% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 10 | Allegany County, Maryland | 86% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 11 | Cecil County, Maryland | 85% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 12 | Calvert County, Maryland | 83% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 13 | Prince George's County, Maryland | 83% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 14 | Kent County, Maryland | 80% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 15 | Charles County, Maryland | 76% | Moderately well drained | Ultisols |
| 16 | St. Mary's County, Maryland | 75% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 17 | Anne Arundel County, Maryland | 65% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 18 | Queen Anne's County, Maryland | 63% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 19 | Caroline County, Maryland | 61% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 20 | Harford County, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland | 53% | Moderately well drained | Ultisols |
| 21 | Talbot County, Maryland | 52% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 22 | Wicomico County, Maryland | 26% | Poorly drained | Ultisols |
| 23 | Dorchester County, Maryland | 24% | Poorly drained | Ultisols |
| 24 | Worcester County, Maryland | 22% | Poorly drained | Ultisols |
| 25 | Somerset County, Maryland | 14% | Poorly drained | Ultisols |