After years of trial and error, I finally came up with the perfect succulent potting mix recipe. This is the best soil for succulents, and it’s super easy to make too! In this post, I will share my recipe and show you exactly how to make your own succulent soil.
I don’t buy succulent soil, I make my own. It’s much cheaper than buying a commercial cactus and succulent potting mix.
Plus, I think the commercial soil mix for succulents and cacti (at least the stuff I’ve purchased in the past) are light on sand, and hold more water than I like.
Making your own succulent soil is not only cheaper than buying the commercial stuff, it’s super easy.
My DIY succulent soil is perfect for growing succulents in containers
The Best Soil For Succulents
Choosing the right potting soil for planting succulents in containers is crucial! When readers reach out to me about problems with succulents, most of the issues they have are caused by overwatering.
Overwatering is the number one cause of death for succulent plants, and that is why it is super important to make sure you use the right type of soil to plant succulents.
The best potting soil for succulents is a well draining potting mix. Using a good potting mix of porous soil for succulents is super important to prevent overwatering.
Using the ideal potting soil mix to grow succulents
Benefits Of Making Your Own DIY Succulent Soil Mix
The main benefits of making your own DIY succulent soil mix are that it’s cheaper, and you control the ingredients.
Making your own bulk potting soil mix is cheaper than buying a pre-made commercial succulent soil. Plus, since you control the ingredients, you can modify this succulent soil recipe to get the perfect soil mix that your succulents will love.
How To Make Succulent Soil
Like I said, I find that many commercial succulent soil mixes aren’t coarse enough for my liking. So, over the years I’ve played around with making my own succulent mix, until I figured out an easy, inexpensive recipe that I love the best.
I wanted to make sure the ingredients were all easy to find in your local garden center, or online. Plus, I use these ingredients to make my other homemade potting soils too, so they are all very reusable.
DIY Succulent Potting Soil Ingredients
To make your own succulent soil, you only need three ingredients, and you can find them at any garden center or home improvement store that has potting soil for sale:
- Potting soil
- Coarse sand (turface or poultry grit also work great)
- Perlite or Pumice
DIY succulent potting soil ingredients
All Purpose Potting Soil
Any type of all purpose potting soil for indoor plants will work as the base to make your own succulent soil. Use whatever you have on hand (as long as it’s fresh, sterile potting soil). The brands of potting soil I use varies depending on what’s on sale at the time I need to buy potting soil.
When making potting mix for succulents, it’s best to use a light, porous soil as your base. Don’t use heavy garden soils, and don’t use potting mixes that contain vermiculite, or any type of moisture control potting mix that says it retains water longer than other mixes. Succulents need a well draining potting soil, not one that holds moisture.
Use all purpose potting soil as base ingredient for succulent soil
Coarse Sand
Succulents grow best in a porous sandy potting soil, so amending your potting soil with sand is super important.
The type of sand I buy is just the stuff they sell for use in a sandbox (I buy it at either Home Depot or Lowes).
You could use any type of sand, but to ensure fast drainage for succulents, I recommend buying a coarse sand rather than the really fine stuff.
Just don’t use sand from the garden, the beach, or a sandbox (you never know what nasties will be in that sand). If you prefer, you could use turface or poultry grit instead of sand. Either of those make excellent alternatives to sand in this recipe.
Adding sand to potting soil for succulents
Perlite or Pumice
Perlite is a very lightweight organic soil amendment. It’s the white pieces that look like Styrofoam that you see in many commercial potting mixes.
Perlite retains very little moisture, prevents soil compaction, and helps add better drainage for succulents. In other words, it helps the soil drain faster which is exactly what we want for succulent potting soil.
You can usually buy perlite or pumice at any garden center or home improvement store in the same section as you would find potting soil for sale, but sometimes it’s hard to find in stores, so I usually buy it online.
Mixing perlite with potting soil for succulents recipe
Supplies Needed:
Along with your succulent potting mix ingredients, you’ll need a few other supplies to help you measure and mix your ingredients. So grab these items before getting started…
- Measuring container
- Trowel
- Container for mixing (I use a bucket or my table top potting tray to mix mine)
Supplies needed to make DIY succulent soil
DIY Succulent Soil Recipe
The succulent potting soil recipe* I use is:
- 3 parts potting soil
- 2 parts coarse sand (turface or poultry grit)
- 1 part perlite (or pumice)
* My recipe for DIY cactus soil mix is very similar, and it’s easy to modify this recipe to make potting soil for cactus plants instead. To make the perfect cactus potting soil mix, I add about 1/2 – 1 part more sand and perlite in my succulent potting soil for extra drainage.
What is a “part”? – A “part” is just a generic unit of measure to use for your potting soil mix ratio. You can use anything you want to measure your ingredients, as long as you use the same type of measure for each “part”. If you use a scoop measure for 1 part, then use the same scoop twice for 2 parts, and three times for 3 parts. So, for example if you use a 1 cup measure, then this potting mix recipe would convert to 3 cups potting soil, 2 cups sand, and 1 cup perlite.
Combine Succulent Potting Soil Ingredients
How To Mix Potting Soil For Succulent Plants
Mixing your DIY potting soil for succulents is super easy. All you need to do is dump everything into your mixing container (bucket, potting tray, wheelbarrow… whatever) and stir it all together.
Use a trowel, or your hands to mix it. Just make sure the ingredients are evenly mixed once you’re done.
That’s it. Told you it was easy to make your own potting soil for succulents.
Mix ingredients for succulent potting soil
Storing Your Leftover Succulent Soil Mix
One of the things I love the most about making my own DIY succulent potting soil is that I can mix up a big batch, and store the leftovers for later. Succulent soil can be stored on a shelf in your basement, garage or garden shed.
You could mix a bunch of homemade potting soil ahead of time and store it for later use, or just mix it as you need it.
