"What is the secret to your soil?" The Answer and More!

One of our most frequently asked questions is, "What is the secret to your succulent soil?" In this blog, we'll quickly go over our soil mix's four main components and how you can adjust them to suit your needs.

The key to good succulent and cactus soil lies in the correct ratio of organic to inorganic material. We often see customers using too little organic matter in an effort not to overwater their plants. This usually leads to chronic underwatering. We do not recommend planting a succulent into 100% inorganic medium. We've found that blending the right inorganic/organic materials is the most advantageous.

When we first began to test different succulent soils for our nursery, we tried endless combinations—testing various mediums and their respective ratios. We wanted something light, gritty and airy and something that held onto water just long enough for our succulents to get a drink. And that's just what we found. 

Below you'll find a diagram that shows the four components of our succulent soil recipe. 

Our soil is made up of these four roughly equal parts

• 1 part any organic potting soil

• 1 part play sand

• 1 part monsanto clay

• 1 part perlite

These four components can be mixed in various containers and be scaled as needed. We combine all the elements in a large wheelbarrow and mix by hand to ensure the parts are well blended.

While our soil may not be perfect for everyone, it can be adjusted based on your plant's needs and environmental conditions. Because we grow our plants in our greenhouses, year-round, we needed a balanced blend that retained moisture and drained to prevent rot.

If you live in a wetter climate or keep your plants indoors, tweak the formula to include more inorganic matter (Perlite, Sand, Monsanto Clay) This will ensure better drainage in a wet/indoor environment.

If you live in a drier climate or have your plants outdoors exposed to the elements, consider tweaking the soil to have more organic matter (Soil or potting mix) This will ensure better water retention in a dry/arid environment.

Thanks for reading!

-Chez