Soil & potting-mix library
The best soil for your plant
— an exact mix for 10153 species.
Pick a plant for a part-by-part potting-mix recipe, why that species needs that exact structure, what the wrong mix does, and the pH and drainage that matter. No generic advice — a desert-cactus gritty mix reads nothing like an orchid bark mix or a fern moisture-retentive mix, because every recipe is built from the plant's real roots.
Most asked this season
The soil questions gardeners are searching for most right now.
Chunky aroid mix — monstera, philodendron, pothos
Climbing rainforest aroids want roughly half their volume as bark and perlite. Air pockets matter as much as moisture.
Best soil for monstera
Monstera deliciosa
Chunky aroid mix
Best soil for pothos
Epipremnum aureum
Standard potting compost with extra perlite
Best soil for philodendron
Philodendron hederaceum
Chunky aroid mix
Best soil for anthurium
Anthurium andraeanum
Chunky aroid mix
Best soil for alocasia
Alocasia macrorrhiza
Chunky aroid mix
Best soil for arrowhead plant
Syngonium podophyllum
Aroid mix
Best soil for sweetheart plant
Hoya kerrii
Free-draining cactus or aroid mix
Best soil for golden pothos
Epipremnum aureum 'Golden'
Standard houseplant mix
Best soil for marble queen pothos
Epipremnum aureum 'Marble Queen'
Standard houseplant mix
Best soil for neon pothos
Epipremnum aureum 'Neon'
Standard houseplant mix
Best soil for silver pothos
Scindapsus pictus
Aroid mix
Best soil for swiss cheese vine
Monstera adansonii
Chunky aroid mix
Best soil for philodendron brasil
Philodendron hederaceum 'Brasil'
Aroid mix
Best soil for heartleaf philodendron
Philodendron hederaceum
Standard houseplant mix
Best soil for philodendron micans
Philodendron hederaceum var. hederaceum
Aroid mix
Best soil for tree philodendron
Thaumatophyllum bipinnatifidum
Rich aroid mix
Best soil for caladium
Caladium bicolor
Rich free-draining mix
Best soil for monstera adansonii (swiss cheese vine)
Monstera adansonii
Chunky, well-draining aroid mix
Best soil for satin pothos
Scindapsus pictus 'Argyraeus'
Light, free-draining aroid mix
Best soil for philodendron birkin
Philodendron 'Birkin'
Free-draining aroid mix
Best soil for alocasia polly
Alocasia × amazonica 'Polly'
Airy, peat-free aroid mix
Best soil for alocasia zebrina
Alocasia zebrina
Airy, peat-free aroid mix
Best soil for anthurium clarinervium (velvet cardboard anthurium)
Anthurium clarinervium
Chunky, airy aroid mix
Best soil for philodendron pink princess
Philodendron erubescens 'Pink Princess'
Light, free-draining aroid mix
Standard houseplant mix
Easy-going indoor plants that just need a free-draining general mix with added perlite so the rootball can breathe.
Best soil for fiddle leaf fig
Ficus lyrata
Well-draining indoor tree mix
Best soil for dracaena
Dracaena fragrans / marginata
Free-draining potting compost
Best soil for peperomia
Peperomia obtusifolia
Free-draining mix with extra perlite
Best soil for cast iron plant
Aspidistra elatior
Standard potting compost
Best soil for chinese evergreen
Aglaonema commutatum
Free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for parlor palm
Chamaedorea elegans
Free-draining potting compost
Best soil for rubber plant
Ficus elastica
Free-draining indoor tree mix
Best soil for schefflera
Schefflera arboricola
Free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for spider plant
Chlorophytum comosum
Standard potting compost
Best soil for croton
Codiaeum variegatum
Rich, well-drained potting compost
Best soil for dieffenbachia
Dieffenbachia seguine
Free-draining potting compost
Best soil for areca palm
Dypsis lutescens
Free-draining potting compost
Best soil for african violet
Saintpaulia ionantha
Light African violet mix
Best soil for english ivy
Hedera helix
Standard potting compost
Best soil for wandering dude
Tradescantia zebrina
Standard potting compost
Best soil for money tree
Pachira aquatica
Free-draining potting compost
Best soil for lucky bamboo
Dracaena sanderiana
Pebble-and-water vase, or standard houseplant mix
Best soil for rex begonia
Begonia rex
Light, peat-free potting mix with perlite
Best soil for chinese money plant
Pilea peperomioides
Free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for weeping fig
Ficus benjamina
Free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for dragon tree
Dracaena marginata
Free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for corn plant
Dracaena fragrans
Free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for cordyline
Cordyline fruticosa
Rich free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for sago palm
Cycas revoluta
Gritty free-draining mix
Moisture-retentive mix — ferns, calathea, fittonia
Forest-floor plants that brown the instant they dry out. They want a mix that holds moisture but still has air in it.
