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.
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!
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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. 🙂
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!
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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. 🙂