Finding the perfect houseplant potting mix can be frustrating. That’s why I came up with my own DIY recipe that is both easy and budget friendly! In this post, I am going to show you exactly how to make potting soil for indoor plants, from scratch.
Making your own homemade indoor potting soil may sound difficult, but it’s actually super simple! This mix only has three ingredients, and is perfect to use for growing houseplants.
Below I’m going to show you exactly how to make an all-purpose DIY houseplant potting mix. So, if that is what you’re looking for, then you’re in the right place.
However, if you have succulents or cactus plants, they require a special medium. So, you should use this recipe instead.
Here’s what you’ll find in this guide for how to make potting soil for indoor plants…
- The Best Soil For Houseplants
- Benefits Of Making Your Own
- Ingredients
- Recipe
- How To Mix It
- Storing The Leftovers
The Best Soil For Houseplants
I’ve been growing indoor plants most of my life, and I’m pretty sure I’ve used just about every type of retail houseplant soil mix in existence. It always amazes me how different they can be, depending on what brand you buy.
I find that many types of commercial mixes either don’t have enough drainage, won’t retain water, contain a lot of sand, or have large chunks of rocks or sticks in them (so annoying!).
Most houseplants need a light and fluffy mix that has both good drainage, and moisture retention. Otherwise the soil can become compacted, and won’t retain moisture at all. Or it can hold too much water, and become overly saturated.
Neither of these scenarios will end well for your houseplants, and you will struggle to keep them thriving. But, if you don’t want to make your own, then this is a good mix that you can use instead.
Related Post: 7 Easy DIY Potting Soil Recipes To Mix Your Own
Benefits Of Making Potting Mix For Houseplants
Not only is it easy to whip up a batch of homemade houseplant potting soil whenever you need it, there are other benefits too. Getting the ingredients in bulk and mixing your own is cheaper than the buying the pre-made stuff.
Plus, you have complete control of what goes into your mix. So, since you know exactly what’s in it, you can feel good about using it for all of your indoor plants!
And, since you control the ingredients, you can easily modify my recipe to come up with your own. That way, all of your houseplants can have the exact type of soil that they need.
Homemade indoor potting soil ready to use
How To Make Potting Soil For Indoor Plants
I guess you could say I’ve become a bit of a houseplant potting soil snob over the years, LOL. Yes, I admit it. And that is exactly why I’ve come up with my own mix.
Plus, I use the same ingredients in other soil mixes that I make. So they will never go to waste, and I always have them on hand when I need to whip up a fresh batch for my houseplants.
Houseplant Potting Soil Ingredients
To make this really simple, you will only need three ingredients! You should easily be able to find all of these at any garden center or home improvement store where houseplant soil is sold. Here’s a quick description of each one…
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Peat moss or coco coir
This is your base ingredient, and adds moisture retention to the soil. The main difference between these two is that peat moss is very slow to renew, and isn’t as sustainable as coco coir (which is the bi-product of coconut processing). I personally prefer using coir, but you can choose either one.
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Perlite or pumice
Perlite is the white pieces that you see in most potting mixes. It adds drainage, and helps to prevent compaction. If you can’t find it, then you can use pumice instead. Both of these options are all-natural, so no worries there.
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Vermiculite
Vermiculite is a natural mineral that helps to prevent soil compaction, keeping the mix light and fluffy. Another benefit is that it retains moisture. It is also very lightweight, so won’t add any extra heft to the mix.
Houseplant potting soil ingredients
Supplies Needed:
- Measuring container (I use a 1 gallon bucket, but you can use any size measure you want)
- Soil scoop or hand trowel
- Large garden tub, bucket, potting tray, or wheelbarrow
- Safety mask (you don’t want to breath in the dust)
- Water
Supplies needed to mix soil for houseplants
DIY Indoor Plant Potting Mix Recipe
- 2 parts pre-moistened peat moss** or coco coir
- 1 part perlite or pumice
- 1/4 – 1/2 part vermiculite
** Peat moss is acidic, and most houseplants prefer an alkaline soil. So, if you use peat moss, you should add one tablespoon of garden lime per gallon to balance it out. You can use a pH tester to make sure it’s neutralized, if you want.
What does “part” mean?
A “part” could be anything, it’s just a generic unit of measure. One “part” can be a cup, a gallon, a scoop, a handful… whatever makes the most sense to you, and how large of a batch you plan to make.
How To Mix Potting Soil For Houseplants
First, dump all of your ingredients into a garden tub, wheelbarrow, potting tray, or bucket. Then use your soil scoop or trowel (or your hands) to mix it all together.
If it’s a small batch, and you’re using a container with a lid for mixing, you could shake it up to combine the ingredients.
Whichever method you choose, just make sure that everything is mixed together evenly. After you’re done, you can use the soil right away for repotting houseplants, or save it for later.
If you are going to use it right away, then this would be a great time to add in some all-purpose granular fertilizer. Follow the instructions on the package so you know exactly how much to add.
Mixing my own potting soil for houseplants
Storing Leftover DIY Houseplant Soil
I make my DIY houseplant potting mix in large batches, and then store the leftovers so I always have some on hand. It’s easy to store, and you can keep on a shelf in the garage, your basement, or even a shed.
Just be sure to put it into an airtight container. Soil is a breeding ground for indoor plant bugs, and even the stuff that’s sitting in storage can become infested. Yuck, you don’t want that.
I keep mine in a five gallon bucket with a tight fitting lid. If yours doesn’t have an air-tight lid, then I recommend these lids, which fit on a few different sized buckets.
Repotting a houseplant in my homemade potting medium
Making homemade indoor plant soil is easy and economical. This recipe is perfect for most types, or you can adapt it to fit the needs of your specific houseplants. Now that you know how to make potting soil for indoor plants, the possibilities are endless.
If you struggle to grow healthy indoor plants during the coldest months of the year, then my Winter Houseplant Care eBook is just what you need. It will teach you everything you need in order to keep them thriving all year long! Download your copy today.
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More Houseplant Care Posts
- How To Make Potting Soil For Containers (with recipe!)
- How To Make Your Own DIY Seed Starting Mix (With Recipe!)
- How To Water Indoor Plants: The Ultimate Guide
- How To Fertilize Houseplants: The Ultimate Guide
Share your recipe, or tips for how to make potting soil for indoor plants in the comments below!
Liam says
I keep getting white mould of the surface of my potting soil. How can I stop this?
Amy Andrychowicz says
When mold grows on top of potting soil, that means it’s too wet. Allowing the soil to dry more between waterings, so at least the top 1″ is dry, will kill the mold. To get rid of it faster, you can scrape it off and toss it into the garbage.
Matthew says
Would this work for vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, herbs, greens, etc.? Specifically, the coconut coir mix version?
Amy Andrychowicz says
This soil recipe is best for indoor plants. I do have one specifically for herbs & veggies, you can find it here… 7 Easy DIY Potting Soil Recipes To Mix Your Own.
Alec says
I forgot to get the coco coir wet whilst mixing the ingredients. Is it possible to fix the mistake after I’ve already mixed everything together? As I really don’t want to waste the already mixed material.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, no problem. You can add water to your DIY indoor potting soil mix, and stir it all together. Just add a bit of water at a time, so it’s not too wet. Then add more if necessary, until it’s perfectly moist. 🙂
MAURICE WEBB says
can i use poultry grit instead of pumice for indoor plants
Amy Andrychowicz says
I recommend using perlite as an alternative for pumice. Poultry grit is a good alternative for sand in a mix that you would make for plants that need well-draining soil (like in my DIY succulent soil mix recipe).