Best soil for prayer plant
Maranta leuconeura
Moisture-retentive but free-draining mix
Best soil for calathea
Calathea (Goeppertia) spp.
Moisture-retentive aroid mix
Best soil for lettuce
Lactuca sativa
Compost-rich, moisture-retentive soil
Best soil for elephant ear
Colocasia esculenta
Rich, moisture-retentive potting compost
Best soil for boston fern
Nephrolepis exaltata
Moisture-retentive houseplant compost
Best soil for maidenhair fern
Adiantum raddianum
Moisture-retentive but airy mix
Best soil for fittonia
Fittonia albivenis
Moisture-retentive houseplant mix
Best soil for mint
Mentha
Rich, moisture-retentive loam
Best soil for parsley
Petroselinum crispum
Rich, moisture-retentive loam
Best soil for hydrangea
Hydrangea macrophylla
Rich, moisture-retentive loam
Best soil for polka dot plant
Hypoestes phyllostachya
Free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for majesty palm
Ravenea rivularis
Rich water-retentive mix with drainage
Best soil for asparagus fern
Asparagus aethiopicus
Rich free-draining mix
Best soil for kimberly queen fern
Nephrolepis obliterata
Rich free-draining mix
Best soil for crocodile fern
Microsorum musifolium
Rich free-draining mix
Best soil for bird's nest fern
Asplenium nidus
Rich, free-draining fern or tropical houseplant mix
Best soil for rabbit's foot fern
Davallia fejeensis
Light, free-draining epiphytic fern mix
Best soil for dragon's tongue
Hemigraphis repanda
Moisture-retentive, free-draining mix
Best soil for calathea orbifolia
Goeppertia orbifolia (syn. Calathea orbifolia)
Peat-free, airy aroid-style mix
Best soil for rattlesnake plant
Goeppertia insignis
Light, peat-free, free-draining aroid-style mix
Best soil for blue star fern
Phlebodium aureum
Loose, acidic, organic epiphyte mix
Best soil for peacock plant
Goeppertia makoyana
Peat-free, free-draining houseplant mix high in organic matter
Best soil for calathea white fusion
Goeppertia lietzei 'White Fusion' (syn. Calathea lietzei 'White Fusion')
Light, moisture-retentive yet free-draining houseplant mix
Best soil for hosta
Hosta spp.
Fertile, moisture-retentive but well-drained, humus-rich soil
Free-draining succulent mix
Jade, snake plant, echeveria and the string-of crowd store their own water — they need a gritty mix that dries out fully.