I like to mix up a big batch, and then I store it in a plastic bucket in the garage so I always have succulent soil on hand when I need it.
Make sure to store your succulent potting soil in an air-tight container. You don’t want pesky bugs getting in there. If you don’t have an air-tight container you can use, I recommend you buy one of these bucket sealing lids, which work with a five gallon bucket.
Diy Succulent Potting Soil Ready To Use
This DIY succulent potting soil can also be used for propagating succulent cuttings.
My succulents (and cactus plants) grow very well in my homemade potting mix for succulents, and making my own saves me tons of money (It seems like I’m always potting succulents and cactus plants!).
If you want more information about growing and caring for succulents, read my detailed succulent plant care guide. It has everything you need to know about growing succulents, including watering, light, fertilizing, pruning, pest control, propagation, and even a list of some of the easiest succulents to grow!
Products I Recommend
Recommended Books On Succulents
- Succulents Simplified
- The Complete Book of Cacti & Succulents
- Idiot’s Guides: Succulent Care
- Growing Succulent Plants Indoors
- Winter Houseplant Care
- Houseplant Pest Control
More Posts About Growing Succulents
- Gritty Succulent Soil Mix Makes Growing Succulents A Snap!
- How To Care For A Jade Plant
- The Ultimate Guide To Aloe Vera Plant Care
- How To Make An Indoor Succulent Garden
Do you make your own succulent soil? Share your succulent potting soil mix recipe in the comments section below.
El Gaucho says
Very good advice. I just repotted a bunch of succulents this weekend and I just use a imprecise +/- 1/2 sand, 1/2 potting soil (with perlite). It's one of the reasons I love succulents, as long as the soil drains well, they'll be fine.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I love succulents too! They are so easy to care for and propagate.
Amy
gwynne carosella says
Dear Amy. Good advice about the succulent potting soil. One tiny detail you never use the play sand that is meant for sand boxes.1. It has been sterilized.2.Too small particles. It will clump together. So the deal is use big grained sand. Bank sand we call it in Houston. For potting soil and garden soil also.I use to run a plant nursery. It is way cheaper to make your own.
Gwynne
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great, thanks for your tips. The sand I buy is the course-grained stuff. Yes, we definitely don’t want to use the fine-grained stuff. 🙂
dan dore says
what to look for is concrete sand. very coarse and has small stones mixed in for drainage. go to your local concrete plant and they will probably fill your bucket for nothing…
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, thanks for the tip!
Nikki.Ro says
good to know!
Lori Faulk says
Hi,
Where did you find bank sand. I was only able to find play sand.
Thanks,
Lori
Tina Reddu says
When growing succulents what it the best place to move them when it’s cold
Amy Andrychowicz says
I move my succulent plants indoors and grow them as houseplants during the winter here in MN. But, if you’re in a warmer climate and only need to protect them from short cold spells, then you can just move them into a porch or garage overnight (or even up to a few days if the cold spell will last a few days). But, if you’re in a colder climate like me, then you’ll need to bring them indoors for the winter. Here’s a detailed post about how to care for succulents indoors… Succulent Plant Care.
Peggy says
lol wish I had read this before I went out and bought 8 different succulents and made up a batch of “soil”… I used play sand… did I just kill all the babies I just bought ?
Amy Andrychowicz says
If the sand you used wasn’t coarse, then you may want to amend the soil in your containers with more coarse sand. But if you make sure to allow the soil to dry out completely between waterings, your succulents should grow just fine.
Kate says
Could cat litter be used as it absorbs excess liquid? 🤷 I’m new to growing these plants.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I would not recommend using cat litter in your succulent soil mix. Though it does absorb moisture, it also retains the moisture. Which means your soil would stay way too wet for succulents.
Sheila Zanella says
Hello!! I read your post and it was very helpfull..I used to use vermiculite when i lived in Portugal (very dry weather) now I'm living in Ireland (very humid, wet) and I'm still using, for the first time i lost a succulent with root rotten..Now I know why. Thank you very much.!!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great, so glad I could help! 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
This is great Sheila! Thanks for sharing this, it's really fun to see my post translated in Portuguese!
Amy
Janet QueenofSeaford says
I should make my own too, maybe when we go to Lowe's again I will get all of the above. I guess you have to bring in your succulents for the winter? The only one I bring in is the aloe…and that just comes inside the storage room door…to be forgotten until about January. 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yah, they all come in for the winter. It's a huge task to wash them all and move them inside. Every fall I wonder why I keep doing it, but they do so much better outside. You're lucky! 🙂
Amy
Suze says
You wash your succulents? How, is this something I should be doing? I”m getting ready to repot several that have been in same pots for several years and are not doing well now, they live on screened in porch in mostly sunny warm south central FL. Should I try to “wash” them?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, only the ones that spend the summer outside. I had a terrible aphid outbreak in my house one winter, so now I make sure to clean and debug all of my potted plants before bringing them back indoors for the winter. I haven’t had a major pest outbreak since (knock on wood). Here’s how I do it…
Debugging and Cleaning Potted Plants You don’t need to wash them if you haven’t had any issues with bugs. Our winters are much, much longer than yours and houseplant pests are a major problem.
Peggy says
Oh how I wish I had found this site and read it all before spending lots of time and a nice chunk of change on succulents and planters lol
Suz says
How do you wash your succulents?
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can find details here… How To Debug Plants Before Bringing Them Indoors
Rebecca says
I just bought some succulents and I’m curious about soil:
I have some succulent/cactus mix soil from the store, which I guess has sand already mixed in. Would mixing this soil with some pebbles or gravel have the same effect as the perlite, since the goal is to prevent compacting?
Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
For sure you could do that. The only thing is that pebbles or gravel will add weight to the pot, where perlite will not. It depends on the size of your pot. It wouldn’t be a big deal for small pots, but if you have a large pot, it will get very heavy.
