Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Audrey Fig (Ficus benghalensis 'Audrey')
Also called Audrey fig, Indian banyan.
More about audrey fig
About Audrey Fig
Ficus benghalensis 'Audrey' · also called Audrey fig, Indian banyan · tropical
Audrey is the Indian banyan, a softer, more forgiving alternative to the fiddle-leaf fig with velvety, pale-veined oval leaves on pale bark. It tolerates a wider range of light and is less prone to dramatic leaf drop, making it an easy upright tree houseplant that wants bright indirect light, even moisture, warmth and protection from cold drafts.
Preferred mix: Well-draining, fertile houseplant mix
Watch for — Browning leaf edges: Often caused by low humidity, underwatering or a buildup of fertiliser salts. Raise humidity, water more evenly, and flush the soil occasionally.
Why audrey fig needs this mix
Audrey Fig is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Audrey Fig is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
- A little perlite or bark stops ordinary compost compacting into an airless block over time, which is the slow, common cause of decline.
- It is not fussy about pH or special ingredients; getting the air-to-moisture balance right is what matters.
For the full picture on what makes up a good mix, see our guide to the main types of soil and potting media — it explains why each ingredient above behaves the way it does.
What goes wrong with the wrong mix
The wrong soil is one of the most common reasons audrey fig struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates audrey fig's roots.
- A pure peat mix that dries to a hard, water-repelling block is hard to re-wet and stresses the plant.
- No drainage hole turns even a good mix into a stagnant, root-rotting sump.
Reusing tired, compacted old compost or skipping the perlite. A free-draining mix in a pot with a hole solves most "why is it struggling" cases for audrey fig.
pH — does it matter for audrey fig?
Audrey Fig is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
If you want to check or adjust it, the soil pH guide walks through testing and the safe ways to nudge a mix more acidic or more alkaline.
DIY mix vs a bagged one
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for audrey fig as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Drainage and the pot
A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all audrey fig needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh audrey fig's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. When the time comes, our repotting guide for audrey fig covers the timing and technique step by step.
Audrey Fig soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for audrey fig?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Audrey Fig is adaptable, but like most houseplants it still needs air at the roots — a mix that drains freely while holding a working moisture reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for audrey fig?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates audrey fig's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for audrey fig as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
Does audrey fig need a special pH?
Audrey Fig is not fussy about pH — a slightly acidic to neutral mix (around pH 6.0-7.0), which a standard peat-free compost provides, is perfectly fine. No testing needed.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for audrey fig?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for audrey fig as long as you mix in perlite for air. The simple DIY ratio above is cheap and more reliable than a budget bag alone.
How often should I refresh the soil for audrey fig?
Refresh audrey fig's mix every 18-24 months; even good compost slumps and compacts, and fresh, airy mix is often the simplest fix for a tired plant. A pot with a drainage hole and a saucer you empty after watering is all audrey fig needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Audrey Fig care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water audrey fig — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting audrey fig — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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- All 2464 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library