Growli

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.

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.

Open Growli