Erika Boutin says
is that by weight or volume? thank you!
Amy Andrychowicz says
by volume.
Barbara Barrett says
I live in New Mexico – I leave my succulents and cactus outdoors all year long. When we have very cold/freezing weather, (and we DO have sub-zero temps occasionally) I invert a plastic pot with holes drilled in the bottom, over my succulents at night and uncover them during the day. Has worked for several years, even through the weeks of sub-zero weather in 2011. Our biggest problem down here in winter is wind-chill.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Sounds like a great, easy way to protect your plants. Thanks for sharing your tips!
Deb Murray says
I use a similar recipe that someone gave me:
4 parts potting soil (I use cactus mix)
1 part coarse gravel (think chicken grit or pea gravel)
1/2 part perlite.
Works great, drains fast.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, thanks for sharing your recipe!
Debbra Gore says
I’m new to the succulent world. Always had a green thumb. But I thought I could just buy them, replant them in cute containers in potting soil. It worked for awhile. After about a month all of them started to either and the leaves started taking off. You really have to read and know how to care for them. Trying to save them all. I think they’ll be OK.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Sorry to hear your succulents are suffering! 🙁 Good luck bringing them back to health, I hope they will all survive for you!
Steve says
I am definitely going to try your recipe for succulent soil. I have been using palm and cactus mix and not having good results with my semps. I always get confused when people say 1 part this and 2 parts that. Does one 1 part equal 1 scoop or handful? I really want to get this correct.
Thank you,
Steve H.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can use anything you want, as long as you use the same type of measure for each “part”. So, if you use a scoop measure for 1 part, then use the same scoop twice for 2 parts. Does that make sense? So, for example if you use a 1 cup measure, then this recipe would convert to 3 cups potting soil, 2 cups sand and 1 cup perlite. If you use a scoop, it would be 3 scoops potting soil, 2 scoops sand and 1 scoop perlite. A handful would be 3 handfuls potting soil, 2 handfuls sand and 1 handful perlite.
Steve says
Thank you for clarifying the instructions for the succulent soil recipe. I made it and planted twenty- five sempervivum chicks in 2″ containers about two weeks ago. Not only are they doing great I would say they are thriving…
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, that’s GREAT to hear! 🙂
Suchika says
My indoor jade plant leaves are falling pls. suggest the maintenance and also the causes of this . I bought it just two days back.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Could you describe the problem you’re having with the plants? I’m guessing that if you just bought them, then they were already struggling before you even brought them home. Read my detailed jade plant care guide to help you out.
Dod Jobson says
Pumice is used in quality potting mixes. Perlite contains nothing relative to plants diet, completely inert.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great, thanks for the suggestion. Yes, perlite is purely added to help with drainage.
cheryl mc says
Pumice is extremely hard to find in Michigan, tried looking for it, no such luck…
Amy Andrychowicz says
Here’s a great source for high quality pumice… Pumice
Ranon says
Are you sure it should be the kind used in sandboxes? I bought that and it seems really water-retaining. How long should it take for the surface of the soil to dry in this mixture?
Amy Andrychowicz says
It should be porous sand, not the fine stuff. It shouldn’t take more than a week or so for the surface to start to dry out, depending on how saturated it was. If it’s holding too much water, then I would add more perlite or find a more porous sand. Also, don’t water the plant as often.
Brigitte says
My question is I started succulents a few months ago ,I have a fish tank with the ultra violet light, at first they to seemed to be doing just fine and then the leaves starting falling off. What did I do wrong ? Oh not all suffered the leaf loss, I also spray them lightly ,misty is that ok for them ?
Amy Andrychowicz says
My guess is they are getting too much moisture. Succulents like dry conditions, and keeping them in a fish tank provides too much humidity for them. I would pull them out of the tank, and put them in a sunny window. Allow the soil to dry out between waterings. You can continue to mist them if you want, they like that… but don’t do it every day. Here’s more information about caring for succulents… Growing Succulents As Houseplants
Gail says
Making a succulent section surrounded by rock. Got rid of grass. We put plastic sheeting on ground before rock. My question is: can I plant on sheeting to help keep weed from growing or do I need to cut sheeting and plant on soil.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’ll definitely need to cut the sheeting and plant them in the soil.
Kathy Thompson says
You can use layers of newspaper. Roots will go through it, but grass will not. Once your plants have established themselves they’ll pretty much crowd out grass. The newspaper will degrade into the soil.
viv says
thansk kathy for the information…hope the dyes used in newspaper for printing wont harm the soil and the plants as have read these synthetic dyes contain metals and poisinous metals like mercury and lead.please advise.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Newspaper ink is soy based these days, and non-toxic. They don’t use chemicals anymore, so you don’t have to worry about that. 🙂
Nick says
Great advice however if you have clay in your soul like we do in CA, adding sand will decrease drainage adding to your compact soil problem. Go with more perlite and even a small amount of compose which can break up overall soil to help drainage. Lastly in ground succulents require half the amount of water you probably give them once established
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks for the great tips for growing succulents in the ground Nick!
Samantha says
Thank you for the post. Im making over 100 succulent mason jar terrariums and started tge propagation last night. Its for a friends wedding who is on a tight budget and soil was going to be our main expense but no longer with your recipe. I already have the sand so a bag of soil and perlite and we will be set.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, so glad I could help! I did the same thing for my wedding! Propagated a bunch of my plants into 4″ pots and grouped them on each of the tables as the centerpieces, and they were also the gift for people to take home. People LOVED them, and I still have friends giving me updates on how their plants are doing (almost 7 years later!!). Love it, what a wonderful idea for a wedding on a budget!!
Peggy says
ok i’m ready to cry.. i thought how hard can it be to grow a cactus or hen n chick when i can grow roses iris’s and such … this is all starting to seem like alot more work than i imagined..
