Weindependently evaluateall of our recommendation . If you penetrate on link we cater , we may encounter recompense .
Do n’t worry about overwatering ( or underwatering ) with these game , fast - draining mixes .
In This Article
Better Homes & Gardens
My first - ever houseplant was a succulent — a haworthiaI named Pokey ( what , you do n’t name your plants ? ) . It ’s likely that a succulent or cacti was or will be your first houseplant , too , and there ’s a good cause for their ubiquity . “ Everyone can grow succulent , ” saysTylor Rogers , conscientious objector - owner of Arium Botanicals . Across the board , succulent need moderately standardised , aboveboard maintenance to boom in our home plate . They need to grow in an environment that mimic the arid atmospheric condition of their natural environment , specially when it comes to their grow medium . “Succulents choose airy , coarse , fast - drying soil , ” Rogers says . “ Nothing that will compact over time or that is too moisture retentive . ” That rules out using soils for tropic plantsor all - purpose potting ground . On their own , these preparation are denser and designed to stay moist for longer , which means problem for succulent .
“ succulent do n’t want ‘ wet feet , ’ ” Rogers articulate . If water pool around succulent roots , they decompose . But , go away succulents teetotal for too long and they ’ll be forced to use the pee reserves in their plump leaf , causing them to shrivel up .
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
By using a filth mix specifically designed for the most democratic succulents , they ’ll be more forgiving if they’reoverwatered or underwatered , and expect their best for longer .
What We Researched
We researched gobs of succulent soil mix , bring into accountsize , use , materials , and textureand prioritizing good aeration and drainage .
Our Top Picks
Best Overal
Veryplants Molly’s Succulent Mix
Essential micronutrient as well as beneficial bacteria and fungi enhance this gritty potting mix .
Only two sizes are uncommitted , which may be limiting for growers with bombastic succulent collections .
The many benefits ofVeryplants ’ Molly ’s succulent mixshot it to the top of our list . For one , the soil - free mix makes it a cleaner alternative to soil - based ones that might house pests — a perk forany works possessor who ’s had to battle gnats .
Credit: Amazon
A legion of premium , natural materials ensures that the mix will drain freely and wo n’t compact . The constituent let in plebeian soil amendment like pumice stone and barque as well as specialty substrates like Akadama and Hyuga , two volcanic - made materials prise by bonsai enthusiasts for their ability to retain water and amend drain at once .
The mixture is design for succulent , cacti , andbonsai to develop strong and respectable . It contains crucial subaltern nutrients and micronutrients , such as atomic number 20 , Fe , and magnesium that help leaves stay green and fatten .
Plus , its slightly acid pH create an optimal environment for these plants to immerse all the nutrients . You ’ll also find good bacteria and fungi in there to strengthen roots and build works immunity .
Credit: Amazon
A resealable zipper on the promotion guarantee freshness between usage . But you only get two sizing option , which gardeners with large succulent aggregation might find bound ( the expectant size fulfill around eight to 12 6 - in pots ) .
Product Details : Size:3 to 5 dry quarts |Use : Succulents , cacti , and bonsai |Organic : No
Best for Frequent Waterers
Bonsai Jack’s Gritty Mix
You wo n’t have to occupy about overwatering this chunky , soilless admixture that mime the lifelike dry environment where both succulents and cacti thrive .
You may postulate to eventually add a gentle fertilizer to encourage larger , fast growth .
We loveBonsai Jack ’s gritty mixfor its purist conceptualization . It apply only three high - quality material to create the airy and acidic status ideal for succulents , cacti , and bonsai — and it ’s idealistic for overwaterers , too .
Credit: Sol Soils
adequate parts of monto clay , bonsai block ( calcined clay ) , and pine coir work together to eject water easy , then enfeeble and dry apace . effective and forgiving , this mix is a great choice for founder or anyone distressed about waterlogging roots . We also have a go at it that the mix comes in six sizes , take in it available to those with one industrial plant oran entire succulent collection .
The texture of the soilless mix lives up to its name . It ’s chunky and jackanapes , so it wo n’t press around your plant ’s roots . It ’ll look good inyour planters or houseplant containers , too . We ’d show off the affectionate , earth - toned mix and skip a top salad dressing or apply it as a fill for a dreamysucculent garden .
While succulent and cacti do n’t ask fertilizer to grow , they do call for food to growlargerandfaster . If that ’s your goal , you may want to look at adding a gentle fertilizer to this bare - bones mixture during the growing season . Rogers recommends using one of his favorites , Pepin cactus serum .
