If you’re looking for the best potting mix recipe for indoor plants, you may not find the perfect blend in stores. So it’s up to you to make a mix that works for your plants!
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potting mix or potting soil?
With all plant related topics, different terms are thrown around, some interchangeable, some not. So you may be wondering what the difference is between potting mix and potting soil.
In short – potting soil is either all dirt (from the ground) or a combination of dirt and other material. Potting mix is a combination of soil-less material. So while many of us are used to saying “soil” as a general term, our indoor plant mix is typically not soil at all. Do you feel less or more confused now? Haha!
soil-less materials
There are a variety of soil-less materials used in different potting mixes. Each helps aid in different tasks such as aeration, drainage, water retention, etc. You may often see:
- Perlite
- Vermeculite
- Peat moss
- bark varieties
- Coco coir chunks
- and more.
Potting mix Recipe & instructions
This recipe works really well for tropical plants. I use this mix for my Monstera, Hoya, Anthurium, Philodendrons, and more! This mix isn’t the best for succulents so I recommend using different materials for a succulent mix.
I like to have bags of each material on hand and make just what I need in the one potting session.
You’ll need
- Perlite – Any brand will do but I like this one.
- Orchid bark blend – This one is a good one that I use a lot.
- Coco coir chunks – This is the one I use.
- Bowl or tub
- Options: Insect control (this one IS SO GOOD)& fertilizer or nutrients.
instructions
- Grab a mixing bowl or tub.
- Scoop 1 part of each of the ingredients. I usually do one handful of each.
- Throughly mix together.
- Once you use the mix to pot up a plant, you can then add pest control & nutrients. Read instructions and use as directed for the size of your pot.
This mix has worked really well for me and my tropical plants, especially in the winter! The coco coir chunks retain water and nutrients, while the perlite and bark help with drainage. There will most likely be some nutrients in the orchid mix, but it’s probably not enough for long term. Plan on adding in fertilizer at some point to this mix.
Thank you for being here today! If you like this blog post, you may like the one where I share how to make a mini moss pole. You can also follow along on Instagram for daily content 🙂
I'm always looking for ways to provide the best possible growing conditions for my plants, and this potting mix seems to hit all the right marks. It can work well for a wide range of houseplants, including succulents, tropical plants, and even herbs. I'm excited to try this for myself and see how it benefits my indoor plants.