Amy Andrychowicz says
If you ask me, succulents are one of the easiest types of plants to grow, and they are very low maintenance. Just make sure you don’t overwater them, and they will thrive for you! 🙂
Cliff says
I just bought a blue candle cactus and I’m wondering what will be the soil to use when I repot it.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You could use this recipe, and add a little extra perlite for extra drainage.
joy scotty says
Hello Amy , how do i mixes the 3 ingredients in planting my vegetables . is it the same ratio of 3/2/1,thanks.
Amy Andrychowicz says
No, I would only recommend this mixture for cactus and succulent plants. For potted vegetable plants I use a mix of potting soil and compost, about 1/2 and 1/2. If you’re growing them indoors, then I would say just use regular potting soil.
Lisa says
What do you suggest for pots with no drainage holes?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I always use pots with drainage holes for my succulents. Otherwise, if I have a decorative pot that doesn’t have holes, I will plant the succulent in a pot that has drainage holes, and then just drop the pot into a decorative one that doesn’t have holes (like this). That way, I can pull the plant out to water it, let the water drain out the bottom, then put it back in the decorative pot. Definitely use pots with drainage holes if you put your plants outside though.
krystal kantorik says
You say to always use plant with drainage holes but tgen talk about mason jar tereriums (sp?) How would this work? I aldo see succulants in all kinds of containers how does this work regarding draining?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Growing succulents in pots without holes or in mason jar terrariums is definitely more difficult because it would be really easy to overwater them. But if the soil is kept dry enough, then it’s definitely possible. I always recommend using pots with drainage holes for beginners. But some people have no problem growing succulents in pots that don’t have any holes.
Bonhes says
A common problem I always had was getting soil wet again if it completely dries out. Water would find its way past soil and drain out, leaving behind mostly dry soil. I fixed that by mixing in cheap clay based cat litter. But as little as possible since the cat litter can clog up loose soil.
Amy Andrychowicz says
If it’s draining too much, then don’t add as much sand and perlite to the mix. But keep in mind that for succulents, you want the soil to dry out between waterings.
Kite says
I used your recipe to make my first succulent potting mix, with rocks in the bottom of the standard plastic pots to aid drainage. 2 days since any rain, around 20C in a relatively exposed spot, and my moisture meter is still reading moist-to-wet in the soil, so drainage is obviously not working too well with this mix. I don’t know why you are having good results and I’m not? I used coarse sand, medium-to-large perlite, and regular composted pine bark potting mix with no water crystals or vermiculite.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Does your pot having drainage holes? If not, that is the problem. I recommend using a pot with drainage holes for all pots outside, or any that are used for potting succulents.
Erra says
Hi! I can’t find perlite in my area and shipping will be expensive. Is there any alternative for it? Rice hull perhaps? Thank you so much! 🙂
Amy Andrychowicz says
You could use styrofoam as an alternative to perlite, but it’s not compostable. You could also use small pebbles, but those would add more weight than perlite. I’ve never heard of using rice hulls, so I’m not sure about that.
Tina Lovell says
I watched some videos on propagating succulents….I’m trying to have them ready by the end of August for wedding favors…how long does it take for new ones to form from the leaves that I twisted off, I let them dry a little on ends 2 days and then planted in a tray to root…any help or tips…should I have babies before Aug 27
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you should definitely have babies by then. If you put them outside for the summer, they will grow way faster than if you have them inside. Just make sure to slowly introduce them to the sun so they don’t burn, and protect them from any late frost if you live in a cold climate. Also, make sure the pots have holes in the bottom so the rainwater can drain out if you do end up putting them outside. Otherwise, a sunny window should work great too. Here’s a related post that might help you out… How to Propagate Succulents
Tina Lovell says
Thanks so much for your response, I do have them in my enclosed garage, it can get hot on 80 90 degree days…..in a window…I am scared to put out in sun completely…I have Ferrell cats and afraid they will mess with them…should I put them on my front porch…it’s covered but may get more sun on the leaves..that i am propagating…I do have holes in the containers…how often should I water the leaves…I’ve been misting them 2 times a week….I am so scared they are gonna die..I’ve invested a lot of money and need them for wedding favors…my soil is good I believe…just not sure…what I’m doing…I’ve watched the you tube videos…tons of them…just don’t really know how to identify ones I have ..thanks again for response and would love any other suggestions
Amy Andrychowicz says
Sounds like you’re doing all the right things. Just be sure not to overwater them. You want the soil to dry out completely between waterings.
viv says
hi amy please advise…my succulents are under my verandah….getting enough sun. but i am worried about the rains(though its quite far). will rains rot my succulents as the soil wont b drying off completely before the next shower which is the next day or 2 days after.(yes my all pots have drainage holes and the soil ratio is almost near to the ratio u have mentioned) moreover …most of my succulenst have dry leaves and soil the ratio is rougly 60% dry leaves and 40% soil+sand. till date my succulents are doing good though
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’ve never had a problem with my succulents being overwatered by rain when they’re outside. But if you live in a really rainy and humid climate, then you may want to move them to a location where they’re better protected from the rain. Also, make sure they aren’t sitting in trays where water can pool. And, if you don’t already, you can grow your succulents in terracotta clay pots. Growing succulents in unglazed clay pots helps to dry the soil out much faster than plastic one.
Rusty Wheaton says
Regarding where to get perlite if you can’t find any in your location. Try Amazon.com if you haven’t already. They have raised the minimum order to $50 to get free shipping I find it’s not hard to make the minimum, I keep an Amazon list and order when I need other stuff.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks for pointing that out! 🙂 I do have a link above to purchase organic perlite on Amazon. Here it is again if anyone needs it… Organic Perlite
Gene Gee says
I was wondering is this succulent mix good for growing a rhipsalis too?..
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes.
