Best Soil for Gardening in Vermont
Vermont has 14 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, Bennington County, Vermont has 87% well-drained soils — conditions where most vegetables, herbs, and flowers can thrive with basic soil preparation. At the other end, Grand Isle County, Vermont comes in at 22%, 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 | Bennington County, Vermont | 87% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 2 | Orange County, Vermont | 77% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 3 | Windham County, Vermont | 75% | Well drained | Spodosols |
| 4 | Windsor County, Vermont | 74% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 5 | Caledonia County, Vermont | 71% | Well drained | Spodosols |
| 6 | Addison County, Vermont | 70% | Well drained | Spodosols |
| 7 | Lamoille County, Vermont | 69% | Well drained | Spodosols |
| 8 | Washington County, Vermont | 68% | Well drained | Spodosols |
| 9 | Rutland County, Vermont | 65% | Well drained | Inceptisols |
| 10 | Orleans County, Vermont | 58% | Well drained | Spodosols |
| 11 | Essex County, Vermont | 48% | Poorly drained | Spodosols |
| 12 | Chittenden County, Vermont | 39% | Somewhat excessively drained | Inceptisols |
| 13 | Franklin County, Vermont | 35% | Moderately well drained | Inceptisols |
| 14 | Grand Isle County, Vermont | 22% | Poorly drained | Inceptisols |