Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Faulkner box (Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner')
Also called Faulkner box, