Do you have an indoor garden? If you have succulents and cacti looking “leggy,” it’s time for a repotting. Your succulents need the right soil mix to thrive and survive indoors. A light, airy soil mix allows good drainage and plenty of air to the roots.
This post unpacks the best succulent soil mixes for your indoor garden.
Our Top Picks
Last update on 2024-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
- Best Overall Succulent Soil – Sprout N Green Organic Potting Mix
- Best Premium Succulent Soil – Bonsai Jack Succulent and Cactus Soil
- Best Budget Succulent Soil – Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix
Succulent Soil Reviews
The Best Overall Succulent Soil- Sprout N Green Organic Potting Mix
Sprout n Green is a great choice for your indoor garden if you’re looking for the best overall succulent soil. This organic mix features enrichment with 75% organic substrates, fortified with 25% perlite and other minerals that provide the essential nutrients your succulents need to survive and thrive.
Sprout n Green organic potting mix for succulents is pH balanced for optimal performance. The right pH allows your cacti and succulents to utilize all the nutrients in the soil. Build strong root systems in your plants and let them grow to their full potential.
Last update on 2024-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Sprout n Green organic potting mix for succulents offers your plants excellent drainage. You won’t have to deal with wet feet and harmful fungi growing in the soil due to saturated soil conditions. The soil helps your plants breathe, giving them a perfect balance of moisture, air, and nutrients.
This soil mix comes in a resealable package to keep it fresh. You get a selection of quart sizes to suit the size of your garden. Sprout n Green organic potting mix for succulents is the ideal potting mix for starting cuttings, and it’s suitable for a range of indoor plants, from cacti to orchids.
What We Liked
- Organic mix with perlite included.
- Low fertilizer blend for added nutrients.
- Ph balanced for performance.
- A range of bag sizes.
- Suitable for many houseplant species.
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The Best Premium Succulent Soil – Bonsai Jack Succulent and Cactus Soil
If you’re looking for the best premium soil mix for your succulents, we recommend This blend from bonsai Jack. Bonsai Jack is a premium brand in custom organic soil mixes for indoor plants. You get a fast-draining soil suitable for many succulent species, including Echeveria, Crassula, Haworthia, Lithops, Jade, Crassula, and Aloe.
This soil mix has excellent drainage, avoiding root rot in your plants. It’s the ideal choice for acidic-loving succulents, with a pH of 5.5 to optimize nutrient delivery and water absorption in your plants. This ready-to-use potting mix contains pin coir, monto clay, and bonsai block. The excellent drainage in the soil mix allows lants to keep their feet dry between waterings.
- FAST DRAINING & NURTURING: Our succulent potting soil helps prevent root rot and overwatering. Bonsai Jack succulent soil mix is used to enhance bonsai and succulent plants, including Echeveria, Haworthia, Crassula, Lithops, Jade, Aloe and Crassula.
- IDEAL FOR ACID-LOVING PLANTS: Bonsai Jack’s ultra-lightweight and airy succulent growing soil is optimized for pH of 5.5, water absorption, evaporation, bulk density, and particle size. It is perfect for succulent, cactus and bonsai.
- MADE WITH EXPERTISE: Our ready-to-use trademarked potting blend contains Bonsai Block, Monto Clay and Pine Coir (pine fines) is a soil mix optimized for plants that require dryer feet between watering.
- MADE IN THE USA: Ready to use Gritty Mix for most cacti and succulents. All Bonsai Jack soil products are lab-tested and manufactured to spec versus other brands who use ingredients derived from reclaimed material
Last update on 2024-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Bonsai Jack’s premium potting mix for succulents comes manufactured in the USA. You get lab-tested formulation and satisfaction guaranteed with your order. Overall, Bonsai Jack brings your succulent garden a high-quality potting mix designed to optimize growth.
“Gritty Mix” from Bonsai Jack gives your cacti and succulents the perfect growing substrate. It’s light, airy, drains well, and comes prewashed with several hundred gallons of water to ensure no pests in the substrate. You get a premium soil mix with everything you need to support the root systems of your succulent plants.
What We Liked
- Professional-grade potting mix for succulents.
- High-quality ingredients.
- Excellent drainage.
- Made in the USA.
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The Best Budget Succulent Soil – Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix
If you’re looking for a top-quality substrate for your succulent garden at an affordable price, you’ll find plenty of value in the Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix. This product has everything your plants need to thrive and comes with a low price tag.
Miracle-Gro labels this product as a “fast-draining formula,” keeping the root system dry to avoid wet feet and rot in your plants. You get a mix fortified with Miracle-Gro plant food to feed your plants with the nutrients they need to grow. The Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix comes with blended forest products, including sand and perlite, to enhance breathability and nutrient retention in the soil.
- Pamper your succulents with Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix and Miracle-Gro Succulent Plant Food
- The 8-qt. bag of potting soil is specially formulated for use with cactus, palm, citrus and succulents
- This potting mix contains forest products, sand and perlite to help prevent soil compaction and improve drainage
- Instantly feed cacti, jade, aloe, and other popular succulents with this 8-oz. liquid plant food
- Apply the plant food every two weeks
Last update on 2024-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
This product is ideal for container plants and serves as a great potting soil blend for many other houseplant species that enjoy drier soils. You have options for products in this range with additional plant food included in the formulation.
Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix is ideal for repotting tasks. Use it to feed your cuttings and when repotting mother plants. This substrate is light and airy, with good breathability for the root systems. The acidic pH of the soil is the ideal balance for cacti and other succulents.
What We Liked
- Affordable mix.
- Includes nutrients.
- Breathes and drains well.
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Noot Organic Indoor Plant Soilless Potting Mix
Noot organic indoor soilless potting mix offers growers the best combination of coco coir, coco chips, husk, and perlite, providing excellent airflow to the roots and superior drainage to other soil-based mixes, and no chance of root rot on your plants. With this mix from Noot, your succulents get the perfect substrate for growth.
Noot soilless mix is ideal for growing all types of succulents and orchids. It’s a high-quality medium offering your plants a quick bounce back after being neglected, thanks to the infused bio-organic plant food in the growing medium. Just water the plants, and you release the nutrients from the substrate, feeding your garden.
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Noot soilless mix is ready to use right out of the bag and comes with a resealable bag to keep the substrate fresh. It’s a great choice for repotting and rooting cuttings. It’s a great choice for any stage of plant life, with a pet-friendly and child-safe formulation.
Noot organic indoor soilless potting mix is a top choice for gardeners, but it comes with a heavy price tag. However, if you want the best soilless mix out there, Noot is top of the heap.
What We Liked
- Premium soilless mix.
- Substrate infused with plant food for easy feeding.
- Light and airy and good for roots.
- 100% organic and non-toxic.
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Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix
If you’re looking for a value-for-money potting mix for your indoor garden, consider Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix. This product comes with a fast-draining formulation to keep the roots moist but not wet, reducing root rot in your plants.
You get a unique blend of low fertilizer, forest products, and sphagnum moss, giving you plants everything they need to thrive. This soil mix is ideal for most houseplant species and does well with cacti, burro’s tail, houseleek, echeverias, and more.
- Created for those who love growing succulents as much as we do, Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix contains the nutrients succulents need to thrive
- This succulent potting soil is fast-draining and features a blend of sphagnum peat moss, forest products and fertilizer
- Great for helping to grow happy and beautiful succulent varieties like burro’s tail, echeverias, houseleek, as well as cacti
- Certified by the Mulch & Soil Council as in compliance with industry standards
- Bundle includes two bags of Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix
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This Miracle-Gro product has certification with the Mulch & Soil Council and complies with industry standards for organic soil. You can rely on this potting mix for repotting your plants or rooting cuttings.
Miracle-Gro Succulent Potting Mix is a premium product but comes with a somewhat affordable price tag. You get light, nutrient-dense soil that only needs replacing every six months. It’s also a gnat-resistant formulation, preventing pests from colonizing your plants.
What We Liked
- Gnat-resistant formulation.
- Nutrient-dense mix.
- Lasts for up to 6-months.
- Ideal for repotting and rooting cuttings.
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View on AmazonHarris Premium Succulent and Cactus Potting Soil Mix
Harris is one of the biggest names in gardening. This organic potting mix is another premium potting mix from Harris and is a great option for your indoor garden. It’s a great choice for repotting tasks and for rooting cuttings. You get a professional-grade mix of pumice, forest humus, compost, peat moss, perlite, limestone, and fish bone meal for all the nutrients your houseplants need to survive and thrive indoors.
This succulent & Cactus potting mix from Harris comes with excellent drainage properties, keeping the roots of your plants moist but not wet. That’s important for all cacti and succulents that don’t enjoy getting wet feet. The soil comes ready to use, in a resealable bag to keep it fresh.
- Balanced Blend - Professional quality mix of forest humus, pumice, compost, perlite, peat moss, fish bone meal and limestone
- Excellent Drainage - Fast draining formula prevents root compaction to keep your succulent and cacti healthy
- Versatile - Use indoors or outdoors on a variety of cacti, succulent and drought tolerant plants such as Burro’s Tail, Echeverias, Houseleek
- See the Difference - Ready to use, pH balanced formula provides the drainage and nutrients cacti and succulents need to flourish
- Easy Zip Bag - Packaged in a 4 quart resealable zip bag for ongoing use
Last update on 2024-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You get a pH-balanced formulation ideal for succulents, increasing nutrient absorption and water retention for bigger, healthier succulents. While this mix is perfect for indoor use, gardeners can also use it outdoors.
What We Liked
- Fast drainage.
- Premium ingredients.
- Nutrient-infused formulation.
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View on AmazonValley Garden Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix
Valley Garden Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix cokes imported from Canada, offering you 100% organic ingredients. This potting mix contains a 75% natural substrate accompanied by 25% perlite to improve aeration and drainage in the soil. You get lightweight soil, and it drains well, with a pH balance optimized for succulent health.
The light, airy combination of substrate and perlite ensures optimal airflow around the roots. It provides no chance of rhizome rot occurring in the root system. The 5.5 pH balance offered by The Valley Garden Potting Mix optimizes nutrient and water uptake by the plants, speeding up growth and development in your succulents.
Last update on 2024-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
You get easy transplanting and repotting, with less wilt in the plants and a faster settling time. This soil mix is a great choice for repotting or rooting cuttings. The soil comes premixed in a ready-to-use bag, with a 90-day warranty on your purchase if you’re unhappy with the product.
What We Liked
- Nutrient-dense formulation.
- pH-balanced.
- Perlite amendments for aeration and drainage.
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The Succulent Cult Organic Potting Soil
The succulent cult brings us this amazing soil mix for succulents and cacti. You get a great soil mix for repotting your plants and rooting cuttings. It comes premixed and ready to use right out of the resealable bag.
This soil features 100% organic ingredients, with 75% natural substrate and 25% perlite to enhance airflow around the roots and prevent root rot from damaging your plants due to wet feet. The soil drains well, with a neutral pH balance to optimize water and nutrient uptake by the plants.
- EXCELLENT DRAINAGE for INDOOR/OUTDOOR CONTAINERS: Our Specially formulated SUCCULENT POTTING SOIL helps improve drainage to avoid over watering which is the #1 reason why most succulents and cactus die. The Succulent Cult Organic Soil Mix was formulated to also assist your succulents and cactus in their indoor environment by allowing the soil to drain quickly and retaining only what your little guys need. Works great for all indoor houseplants, herbs, and vegetables.
- PERFECT FOR PROPAGATION: Propagating succulents and cactus is hassle free when using the right soil blend. This is the only blend we use in our greenhouses when it comes to propagating leaves, seeds, and cuttings. Depending on species and varieties, we tend to see leaves and cuttings begin to root in as little as 2 weeks under the right circumstances.
- PRE-MIXED and READY TO USE SOIL MIX: Pre-mixed and ready to use soil to help make your gardening or hobby growing a breeze. Simply transplant your desired succulents into their new container and add our soil mix or pour our soil mix and plant your leaves and cuttings.
- FORMULATED BY PROFESSIONALS: Professionally formulated to help succulents and cactus thrive in their container whether kept indoors or outdoors. If your looking for a compatible soil for your houseplants, herbs, or vegetables this will work hand in hand with helping them thrive due to the ability to retain the necessary water and drain out the excess.
- ORGANIC LIGHT WEIGHT SOIL: 100% Organic ingredients with a neutral PH balance to provide optimal growth. Soil contains 75% natural substrate and 25% Organic perlite.
Last update on 2024-10-18 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Succulent Club specifically formulated this soil mix for indoor plants, making it the ideal choice for your indoor cacti garden. It’s also one of the better choices if you enjoy propagating cacti cuttings. You get a lightweight, fast-draining soil that spurs growth.
What We Liked
- Lightweight and airy formulation.
- 75% substrate, 25% perlite.
- Organic and pH neutral.
- Made in the USA.
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Succulent Soil Buyer’s Guide
After reading through the best succulent soil reviews, you probably have some ideas for the right soil for your plants. However, it’s challenging to understand the differences. So you need a different soil for cacti compared to other plants? Why do succulents need a specific soil type? In your buyer’s guide, let’s unpack everything you need to know about succulent soils.
What Is the Ideal Soil for Succulent Plants?
Succulents need well-draining soils to thrive and survive. Succulents are a type of plant that find it easy to get a condition known as “wet feet. “Essentially, this refers to the waterlogging and saturation of the root rhizomes. When they are constantly wet, the rhizomes develop a disease known as “root rot.” Root rot will kill the plant, causing the roots to whiter, turn yellow, and die.
Succulents grow in sandy, airy soil in the wild. The soil drains the water away from the roots, mitigating the risk of root rot developing in the plants. Therefore, you need to emulate these natural conditions in the soil in your indoor garden.
The Importance of Soil Drainage for Succulents
The primary factors for a well-draining succulent soil are the soil type, your watering frequency, the choice of container for growing the plant, sunlight, and airflow. Many of these variables determine how the soil retains moisture.
The drying time of the soil is a combination of all these factors, and succulents like fast-drying soils mix. Typically, succulent soils are also very “gritty,” and they have plenty of airflow around the roots. The increased airiness of the soil also prevents disease and pests from invading the plants.
What6ever soil you’re using, make sure you line the bottom of the pots with gravel and drill additional drainage holes into the pot’s base to improve water flow away from the roots.
What are the Components of Top-Quality Succulent Soil Mixes?
The best indoor succulents soils have the following characteristics.
Mineral Vs. Organic Soil Mixes
Soil features mixing with inorganic and organic materials. Perlite is an example of inorganic material, while peat moss is an organic material. It’s important to note that organic soil mixes contain a combination of inorganic and organic materials.
Porosity and Texture
The best soils for succulents have a coarse texture. This allows the roots to spread out in the pot and assists with draining water away from the roots. Sand, silt, and clay are porous materials, but they all offer different drainage levels, with sand being the ideal choice for succulents.
However, the problem with using inorganic materials and some organic ones is that they don’t hold nutrients well. Some manufacturers, like Noot, will infuse plant food into the materials, allowing it to release when watering the plant.
However, most organic substrates require you to use a diluted liquid fertilizer to feed your plants every other week during the spring and summer months.
Coco Coir Vs. Peat Moss
Coco coir is fast replacing peat moss in potting applications. Peat moss is the ideal substrate for indoor gardening. However, it’s not a sustainable choice. Manufacturers harvest the peat from bogs, and there are a limited number of these bogs on the planet.