Cristina says
Thank you so much for the great post! I do have one question. As far as the soil part goes… Exactly what kind of potting soil is it that I am looking for? Do you have a specific brand that you prefer? There are so many different kinds of potting soils and I’m not sure which one exactly it is that I should be using to create my own mix. There are just so many different brands, with different types of potting mixes it’s hard to decide which one is the correct one
Amy Andrychowicz says
Any general purpose indoor potting soil will work, but I recommend getting high quality soil. Here’s a great brand I like to recommend… Espoma Potting Soil
Brenda says
Just curious, what’s wrong with vermiculite?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great question Brenda! Vermiculite retains water, and you don’t want that for succulents. Succulent soil mixes should be fast draining, and not hold on to moisture. Vermiculite is great to use in potting soil mixes for plants that don’t like their soil to dry out, and it’s also great for using in soil mixes to start seeds (here’s my seed starting mix recipe) and for plant propagation.
Yazmin says
Hello,
You mentioned that you could use any soil for this mixture and ratio. I already have the succulent/cactus soil that I brought from the store… I’m wondering, could I use this premade succulent/cactus mix along with the course sand and perlite? Or would I have to use a different ratio if I already have this soil mix?
Thank you!
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you can use the soil you already have. If your succulent potting soil is already coarse, then you shouldn’t need to add anything else into it. Depending on the brand of succulent soil you bought, you may find that you need to add more perlite/sand to it. If the soil looks more like regular potting soil, then you could add a bit more perlite/sand to the mix to make it more coarse.
Leann Doke says
Hello, I simply LOVE your blogs about succulents, as I have recently began collecting succulents & trading out cuttings with my boyfriend’s mom. Being almost 40 yrs old, I’ve never really been able to successfully grow ANYTHING, let alone propagate. When I moved from mew Orleans Louisiana,back to the Mohave dessert of Indian wells valley california to live with my boyfriend, he introduced me to succulents. I instantly fell immediately in love. As with any passion, having researched succulents online, I learned that mostly all of my potted succulent cuttings are not planted in correct soil. Having read your blog, I am pretty certain that I have everything required for making succulent soil. I do have some lightweight, organic potting soil, and all I need to do is literally walk outside to my driveway & scoop up plenty of coarse sand from the dessert. And finally, to my question. I have lots and lots and LOTS of dark reddish colored lava rocks all over my yard, of which the previous occupants used in their landscaping plan. Now, when I take a hammer to those lava rocks, it is very easy to bust them down to approximately marble sized with little to no real effort. Would crushed up lava rocks work instead of pumice in your succulent recipe? I’m DYING to repot these, but I don’t want to make any moves until I get some confirmation. I’ve searched the internet, and so far haven’t really seen anything for or against crushed up red lava rocks….? I’d just, love your opinion. THANKS IN ADVANCE!
SINCERELY,
Leann Doke
From the Indian Wells Valley in the Mojave dessert
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks so much! I’m so happy to hear that you love all the posts, and that you’re addicted to succulents now! Aren’t they fun!? 🙂 I have never used rock in my potting soil before, so I can’t say if it would work or not. Sorry!
ruby says
hello! thank you for the helpful tips on making our own soil mixture for succulents. however, perlite and pumice are hard to find,will it be alright to use aquarium gravel? i washed it about 15x before i mixed it with the soil/sand.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Perlite and pumice are located in the same area as the potting soil at any garden center or big box store, but they may not carry both. I also have links above to where you can buy them online. I have never tried using aquarium gravel in my succulent soil mix, so I can’t say how well that would work. It will definitely add more weight to your containers than perlite or pumice would though, so keep that in mind.
Adea says
I bought six succulents a while ago and one is dying fast, an echeveria. My aloe had a leaf die of rot, my jade is a little sunburnt, so I think the sun in Montana is too intense for my 1 part miracle grow cactus soil and 2ish part perlite mix, as it didn’t dry fast at all (I read blogs of people watering every week or so because their soil dries fast enough). Although potted recently, is it smart for me to redo the soil with sand now, or should I wait since they were just potted three weeks ago?? (I move them in and out of direct sun depending on weather)
Amy Andrychowicz says
If the leaves on your succulents are getting sunburn, that means they haven’t been hardened properly. They can be very sensitive to sunburn if they aren’t used to growing in the sun, and need to be moved to a full sun location slowly over time to avoid sunburn. If your succulent soil isn’t drying out fast enough, then yes I would mix up a new batch of soil and repot them again.
Anne de Bruyn says
i have an aloe that planted itself in the sandbox sand and she is thriving, its actually building sand and i have no heart to actually replant her to another area
Amy Andrychowicz says
Nice! I love volunteers like that. 🙂
Nancy Bartley says
You said to use a light soil for succulents. How will I know if the potting soil I buy is light? I know not to get the one with moisture retaining qualities. Thanks
Amy Andrychowicz says
If you’re buying potting soil to create the mix in my recipe, then you can just get a general purpose potting soil w/o any moisture retention (like you mentioned). But, if you just want to buy soil to use without mixing your own, then buy something that’s specifically says it’s made for growing succulents and/or cactus plants.
Lolita Kovalainen says
Lolita Kovalainen
The succulents I bought six pcs all died. I don’t know where to buy these perlite and pumice. I can’t find it here in North Finland. I need to propagate succulents for my terrarium but I can’t even survive them.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I would recommend checking with a local garden center and see what they recommend using as an alternative to perlite/pumice if you can’t buy either of those where you live. Also, I wouldn’t recommend using succulents to grow in a terrarium. Succulent plants grow their best in a dry environment, and terrariums are built to hold in lots of humidity and moisture. An environment which can quickly kill succulents.
ruby sanchez says
hi!thanks for sharing your soil mixture. could broken corals be used instead of perlite/ pumice?. both are hard to find here in the Philippines. how long should the corals be sterilized before using them? i see plenty of broken corals along the shore and thought it would make a good combination with the soil. thank you.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’m not sure, because I’ve never tried it. The concern I would have it that the coral would have a lot of salt in it, which would be bad for your succulents. I’m not sure if you could somehow flush that out.
bhim says
Hi amy..thanks for the post…just started with succulents.as u mentioned only soil perlite and sand n have excluded compost. how r the succulents going to get nutrients.do u recommend ferlilizers.please advise.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Succulents aren’t very heavy feeders, so they don’t need a very nutrient dense soil. But yes, I do use fertilizer mine during the summer (their active growing period). Here’s detailed information about how to care for succulents, including tips for fertilizing as well as recommendations for succulent fertilizers… Succulent Plant Care
Munier alkaisi says
Thanks alot for these useful practical information for succulent planting and care
Anne de Bruyn says
Hi Amy, I am from south africa my grandkids have got plenty building sand strewn all over the yard and the succulents all planted themselves in that sand and they are flourishing in that fine sand although I must say that the heat this year is getting to them they are shriveling up from it, so i water daily to try to salvage them i have tken a lot of them indoors because of the heat, I have an Opuntia Vulgaris that also planted itself into the building sand, that one is absolutely loving the weather
Sana says
Thank for your advice i love succulents but due poor soil they use to die now i will try this soil mix 😊
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome!
Hafiz says
Dear Amy
Thank you for sharing your thoughts for Cactus or succulent soil. I have done a great damage to all my succulent plants by over watering and due to bad conditioned soil.
regards
Hafiz
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome! Good luck with the new succulent soil mix, I’m sure your succulents will thrive. 🙂
Hafiz says
Dear Amy
Thank you for sharing your thoughts for Cactus or succulent soil. I have done a great damage to all my succulent plants by over watering and due to bad conditioned soil. Now the thing i want to know that i had mixed sea sand with regular soil with coal and small piece of stone, but eventhough i cannot keep my plants in a good mood, don’t understand what is happening. pls reply
regards
Hafiz
Amy Andrychowicz says
When you say you used “sea sand”, do you mean sand from the beach? If so, that is probably the issue since it would have a high quantity of salt in it, and salt is very bad for plants. I definitely recommend buying the succulent soil ingredients, rather than using anything from the beach or the ground.
L Church says
Goodness, thank you!! The thinking does now tend to weigh in on the coarse sand/sharp sand side these days, which goes by about a million names and marketed and sold as many ways – which I’d imagine has been mentioned too many times but I tend to be somehow manage the conflicting traits of hurried and pedantic in one personality type. One thing it has earned me is a pretty efficient skill in online research. I have very sad rescue succulents that need a new home fast – literally in a bag in a box for 3 days before they landed on my doorstep. I’ve got the coarse sharp sand, some good soil, and perlite, a good bit of know-how, but nobody but you would just tell me a simple ratio for what I actually have so I can quickly help out these dark and dry little fellows! Seriously, I did a lot of searching and I really do know what I’m doing lol You are bookmarked and thank you very much!! Mucho love from the peeps of the Internet! <3
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, so glad you found the succulent soil information you were looking for! Good luck with your succulents.
Lisa Ray says
I’ve been having a really hard time finding coarse sand. I ran across a brand called akasha natural coarse sand but it looks like it’s only rocks but it says coarse sand. Would that work for my cactuses?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’m not familiar with that product, but I looked it up and it looks like it would work to add drainage… but I’m not sure how large the pebbles are. If you can’t find coarse sand, turface or poultry grit also work great as replacements.
Lori Wilson says
Love your site! My question is that I have a friend who offered me colored sand that was used in sand art bottles. Would that work for rooting or should I say thank you and politely decline?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Humm… I’m thinking the granules in the sand you’re talking about would be way too small to use. You want to use coarse sand in your succulent potting soil. Also, if it’s dyed, who knows what types of chemicals they used in the dye. If it was me, I would politely decline. 🙂 Although, it might make a pretty decorative soil cover, if you’re not worried about the chemical in the dye.
Judy Barnwell says
I would like to know about containers for succulents.Do they have to have drainage holes? Really enjoyed all that you shared.Thanks
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, I definitely would recommend you always use containers with drainage holes for potting your succulents to prevent overwatering. Here’s a post I wrote about caring for succulents, which also includes info about the best types of containers to use for succulents… Succulent Plant Care Guide
Quinzy Edward says
HI Amy,
Is it okay if I don’t add sand to the potting soil and just add perlite? I also add a layer of activated charcoal.
I just started with Terrariums and would love your advice. 🙂
Thank you.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Humm… I’m not sure because I haven’t tested that version of the succulent soil recipe myself. But one thing I can tell you is that growing succulents in terrariums can be very difficult. Succulents like dry conditions, so terrariums are usually too humid for them and they can rot pretty easily.
Suz says
I hear I could use succulent soil for African violets. Do you know if this is true?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I wouldn’t use this mix for African violets, I created this recipe specifically for growing succulents and cactus plants. But if you tend to overwater your plants, then this mix would probably work just fine. African violets like a soil that retains more moisture than succulent soil, so it would be better to buy African violet potting soil, or use a recipe that’s specially made for African violets.
wayne hillson says
i use 2cm of pebbles at the bottom of the pot than 3 parts compost 2 parts perlite. ive been doing this for 9 years and it works really well.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Awesome, thanks for sharing your succulent soil recipe with us!
Sharon Davenport says
Hi Amy, I rooted a succulent that was part of a Valentine’s arrangement 2 years ago and it is thriving ! However, it is outgrowing the container (in the house) and I need to re-pot it. At this time, it is growing 2 shoots with buds / blossoms on the ends. I had no idea a succulent would bloom so now I’m concerned about when to re-pot it. Any suggestions ? Also, I live in Wisconsin, just across the Mississippi from MN so not sure if weather conditions play a factor, but the plant is in the house. Appreciate your help !
Amy Andrychowicz says
The best time to repot succulents is in the spring. Most types of succulent plants will flower in the right conditions, and some even flower year round. Congrats on your success! 🙂
Len cole says
just started growing suculants,find your advice very helpfully Ma my thanks
Amy Andrychowicz says
Great! You’re welcome, hope your new succulents will grow well for you!
viv says
hi amy….thanks for all the help and tips….regarding succulents… i am using egg shells(being economical) as perlite.and using dried leaves ratio to soil as 3:1 is that ok.
eggs shells information i found on the web. leaves recipe was conveyed by my local nursery and my gardener.
* could u please provide me ur mail id so i can share some succulent pictures regarding some pest issues.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can share your photos on my Facebook page.
viv says
sure amy….what would u advise on egg shells as perlite and the leaves soil mixture..
Amy Andrychowicz says
Oops, sorry I missed that you were asking for advice about your mix. I would not advise substituting those ingredients for making succulent soil. I’ve never tried either of those ingredients in any of my soil mixes, so I can’t speak from experience. But I would think the leaves would hold too much moisture as they decompose, and the eggshells wouldn’t prevent soil compaction. If you have extra succulents then you can sure experiment with it to see if it works for you though.
viv says
hi amy…hope u r in good health…recently i am seeing white webby spots on my succulents….black spots on a plant where the leaf seems to be melting from the inside(exactly same like when u put a fleshy fruit in the freezer and as u unfreeze the fruits fleshy seems to have melted). along with the leaf the stem seems to be rotting too…one of the plant recovered back on its own and i am seeing the same with 5 diffrent succulents…one of them has dried completely although i have sprayed all of them with a neem based insecticide.mixed with hand soap too.hope i am doing it correctly.can u please help..
Amy Andrychowicz says
Are your succulents infested with some kind of a bug? If not, then you don’t need to spray them with anything. It sounds to me like your succulents are being overwatered. Here’s my comprehensive guide for succulent plant care for more information on how to care for your succulents.
viv says
thanks amy….no maam not being overwatered. it seems to be a bug as the leaves melts and the stem too melts and breaks off. (i can notice a number of black spots near the stem)the process can be seen on all leaves and and stem. one of the succulent was able to survive after being exposed to sun for 3-4 days along with a hebal insectiside spray. but the present one doesnt seem to be healing back.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Whenever I’ve had problems with the stems rotting and the leaves dropping off like that, it’s been due to either overwatering or too much humidity. If your succulents aren’t in the sun, and you live somewhere humid and/or rainy, then that’s likely the issue. Succulents like a dry location, and most of them require lots of light/sun. But when you said there was white webbing, that makes me think of spider mites, so you could check for those. If you want, you can post a few photos on my Facebook page so I can take a look.
viv says
amy one thing i wanted to add and confirm one of my succulent is loosing it leaves rit from the middle…today i noticed 2 small white non-hairy caterpillars. they were eating the leaves and have seen the same in other plants. was surprised as the succulents has been with me for more then 2 years but saw the caterpillar pest for the first time on it..
Amy Andrychowicz says
Ok, then maybe you’ve found the culprit. I would watch the caterpillars to see if they’re eating the leaves. If they are, then hand pick the ones you see, and continue treating the plants with neem oil. That will eventually get rid of the caterpillars.
viv says
thanks a lot amy.. ur help is greatly appreciated. thanks for ur selfless service and advice.take care
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome. 🙂
Phyllis fred says
I have just started my small succulents and cacti collections.
And i notice that nursery here use gardening soil or compos, coarse sand with small pebbles, cocopeat. Now i dont think that cocopeat drain water..right? so now i know what to prepare when repotting my collections. I have all ingredients ready. Am just waiting for new babies to immerge
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, coco coir and peat moss would hold too much moisture for succulents. Have fun potting up your new babies!
Jerri says
Thanks for the good advice. I was losing my succulents by using “cactus Mix” which as you explained does not have enough sand. I wasn’t watering too much – my soil was holding too much water. Thank you again!
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome!
Laurie Hughes says
I am brand new to planting succulents. i need an answer to a very basic question. i have mixed all the parts of the medium. i have a bucket of completely dry soil-correct? when i begin planting the succulents how much water do i put in the soil? do i plant them in the dry soil? this is such a basic question, but i need an answer
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, you can plant them in the dry succulent soil. If the soil of the succulents you’re repotting was already wet, then I wouldn’t water them right away. But, if they were already pretty dry, then I’d give them a good drink of water after repotting into the dry soil, then allow them to dry out completely before watering again.
Kenneth says
Can i just use 2 part potting soil and 2 part perlite? I do not have safe sand near me and in local shops.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You can buy coarse sand made for bonsai on Amazon, or substitute with poultry grit. I haven’t tried using perlite alone, so I can’t recommend it. But you could certainly experiment with making your own version of the succulent soil recipe using only those two ingredients. 🙂
BARRY says
Very interesting reading. I live in South Australia where the climate is great for growing succulents. I have never seen turface or pumice for sale in any of our plant shops. i don’t like perlite because i reckon the white lumps do not look attractive. As far as sand goes, i have collected my own sand from the creek and used it in aquariums for years. This year I went to a sand and gravel merchant and bought ‘propagating ‘ sand, large amout for 5 Australian dollars. Pity your posts do not contain a date so I can see which ones are new or very old. 10 September 2018 i use a website called Pinterest for plant identification and ideas.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Thanks for your added tips for finding succulent soil ingredients in your area of the world. 🙂
May says
Thanks for sharing your soil recipe. I just started planting succulent,since I have a greenhouse I decided to try planting it.i lived in Norhern California zone 8 so our winter is usually mild.
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome!
Lisa says
I can’t click on the recommended items to see what the title actually is.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand your question. What are you trying to click on?
ananth narayanan says
Hi, I live in Middle east where the climate is quite hot most of the year and it goes upto 47/48′ C in summer. I love succelents (Burro’s tail, Hens & chicks etc ). I dont get here succelent mix and so use the plant mix avaialble in stores for propogating. I tried many times and not successful yet. Can you advice me how to propogage keeping in mind that my place is a hot place unlike USA or Europe and I stay in 8th floor. I can keep the plants/baby one in open balcony, shaded balcony or indoor
Amy Andrychowicz says
Wow, that is hot! I have a whole different post about propagating succulents, so take a look at that for all the details and step-by-step instructions… How To Propagate Succulents From Cuttings
Bryan Godfrey says
Hi, I live in Zone 9b. San Jose, Ca. My area I want to plant is about 15 square ft. outside. How deep do I need to have the soil mix and is the recipe the same as the one you gave?
Amy Andrychowicz says
This succulent soil recipe is for potted plants. For the garden, I would check your soil to see if it’s already sandy and fast draining. Since you live in CA, your soil might already be perfect for growing succulents. If your garden soil isn’t sandy, then I would amend it with coarse sand and perlite for your succulents.
Gabriel says
I’ve been using a somewhat similar method yet with 50% potting soil and 50% coarse sand.
Recently, I’ve purchased a bag of perlite. I grow succulents, but the most notable ones are Aloes, Haworthias and Gasterias. Aloes are no big deal, but Haworthias and to some degree Gasterias have tendency for root rot, especially varieties of H. Truncata. They mostly do well, but I think my potting mix has to be improved somewhat.
My question is whether it is a good idea to replace more of the potting soil with perlite, or do another change for that. My climate is Mediterranean. It rains a lot in winter. I can get high rainfall for days in a row, but frequency, intensity and time are unpredictable and the average is not very high. I have no frost in winter, which is good, considering the size of my collection and no sheltering space available.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes, I would try mixing more perlite into your succulent potting mix. That will definitely help with drainage for your more sensitive succulents.
sean says
i know its not the most organic stuff on the planet but woul crumbled Styrofoam do justice instead of perlite?
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes you’re right, it’s definitely not organic. But that aside, I still wouldn’t recommend replacing the perlite with styrofoam in your succulent soil. Styrofoam can become compacted over time, where perlite is hard and will not become compacted.
Shawn Hamilton says
Hi there,
I live in Florida and get occasional rain. Would this mix work for rainy weather? Thank you
Amy Andrychowicz says
This succulent soil is fast draining, so it won’t hold water for too long. Occasional rain won’t saturate the soil, and will be perfect for your succulents. 🙂 Just be sure your pots have drainage holes.
Rod M. says
Hello, great post, I just bought some fat plant san diego succulent specific soil. 1 gallons worth and thinks it quite expensive. Still have different species of top cuttings drying. I have read alot lately about water propagation and people have great succuess and even leave them in water and grow them permanently via hydroponics. Can you do an article on this and or your thoughts. They say they thrive as the water prevents fungus and infection as they stay immersed in water. Also, since I am tight on $$ an I poke some holes in stryo and or plastic cups for planting the cuttings once the bottom dries out? Then once they root a bit replant into normal pots/containers. You can really make containers out of anything as long as you can poke holes, correct? Now, I have an aloe in a 3″ pot that has so many pups I think it needs to be seperate and replanted. Do i simply seperate, let dry for a few days then replant the pups and mother in other containers. She seems to be struggling lately with no changes other than the pot is literally overun with pups to the point the soil cannot be seen at all. Thoughts. Thanks.
Amy Andrychowicz says
Succulents don’t like a lot of water, they prefer dry conditions. You could root cuttings by suspending them above water, and the stems may even root in water. But, I suspect that the stems would eventually rot if left in water for too long. As for separating your aloe plant, here’s an article with all the details of how to do that… How To Propagate Aloe Vera By Division.
Phong Huynh says
Thanks !
Amy Andrychowicz says
You’re welcome!
Dee says
Love your site! I ordered some succulents that I would like to plant in my garden, not in pots, but in the earth. Do you know if I can use “Dr. Earth’s Exotic Blend Cactus and Succulent Potting Mix”? Or is this just for pots? What would you recommend I use instead if this is not the best medium to work with? I’ve never planted succulents before, and I’d like them to thrive outdoors. Thanks!
Amy Andrychowicz says
If your soil is already sandy/rocky, then the succulents should grow very well there. I would be sure to choose a location that doesn’t get a lot of water, and rainwater drains very quickly. If you don’t have sandy soil, then I would amend it with coarse sand, and maybe some perlite or rocks before planting your succulents.
Christina says
Hello! I used your recipe for succulent soil about 2 weeks ago and replanted all my random succulents because they were starting to die from rot. I used all the right ingredients and the soil definitely gets and stays wet the right amount of time but, my succulents still seem to be dying. I know they aren’t overwatered bc the leaves and such are not squishy and plump like they were in their other pots when they were rotting. They feel like they are dry and they are drooping and shriveling up. The soil feels SUPER gritty. Did I maybe use too much coarse sand? I can’t figure out why they are acting like they are underwatered when the soil I made stays wet for a couple of days like it should.
Amy Andrychowicz says
I would check the stems and the base of your succulent plants to make sure they aren’t rotting. If the stems are soft, mushy, or hollow that means they’re rotting/have rotted. It could be that they started rotting after being overwatered even before you repotted them. It’s a very common problem with succulents. Here’s a post all about caring for succulent plants that may also help you out… Succulent Plant Care Guide
Clara Zuniga says
Could it be possible to use an orchid potting soil and then adding a bit of sand and perlite? Could the succulents thrive in that?
Amy Andrychowicz says
I would not recommend using an orchid potting mix for making succulent soil. Orchid potting medium is made to retain moisture, which is not good for growing succulents.