After years of trial and error, I finally came up with the perfect DIY succulent potting soil mix. This is the best, and it’s super easy to make too!
In this post, I will share my homemade recipe and ingredients with you, and show you exactly how to make your own.
I don’t buy succulent soil, I make my own. It’s much cheaper than the commercial stuff. I find that those pre-made mixes (at least the stuff I’ve purchased in the past) are light on drainage, and hold more water than I like.
So way back in 2013, I came up with my own mix, and it’s perfect! I’ve been using it for all of my succulents ever since, and they love it.
My goal in developing this recipe was to use common ingredients that you can find at your local garden center, big box store, or online. Plus, I use them to make my other homemade potting soils too, so they are all very reusable.
The Best Soil For Succulents
The best type of potting soil for succulents is a well draining, sandy mix that allows the water to flow through quickly, without becoming compacted.
When readers reach out to me about problems with their plants, most of the issues they have are caused by overwatering. This is by far the #1 cause of death for succulent plants, and that is why it is so important to use the right type of soil for them.
If you don’t want to make your own, then you should buy a high quality brand. Read the package to make sure it’s porous, drains quickly, and does not retain moisture.
Related Post: How & When To Water A Succulent Plant
How To Make Succulent Soil
Below you’ll find all of the details about how to make your own. Since you control the ingredients, you can modify my potting soil recipe to get the perfect mix that both you and your succulent plants will love.
Supplies Needed
You’ll only need a few supplies to mix your succulent soil. So grab these items before you get started…
- Measuring container* (to measure your ingredients)
- Hand trowel
- Container for mixing (I use a bucket or my table top potting tray)
* You can use anything for this, like a measuring cup, a scoop, or a hand trowel.
DIY Succulent Soil Recipe
You only need 3 ingredients for this recipe. You should be able to find them at any garden center, home improvement or big box store, or order them online.
- 3 parts potting soil
- 2 parts coarse sand (turface or poultry grit)
- 1 part perlite (or pumice)
What is a “part”? – A “part” is just a generic unit of measure. For example, if you use a 1 cup measure, then this recipe converts to 3 cups potting soil, 2 cups sand, and 1 cup perlite.
Related Post: How To Make Your Own Cactus Soil Mix (With Recipe!)
How To Mix Potting Soil For Succulent Plants
Making your own DIY succulent potting soil is very quick. 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, a large spoon, or your hands to mix it. Just make sure the ingredients are evenly combined once you’re done. That’s it. Told you it was easy.
Related Post: How To Grow & Care For Aloe Vera Plants
DIY Succulent Potting Soil Ingredients
Below I will describe each of the 3 ingredients you need, and also give you alternatives that you can use if you can’t find any of these locally.
All Purpose Potting Soil
Pretty much any type of regular potting soil will work as the base to make your succulent soil. Use whatever you have on hand (as long as it’s fresh and sterile).
However, don’t use cheap dirt, garden soil, mixes that contain vermiculite, or any type that says it has added moisture control or retains water. Succulents need a well draining potting soil, not one that holds moisture.
Related Post: Succulent Plant Care & Ultimate Growing Guide
Coarse Sand
To prevent soil compaction, I recommend buying coarse sand rather than the really fine stuff. If you prefer, you could use turface or poultry grit as a substitute instead.
Just don’t use sand from the garden, the beach, or a sandbox (you never know what nasties will be in there).
Related Post: How To Care For A Jade Plant (Crassula)
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 mixes.
It retains very little moisture, prevents compaction, and adds drainage – which is exactly what we want for our succulent potting soil.
You can usually buy perlite at any garden center or home improvement store. But sometimes it’s hard to find, so you can substitute for pumice if that’s easier to get where you live.
Related Post: Propagating Succulents From Stem Cuttings Or Leaves
Storing Your Leftover Succulent Soil Mix
You could mix up a big batch and store the leftovers for later. That way you’ll always have some homemade potting soil on hand when you need it for repotting your succulents.
You can keep it on a shelf in your basement, garage, or a shed. But make sure to put it in an air-tight container so bugs can’t get in.
If you don’t have an air-tight container, you can buy one of these bucket sealing lids, which works with a five gallon bucket.
Related Post: How To Make An Indoor Succulent Garden
FAQs
You certainly could use regular potting soil for your succulents. However, make sure that it dries out completely between waterings, or they will rot.
Planting your succulents in regular potting soil increases the risk of overwatering, because it tends to retain too much moisture. It’s best to use a fast-draining, porous mix instead.
The differences between general potting soil and a succulent mix are the ingredients and the consistency. Regular potting soils are made of organic materials that retain moisture, while succulent soil is porous, and designed to drain very quickly.
My succulents do very well in my DIY potting mix, and making my own saves me tons of money. Now that you know how to make it, your plants will thrive too.
Do you make your own succulent soil? Share your recipe or tips in the comments section below.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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.
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
Gene Gee says
I was wondering is this succulent mix good for growing a rhipsalis too?..
Amy Andrychowicz says
Yes.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 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. Learn more in my post about how to repot houseplants.
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.
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.
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.
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! 🙂