Best soil for snake plant
Dracaena trifasciata
Free-draining cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for zz plant
Zamioculcas zamiifolia
Free-draining cactus or houseplant mix
Best soil for jade plant
Crassula ovata
Gritty cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for aloe vera
Aloe barbadensis
Gritty cactus and succulent mix
Best soil for string of pearls
Curio rowleyanus (formerly Senecio rowleyanus)
Gritty cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for yucca
Yucca elephantipes
Free-draining cactus or houseplant mix
Best soil for ponytail palm
Beaucarnea recurvata
Gritty cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for kalanchoe
Kalanchoe blossfeldiana
Free-draining cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for christmas cactus
Schlumbergera bridgesii
Epiphytic cactus or aroid mix
Best soil for echeveria
Echeveria
Gritty cactus mix
Best soil for sedum
Sedum
Gritty, free-draining mix
Best soil for haworthia
Haworthiopsis attenuata
Gritty cactus mix
Best soil for string of hearts
Ceropegia woodii
Free-draining succulent mix
Best soil for string of bananas
Senecio radicans
Free-draining succulent mix
Best soil for string of dolphins
Senecio peregrinus
Free-draining succulent mix
Best soil for burro's tail
Sedum morganianum
Free-draining succulent mix
Best soil for string of turtles
Peperomia prostrata
Free-draining, chunky houseplant or cactus mix
Best soil for elephant bush
Portulacaria afra
Free-draining cactus and succulent mix
Best soil for string of raindrops
Curio citriformis (syn. Senecio citriformis)
Free-draining cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for ghost plant
Graptopetalum paraguayense
Gritty cactus and succulent mix
Best soil for panda plant
Kalanchoe tomentosa
Free-draining cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for mother of thousands
Kalanchoe daigremontiana
Free-draining cactus or succulent mix
Best soil for whale fin snake plant
Dracaena masoniana
sharply draining cactus/succulent mix
Best soil for cylindrical snake plant
Dracaena angolensis
Fast-draining cactus or succulent mix
Gritty mineral mix — cacti & extreme succulents
Desert plants that want a mix that is mostly grit and behaves more like wet gravel than soil.
Best soil for cacti (general care)
Cactaceae
Free-draining cactus mix
Best soil for lithops
Lithops
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for ric rac cactus
Disocactus anguliger
Free-draining epiphytic cactus mix
Best soil for moonlight cactus
Selenicereus chrysocardium
Free-draining epiphyte mix
Best soil for moon cactus
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii (grafted)
Free-draining cactus and succulent mix
Best soil for bunny ears cactus
Opuntia microdasys
Gritty, free-draining cactus mix
Best soil for easter cactus
Rhipsalidopsis gaertneri (syn. Schlumbergera gaertneri, Hatiora gaertneri)
Open, free-draining epiphytic cactus mix
Best soil for schwantes' living stones
Lithops schwantesii
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for top-shaped living stones
Lithops turbiniformis
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for warty living stones
Lithops verruculosa
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for villete's living stones
Lithops villetii
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for friedrich's cone plant
Conophytum friedrichiae
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for pleasant cone plant
Conophytum jucundum
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for maughan's cone plant
Conophytum maughanii
Extremely gritty mineral mix
Best soil for pincushion cactus
Mammillaria crinita
Well-draining cactus mix with added perlite
Best soil for pflanz's chin cactus
Gymnocalycium pflanzii
Cactus compost with added grit or perlite
Best soil for white-haired crown cactus
Rebutia muscula
Gritty cactus mix with high mineral content
Best soil for emory's barrel cactus
Ferocactus emoryi
Sharply draining cactus/succulent mix
Best soil for fire barrel cactus
Ferocactus stainesii
Fast-draining cactus compost
Best soil for santa rita prickly pear
Opuntia santa-rita
Sandy, well-draining cactus or xeriscape soil
Best soil for wheel cactus
Opuntia robusta
Gritty, fast-draining cactus compost
Best soil for mandacaru cactus
Cereus jamacaru
Sharply draining cactus compost
Best soil for column cactus
Cereus validus
Fast-draining cactus and succulent mix
Best soil for giant barrel cactus
Echinocactus platyacanthus
Very coarse, sharply draining cactus grit mix
Orchid bark — epiphytic orchids
Epiphytes whose roots grip bark in open air. They are grown in coarse bark, never in potting soil.
Best soil for orchid
Phalaenopsis spp.
Orchid bark mix (not soil)
Best soil for cattleya orchid
Cattleya
Coarse orchid bark
Best soil for dendrobium orchid
Dendrobium
Coarse orchid bark
Best soil for moth orchid
Phalaenopsis sp.
Bark-based orchid mix (no soil)
Best soil for chocolate orchid
Oncidium 'Sharry Baby'
Coarse orchid bark or sphagnum moss
Best soil for queen of orchids
Cattleya dowiana
Coarse orchid bark mix with perlite
Best soil for pride of brazil orchid
Cattleya purpurata
Coarse bark orchid mix or tree-fern slab
Best soil for hairy slipper orchid
Paphiopedilum villosum
Terrestrial bark-based orchid mix
Best soil for hirsute slipper orchid
Paphiopedilum hirsutissimum
Bark-based terrestrial orchid mix with lime
Best soil for luzon vanda
Vanda luzonica
Open epiphyte basket or coarse bark
Best soil for lamellate vanda
Vanda lamellata
Open wooden basket or coarse bark epiphyte mix
Best soil for denison's vanda
Vanda denisoniana
Coarse bark in slatted basket or plastic net pot
Best soil for dwarf vanda
Vanda pumila
Open basket with coarse bark or bare-root
Best soil for low's cymbidium
Cymbidium lowianum
Coarse orchid bark mix
Best soil for scarlet maxillaria
Maxillaria sophronitis
Fine bark or cork mount
Best soil for long-haired zygopetalum
Zygopetalum crinitum
Coarse orchid bark with perlite and charcoal
Best soil for blue lace zygopetalum
Zygopetalum 'Blue Lace'
Coarse orchid bark with perlite
Best soil for long spider orchid
Brassia longissima
Coarse bark-based orchid mix
Best soil for lance brassia
Brassia lanceana
Coarse-grade bark and perlite orchid mix
Best soil for rex spider orchid
Brassia 'Rex'
Medium-grade bark orchid mix
Best soil for clamshell orchid
Epidendrum cochleatum
Fine to medium bark orchid mix, or mounted on cork/tree fern
Best soil for maikai orchid
Brassocattleya 'Maikai'
Medium-grade bark with perlite and charcoal
Best soil for blood bromeliad
Guzmania sanguinea
Coarse bromeliad or orchid bark mix
Best soil for saunders' vriesea
Vriesea saundersii
Very coarse, gritty bromeliad or cactus-orchid blend
Bromeliad / epiphytic mix
Tank bromeliads drink through the central cup, not the roots. They want a light, open bark mix in a shallow pot.
Best soil for bromeliad
Bromeliaceae (various genera)
Free-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for guzmania
Guzmania lingulata
Bark-based orchid or bromeliad mix
Best soil for vriesea
Vriesea splendens
Bark-based bromeliad mix
Best soil for hindu rope plant
Hoya carnosa 'Compacta'
Free-draining, airy epiphytic mix
Best soil for string of nickels
Dischidia nummularia
airy, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for hoya retusa
Hoya retusa
Loose, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for urn plant (aechmea fasciata)
Aechmea fasciata
Coarse, free-draining epiphytic mix (orchid or bromeliad mix)
Best soil for hoya polyneura (fishtail hoya)
Hoya polyneura
Chunky, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for hoya sigillatis
Hoya sigillatis
Chunky, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for hoya callistophylla
Hoya callistophylla
Chunky, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for hoya lacunosa
Hoya lacunosa
Light, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for hoya heuschkeliana
Hoya heuschkeliana
Chunky, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for hoya 'mathilde'
Hoya carnosa × serpens 'Mathilde'
Chunky, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for hoya fungii
Hoya fungii
Coarse, fast-draining epiphytic mix
Best soil for mosaic vase plant
Guzmania musaica
Epiphyte or bromeliad mix
Best soil for puerto rican guzmania
Guzmania berteroniana
Bromeliad bark mix or coarse epiphytic blend
Best soil for spreading-flower guzmania
Guzmania dissitiflora
Epiphytic bromeliad mix
Best soil for giant vriesea
Vriesea gigantea
Rich but fast-draining bromeliad mix
Best soil for parrot feather bromeliad
Vriesea psittacina
Coarse bromeliad or bark-perlite mix
Best soil for racine's vriesea
Vriesea racinae
Coarse bromeliad or epiphytic bark mix
Best soil for flandria blushing bromeliad
Neoregelia carolinae 'Flandria'
Fast-draining bromeliad or orchid mix
Best soil for marble bromeliad
Neoregelia marmorata
Coarse bromeliad or epiphytic mix
Best soil for johann's neoregelia
Neoregelia johannis
Well-draining bromeliad mix
Best soil for sad bromeliad
Neoregelia tristis
Gritty, free-draining bromeliad mix
No soil at all — air plants & mounted epiphytes
These feed through their leaves and are never planted in soil. The "mix" is a mount and good airflow.
