Preparing the perfect soil for your succulents can be
easy when you have the right potting mix ratios, the right soil, proper tools, and a
little bit of trial and error.
The soil medium for succulents is very important in
the beginning stages of succulent growth because you have to essentially
recreate the environment from where the succulents are originally bought from.
When you get your succulents adjusted to the potting soil mix, then half the battle is done. Read on to find out what criteria’s you can take into account and what ingredients and proportions you can follow to get that easy-to-make soil mix for succulents made right at home.
Criteria’s
for preparing the soil for succulents:
As certain succulents are delicate and drought
resistant, proper care must be taken while preparing the soil.
· Well drained soil:
Proper draining soil is very crucial for succulents.
As they are drought resistant plants and survive in hot conditions with less
water, water clogging the succulents can cause severe root rot.
· Proper proportions of soil potting
mix:
For any good soil, mixing the right amount of nutrients
in the potting mix is very important. Too much can cause a deficiency in
succulents and can eventually kill the plant. Getting the ratios and
ingredients right can help in healthy and vibrant growth.
· Good aeration:
Succulents do not like compacted soil like clay or hard soil. They thrive in well aerated soil like coarse sand, granulated soil, or gravel, which provides ample space for roots to grow and water and air to circulate.
· Sufficient amounts of nutrients and
fertilizers:
Adding a sufficient amount of nutrients to the soil and occasional treatment of fertilizers like adding neem cakes can work wonders for succulent growth.
Choosing
the best soil for succulents:
The first step while preparing the soil for succulents is
choosing the best soil. Succulent’s stability and future growth depend on the
type and nature of the soil. Following is some of the types of soil to consider
while preparing your soil:
· Coarse sand:
Coarse sand is a favorite and most used soil type
among succulent lovers. This type of soil is granulated into small particles,
which makes it the most ideal soil for succulents. They aid in good aeration
and drainage.
· Coco peat:
Coco peat or also called Coco soil is made from the
husks of coconut. This natural fiber is fast gaining popularity not only as
soil for succulents but also for other plants and crippers. Known for its
porous nature, it is an added benefit for maintaining moisture and water
drainage.
· Perlite:
If you are looking for lightweight soil that provides
good drainage and increases aeration, then perlite is the soil for you. This
mineral occurs naturally and is often seen as small white Styrofoam in potting
soil.
· Pumice:
Unlike perlite, pumice particles are larger in size
and have less chance of getting blown away from the potting mix. The best thing
about pumice and perlite is they increase oxygen levels and absorb excess
water which can cause root rot.
· Aquarium gravel or granulated soil:
This type of soil is basically small rocks or gravel used in aquariums and as potting soil. This soil helps in creating space in the potting soil for easy air and water circulation. The particles can be larger or smaller in size depending on the succulents.
Succulent
potting mix ratios and methods:
Step two in preparing the soil for succulents is mixing
the soil and nutrients in the right proportions or ratios to make your perfect
soil mix for succulents.
The following method is bifurcated into three aspects
in terms of their rich nutrients and fertilizers levels, cost effective levels, and high priced levels.
Method
1: Natural fertilizers
This method can be followed by succulent growers
looking for adding natural means of fertilizers in their potting mix to benefit
succulents in avoiding root rots or other soil deficiencies in the future.
Potting
mix ingredients:
· Garden
soil / Potting soil
· Sand
· Pumice
· Neem
cake
· Aquarium gravel
Soil
preparations:
· Take
a pot or container of your choosing and make sure to have a drainage hole in
the bottom.
· First
add 2 parts of garden soil or regular potting soil.
· Then
add another 2 parts of coarse sand to the regular potting soil.
· To
this mix add neem cake in the ratio of 1 part to the soil mix to act as a natural fertilizer.
· Then lastly add 1 part each of pumice and aquarium gravel and mix well to get your own succulent potting soil mix.
Method
2: Cost effective
This method is for succulent soil for beginners. It is
easy and also cost effective. By using the available resources at home, this
method can be used in the initial stages of succulent growth.
Potting
mix ingredients:
· Garden
soil / Potting soil
· Sand
· Gravel
· Coco
peat
Soil
preparations:
· After
taking a pot or container of your choosing, fill it with 1 part of garden soil
or regular potting soil and spread equally.
· For
this, add 1 part of sand to get your well aerated soil mix.
· Add
1 part of gravel or granulated soil to the potting mix.
· To
get that natural porous particle in the soil, add 1 part of coco peat and mix
well.
· This mix can be made in bigger proportions depending on the succulents. Make sure to add equal amounts of regular soil, sand, coco peat, and gravel to the mix to get your cost effective succulent soil.
Method
3: Well drained soil
This method focuses on getting the maximum amount of well-draining soil in the potting mix. Though it might be on the expensive side compared to method 2, this is for succulent growers who are looking for preparing succulent soil for future growth and prorogation.
Potting
mix ingredients:
· Garden
soil / Potting soil
· Sand
· Coco
peat
· Perlite
· Pumice
Soil
preparations:
· In
this method, choose a pot or container depending on the succulent with proper
drainage holes.
· First
add 3 parts of garden soil or regular soil to the bottom of the pot.
· Then
add 2 parts of sand to this potting mix to make it more porous and granulated.
· To
this mix, add 1 part of coco peat to maintain moisture.
· Finally add 1 part each of perlite and pumice and mix well to complete the succulent soil potting mix. All the above ingredients when combined can create a perfect well draining soil for your succulents.
Succulents are resilient species of plants,
withstanding harsh weather conditions, droughts and at the same time producing
exotic-looking flowers and leaves. To keep them looking like this in the
future, proper care must be taken while preparing the soil for succulents.
And also preparing a large amount of your premium DIY
succulent soil potting mix can be used for repotting, propagation, and future
succulent samplings.
The above-mentioned methods and criteria can help you tackle the problem of preparing the soil for succulents for the first time. You might find it’s not that hard as you once thought.
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