Product item : Size:2 to 48 ironical quarts |Use : Succulents , cacti , and bonsai |Organic : No
Best DIY Succulent Soil
Sol Soils Pumice
Add this soil amendment to the potting soil you already have to give succulent the increased drainage they love .
You ’ll require a tub big enough to mingle it and store it .
Making your own soil intermixture — whether it ’s forstarting seedsor rise succulent — is one of the most price - effective ways to raise happy plants . Like seed , succulent do n’t demand a whole lotfrom their maturate medium besides aeration , drain , and the right amount of water retention .
To DIY a suitable mix , start by sourcing pumice . “ It ’s my number one ingredient for succulents , ” Rogers enjoin . “ It ’s immediate draining , allows for airflow at the roots , and has weight to it so it holds integrity in your grime . ”
For best results , Rogers says to employ equal parts pumice , perlite , and soil to make your own succulent filth mix . There ’s a big pro to this simple recipe : many of us may already have these textile on - hand , as they ’re commonly used for indoor and outdoor gardening .
We wish pairingSol Soils Pumice(the company plants a tree for every old bag sold through non - profit partnership ) withSol Soils Chunky Perlite . We love its unusually bombastic size — about as big as a piece of music of Zea mays everta — which provides plenty of room for extra aeration and water flow .
stop with a good - quality soil , likeFoxFarm Ocean Forest Potting Soil , and you ’re all set . Just be certain you have a tub for merge it all and storing it .
Product item : Size:1 - 28 juiceless quart |Use : ground amendment |Organic : No
The Bottom Line
The salutary soil for succulent are uncouth , firm - draining , well oxygenise , and take little - to - no factual filth . Veryplants ’ Molly ’s succulent mixhas all that , plus all important micronutrients as well as good bacteria and fungus that advertise strong growth .
What to Know About Soil for Succulents Before Shopping
Ingredients
lush soil mixes are design to be airy and tight - draining . They utilise cloth that are dumpy and gritty , such as pumice , perlite , lava rocks , bark , various clays , or other uncouth substrates that will enfeeble and dry chop-chop and wo n’t constrict around root .
Avoid succulent mixture that carry too much soil or other porous materials likesphagnum moss . They hold on to more moisture than succulents want or need , make it too easy for succulent roots to get waterlogged and rot .
If your lush soil mixing looks too much like potting territory , you’re able to but amend it with a common material . “ I ’ll go heavy on tote up pumice , ” Rogers says . “ pumice stone is overnice and chunky and it ’s going to allow for fast drain and good air flow at the solution . ”
Organic
If a succulent soil admixture bundle has an OMRI label on it , you ’ll bonk that it ’s been certified as secure to apply for organic gardening by theOrganic Materials Review Institute . choose an constitutive product is of import to many gardener but when it come to succulent soil , Rogers says it ’s more about personal preference . To him , drain should be the figure - one concern .
Drainage
Well - drain succulent soil premix are harsh , light , and airy , so their root system can altogether dry out out between waterings .
“ Succulents by design are meant to take in water system as fast as possible in their raw environments , ” Rogers says . “ They do n’t desire to sit in cockeyed soil . If H2O is consistently there for them , their leave of absence will burst or their roots will rot . ”
Your Questions, Answered
Can you use regular potting mix for succulents?
“ Yes ! Just add equal constituent pumice stone and and perlite , ” Rogers says . “ If you just did that to your potting admixture , it ’s go to be a great mixture for develop succulent . ”
you’re able to supply those same fast - draining , aerating materials to indoor pot soil , tropical plant pot soil , or houseplant potting soil in equal function for the same succulent - favorable results .
Can you use cactus soil for succulents?
Conveniently , many cacti dirt intermixture are commercialise as quick to utilize for succulents , too . In fact , all three mixes we sport on this lean — Veryplants Molly ’s Succulent Mix , Bonsai Jack ’s Gritty Mix , andArium Arid / Cacti Soil Mix — work well for both types of arid - loving plants .
If an on-line workshop or store only has a “ cactus soil mix , ” then succulent growers should take promissory note .
Rogers explains that a soil mix specifically designed for cactus will be even gritter than ones made for succulents . It ’ll include even more coarse materials , such as lava rocks or sand .
“ Succulents will want just a little flake more water system retention than cacti , ” Rogers says . Consider add a bit of good - quality potting stain , likeFoxFarm ocean forest potting dirt , to your cactus soil to hit that succulent sweet spot .
Who We Are
Kate Puhalais a author and gardener for Better Homes & Gardens based in Portland , Oregon . Puhala has also compose about orchid pots , love apple Cage , weed killer , and gift for gardeners . To write this musical composition , she researched succulent dirt in - depth online and spoke toTylor Rogers , co - possessor of Arium Botanicals .