Best soil for staghorn fern
Platycerium bifurcatum
Sphagnum moss on a mount
Best soil for air plant
Tillandsia
None — grown without substrate
Best soil for waterwheel plant
Aldrovanda vesiculosa
No substrate required; place a layer of settled peat at the container base
Best soil for wallich's staghorn fern
Platycerium wallichii
Epiphytic mounting medium — sphagnum moss on cork bark or hardwood board
Best soil for vasse's staghorn fern
Platycerium vassei
Mounted on cork bark or hardwood with a sphagnum moss base
Best soil for crown staghorn fern
Platycerium coronarium
Large epiphytic mount — sphagnum moss on heavy hardwood board or wire basket
Best soil for azolla pinnata
Azolla pinnata
None — free-floating, no substrate
Best soil for monosolenium tenerum
Monosolenium tenerum
No substrate — epiphytic on hardscape
Best soil for bolbitis heudelotii
Bolbitis heudelotii
No substrate — epiphytic on rhizome
Best soil for ceratophyllum demersum
Ceratophyllum demersum
No substrate — rootless and free-floating
Best soil for tillandsia fuchsii
Tillandsia fuchsii
None — mounted or displayed bare
Best soil for tillandsia butzii
Tillandsia butzii
None — mounted or displayed bare
Best soil for tillandsia bergeri
Tillandsia bergeri
None — mounted or clustered bare
Best soil for tillandsia recurvifolia
Tillandsia recurvifolia
None — mounted or displayed bare
Best soil for tillandsia leiboldiana
Tillandsia leiboldiana
None or open epiphyte mix
Best soil for tillandsia magnusiana
Tillandsia magnusiana
None (epiphytic air plant)
Best soil for tillandsia pseudobaileyi
Tillandsia pseudobaileyi
None (epiphytic air plant)
Best soil for tillandsia tricolor
Tillandsia tricolor
None (epiphytic air plant)
Best soil for tillandsia schiedeana
Tillandsia schiedeana
None (epiphytic air plant)
Best soil for tillandsia paleacea
Tillandsia paleacea
None, grown mounted and soilless
Best soil for tillandsia polystachia
Tillandsia polystachia
None — epiphytic, grows soil-free
Best soil for giant staghorn fern
Platycerium superbum
Loose epiphytic medium or bare mount
Best soil for disk staghorn fern
Platycerium veitchii
Epiphytic mount with sharp drainage
Best soil for tillandsia xerographica
Tillandsia xerographica
None (epiphytic, grows without soil)
Acidic / ericaceous mix
True acid-lovers that physically cannot take up iron above about pH 5.5 — an ericaceous mix is survival, not preference.
