DIY: Make The Perfect Potting Soil For Your Houseplants
Potting soil has one job for your houseplants: to regulate how much water your plant gets. It’s no easy job, let me tell you.
It’s funk, on a whole new level. The rhythm is the bass, and the bass is the treble. Chords, strings….
(I’m now quoting Warren G for those of you who have thus far missed out on the gold that is this song. Which has nothing to do with potting so either listen and enjoy the commercial break of or scroll down to learn more about potting soil)
Back to biz: a successful soil mixture ensures your houseplant gets enough water to thrive without making it susceptible to disease because of over-saturation. So here are two basic soil mixtures we use to get the work done.
Pothos, Philodendrons, Monsteras, Ficuses, Birds of Paradise
…and Ferns, Calathea, Coffee Plants and Peace Lilies
moisture: 3 parts potting soil
drainage: 1 part perlite + 1 part orchid bark + 1 part charcoal
These plants are can and should dry out between waterings. This mixture holds moisture well with the potting soil so it doesn’t dry out quickly, but at the same time the other three ingredients make this a porous medium so the soil doesn’t stay wet too long and attract bacteria. In fact, charcoal is a magical little number that keeps the soil clean because it’s anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. The orchid bark acts as a slow (very slow) release fertilizer as it breaks down over time.
Note that ferns and calathea get the same type of soil as the others. While these plants tend to need more water than the others, they are just as susceptible to molds and bacteria that cause root rot as well as pests as a result of overwatering. So if the leaf tips are getting crispy on your water loving plants, water more often and mist the area around them regularly to keep the humidity high.
Cacti, Succulents, Snake Plants, ZZ Plants
Moisture: 2 parts potting soil
Drainage: 1 part perlite + 1 part charcoal
Like camels of the plant world, these plants have plenty of built in water storage. If you water them too much, the soil will stay wet and attract bacteria and pests. This soil mixture has plenty of drainage and bacterial protection to keep these plants happy.
That’s it. Pretty simple. Now go forth and prosper, you plant loving wonders of the world!
