Best Soil for Gardening in New Jersey
New Jersey has 21 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, Bergen County, New Jersey has 88% well-drained soils — conditions where most vegetables, herbs, and flowers can thrive with basic soil preparation. At the other end, Ocean County, New Jersey comes in at 41%, 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 | Bergen County, New Jersey | 88% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 2 | Gloucester County, New Jersey | 76% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 3 | Essex County, New Jersey | 74% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 4 | Hudson County, New Jersey | 72% | Well drained | Entisols |
| 5 | Camden County, New Jersey | 68% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 6 | Passaic County, New Jersey | 68% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 7 | Mercer County, New Jersey | 67% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 8 | Somerset County, New Jersey | 66% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 9 | Hunterdon County, New Jersey | 65% | Well drained | Alfisols |
| 10 | Middlesex County, New Jersey | 62% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 11 | Warren County, New Jersey | 62% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 12 | Sussex County, New Jersey | 62% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 13 | Union County, New Jersey | 60% | Moderately well drained | Alfisols |
| 14 | Monmouth County, New Jersey | 60% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 15 | Salem County, New Jersey | 60% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 16 | Cumberland County, New Jersey | 59% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 17 | Burlington County, New Jersey | 51% | Moderately well drained | Ultisols |
| 18 | Morris County, New Jersey | 49% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 19 | Cape May County, New Jersey | 43% | Very poorly drained | Ultisols |
| 20 | Atlantic County, New Jersey | 42% | Well drained | Ultisols |
| 21 | Ocean County, New Jersey | 41% | Well drained | Entisols |