Best soil for norfolk island pine
Araucaria heterophylla
Free-draining slightly acidic mix
Best soil for blueberries
Vaccinium corymbosum
Acidic, well-drained loam
Best soil for banana croton
Codiaeum variegatum 'Banana'
Light, free-draining ericaceous (acidic) mix
Best soil for venus flytrap
Dionaea muscipula
Nutrient-poor carnivorous mix (peat-free where possible)
Best soil for gardenia
Gardenia jasminoides
Acidic, lime-free, well-drained ericaceous mix
Best soil for flamingo flower
Anthurium scherzerianum
Loose, acidic, free-draining aroid mix
Best soil for cistus-flowered sundew
Drosera cistiflora
Very well-drained, low-nutrient sandy mix
Best soil for shield sundew
Drosera peltata
Sandy, nutrient-free carnivorous mix
Best soil for hen-and-chickens sundew
Drosera prolifera
Nutrient-free peat-sphagnum mix
Best soil for slack's sundew
Drosera slackii
Nutrient-free peat-perlite or peat-sand carnivorous mix
Best soil for mitchell's pitcher plant
Sarracenia x mitchelliana
Nutrient-poor sphagnum peat and perlite
Best soil for fairy aprons
Utricularia dichotoma
Acidic peat–perlite or peat–sand carnivorous mix
Best soil for pubescent bladderwort
Utricularia pubescens
Peat–sand carnivorous plant mix
Best soil for fly bush
Roridula gorgonias
Lean, mineral-free mix: 2:1 peat or coco-coir to sharp perlite or coarse river sand
Best soil for heart-leaved blechnum
Blechnum cordatum
Humus-rich, free-draining acidic compost
Best soil for cinnamon fern
Osmunda cinnamomea
Moisture-retentive, humus-rich, acidic
Best soil for rabbiteye blueberry
Vaccinium ashei
Acidic, well-drained sandy loam or loam
Best soil for small cranberry
Vaccinium oxycoccos
Acidic, peaty or sphagnum-based bog mix
Best soil for evergreen huckleberry
Vaccinium ovatum
Acidic, humus-rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for red huckleberry
Vaccinium parvifolium
Acidic, humus-rich, well-aerated organic mix
Best soil for muscadine grape
Vitis rotundifolia
Well-drained sandy loam to loam, pH 5.5–6.5
Best soil for wavy hair grass
Deschampsia flexuosa
Acid, free-draining, nutrient-poor sandy or peaty soil
Best soil for purple moor grass
Molinia caerulea 'Moorhexe'
Moist, acidic, humus-rich loam or sandy loam; pH 4.5–6.5
Best soil for variegated purple moor grass
Molinia caerulea 'Variegata'
Moist, acidic to neutral, humus-rich loam; pH 4.5–6.5
Lean Mediterranean mix — rosemary, lavender, thyme
Dry-hillside herbs that want a lean, sharply drained, slightly alkaline mix and rot fast in rich, wet soil.
Best soil for rosemary
Salvia rosmarinus
Gritty, free-draining alkaline soil
Best soil for thyme
Thymus vulgaris
Gritty, free-draining alkaline soil
Best soil for oregano
Origanum vulgare
Free-draining alkaline soil
Best soil for sage
Salvia officinalis
Free-draining alkaline soil
Best soil for lavender
Lavandula angustifolia
Lean, free-draining alkaline soil
Best soil for button fern
Pellaea rotundifolia
Free-draining alkaline mix
Best soil for sweet marjoram
Origanum majorana
Free-draining loam
Best soil for summer savory
Satureja hortensis
Free-draining loam
Best soil for winter savory
Satureja montana
Free-draining loam
Best soil for tropical pitcher plant
Nepenthes (tropical pitcher plant)
Lean, free-draining carnivorous mix
Best soil for chagual
Puya chilensis
Sharply draining loam or gritty mix
Best soil for ice plant
Sedum spectabile
Lean, gritty, sharply drained loam or sandy soil
Best soil for marble houseleek
Sempervivum marmoreum
Gritty, sharply draining succulent or alpine mix
Best soil for jelly palm
Butia odorata
Well-drained sandy loam, loam, or clay loam
Best soil for thunberg's cycad
Encephalartos longifolius
Sandy, well-draining loam
Best soil for english thyme
Thymus vulgaris 'English'
Sandy, gritty, well-draining soil; low to moderate fertility
Best soil for broad-leaved thyme
Thymus pulegioides
Well-draining, gritty or sandy loam
Best soil for tufted thyme
Thymus caespititius
Very sharply draining, gritty or sandy soil; low fertility
Best soil for spanish marjoram
Thymus mastichina
Lean, gritty, fast-draining soil; pH 6.5–8.0
Best soil for winter marjoram
Origanum heracleoticum
Lean, fast-draining, sandy or gritty loam; pH 6.0–9.0
Best soil for ornamental oregano
Origanum × hybridum
Poor to moderately fertile, fast-draining, slightly alkaline soil; pH 6.5–8.0
Best soil for smooth oregano
Origanum laevigatum
Poor to moderately fertile, sharply drained, preferably alkaline soil; pH 7.0–8.5
Best soil for creeping rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis 'Prostratus'
Poor to moderately fertile, sharply drained sandy, gravelly, or gritty soil, pH 6.0–8.0
Best soil for russian tarragon
Artemisia dracunculus var. sativa
Well-drained, lean sandy or loamy soil
Rich vegetable & herb loam
Hungry, fast crops and tender herbs that want a rich, moisture-retentive but free-draining, well-fed loam.