Many governments are now issuing protection orders to preserve these natural bogs before being driven to extinction. Coco coir provides a natural alternative to p[eat moss, providing the same, if not better, performance for your indoor garden.
Coco Coir Vs. Peat Moss – Watering
So, why use coco coir over peat moss in your indoor succulent soil mix? Peat moss turns hydrophobic when it gets dry, repelling water. As a result, the roots don’t get the water they need to survive. You’ll need to remediate the peat moss and soak it to get it to start absorbing water again.
However, this procedure of soaking the moss could end up giving your plants root rot. Coco coir is always ready for soaking and doesn’t have the same problems as peat moss when it gets dry.
When watering dry coconut coir and peat moss, we find the water soaks into the coco coir but runs off the peat moss.
Homemade Recipe for Succulent Soil Mixes
So, can you make a DIY succulent soil mix at home? We put together this recipe for the perfect succulent soil mix. Give it a try and see how your plants respond to it.
Remember, it’s important to ensure you’re using 35% organic matter and 65% mineral materials. Here are some of the amendments used to build your soil.
Gravel
Line the bottom of your pots with gravel measuring 1/8″ and ¼” in diameter. Rinse it off before adding it to the pot. The gravel improves drainage in the pot, keeping the soil dry between waterings while preventing waterlogging.
Sand
Coarse-grit sand is a good choice for bringing more air to the roots while improving drainage. Make sure you don’t use beach sand, as it’s likely to have salt infused with it. Stick to sand from the nursery. At least you know it’s sterile.
Potting Soil
Choose one of the amazing potting soil mixes in this review and add it as the base for your DIY potting soil mix. As mentioned, look for a blend using coco coir instead of peat moss – it’s the environmentally-responsible thing to do with your garden.
Perlite
Perlite is a volcanic rock that looks like small pieces of Styrofoam. Adding perlite to the soil improves airflow and drainage around the roots. We recommend making 20% to 255 of the soil mix perlite for optimal drainage and airflow for your succulents. Avoid using vermiculite as it will waterlog the soil and lead to wet feet in your plants.
Other Amendments
Some other important soil amendments for DIY mixes include chicken grit, diatomaceous earth, decomposed granite, and non-soluble cat litter.
Succulent Soil FAQs
Q: What is the best fertilizer for succulent plants?
A: We recommend using manure tea to feed your indoor garden. The best tea recipe is a diluted fish emulsion or balanced fertilizer (15-15-15). Always dilute liquid fertilizers to avoid burning and damaging the roots and foliage.
Q: Can I pot succulents in any soil mix?
A: No, succulents enjoy a light, airy soil mix that generates airflow around the roots. The soil needs to drain well because cacti and other succulents don’t like “wet feet” (soggy roots). Wet feet induce rhizome rot, killing the plant. You need light, airy soil that drains water away from the roots.
Q: How much sunlight do I need to give my succulents each day?
A: Your indoor succulents need six to eight hours of sunlight daily. Most succulents will do fin in indirect sunlight conditions as well. We recommend positioning your cacti and succulents in the window and allowing them to get all-day sun for the best results with your indoor garden.
Q: Where can I buy the best succulent soil?
A: We recommend buying your succulent soil mix from Amazon, the world’s largest retailer. Amazon has the best prices and the widest range of soil mixes for your indoor garden. You get free shipping for Prime members and buyer protection on your order.
The Best Succulent Soil – The Verdict
After reading through the reviews of the best succulent soil mixes and checking out the info in our buyer’s guide, you should know the right soil mix for your plants. If you’re on the fence about your decision, that’s okay. We understand how challenging it is to choose between so many good options. Why not go with one of our top picks?
- Best Overall Succulent Soil – Sprout N Green Organic Potting Mix
- Best Premium Succulent Soil – Bonsai Jack Succulent and Cactus Soil
- Best Budget Succulent Soil – Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm & Citrus Potting Mix