Best soil for tomato
Solanum lycopersicum
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for pepper
Capsicum annuum
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for basil
Ocimum basilicum
Rich free-draining potting compost or garden loam
Best soil for cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for bean
Phaseolus vulgaris
Average garden loam
Best soil for garlic
Allium sativum
Free-draining loam, raised bed ideal
Best soil for pea
Pisum sativum
Free-draining loam
Best soil for squash
Cucurbita pepo
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for carrot
Daucus carota
Loose, sandy or sandy-loam soil, stone-free
Best soil for herb garden
mixed culinary herbs
Free-draining mix
Best soil for strawberries
Fragaria × ananassa
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for raspberries
Rubus idaeus
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for cilantro / coriander
Coriandrum sativum
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for zucchini / courgette
Cucurbita pepo
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for onions
Allium cepa
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for spinach
Spinacia oleracea
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for kale
Brassica oleracea var. sabellica
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for cabbage
Brassica oleracea var. capitata
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for broccoli
Brassica oleracea var. italica
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for radish
Raphanus sativus
Loose, well-drained loam
Best soil for potato
Solanum tuberosum
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for lemon tree
Citrus limon
Free-draining slightly acidic loam
Best soil for avocado
Persea americana
Free-draining slightly acidic loam
Best soil for pumpkin
Cucurbita pepo
Rich well-drained loam
Rich flowering loam
Roses, dahlias, peonies and border perennials. Rich enough to fuel the display, open enough to never waterlog.
Best soil for peace lily
Spathiphyllum wallisii
Standard potting compost with added perlite
Best soil for bird of paradise
Strelitzia reginae
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for hoya
Hoya carnosa
Chunky free-draining mix
Best soil for chamomile
Matricaria chamomilla
Free-draining loam
Best soil for rose
Rosa
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for tulip
Tulipa
Free-draining loam
Best soil for daffodil
Narcissus
Free-draining loam
Best soil for hibiscus
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for geranium (pelargonium)
Pelargonium × hortorum
Free-draining potting compost
Best soil for petunia
Petunia × hybrida
Rich, well-drained potting compost
Best soil for marigold
Tagetes
Free-draining loam
Best soil for zinnia
Zinnia elegans
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for dahlia
Dahlia pinnata
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for peony
Paeonia
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for sunflower
Helianthus annuus
Rich, well-drained loam
Best soil for clivia
Clivia miniata
Free-draining loam-based mix
Best soil for coleus
Coleus scutellarioides
Rich free-draining mix
Best soil for false shamrock
Oxalis triangularis
Free-draining mix
Best soil for iris
Iris germanica
Free-draining alkaline loam
Best soil for crocus
Crocus vernus
Free-draining sandy loam
Best soil for hyacinth
Hyacinthus orientalis
Free-draining loam
Best soil for lily of the valley
Convallaria majalis
Rich woodland loam
Best soil for snapdragon
Antirrhinum majus
Free-draining loam
Best soil for pansy
Viola × wittrockiana
Rich free-draining loam
Got the mix right? Now nail the watering.
The mix you choose changes how fast the pot dries. Add your plant to the Growli app and I'll learn your exact pot, light and weather and tell you the day to water — not a guess. Or get the full brief at /plant-care.
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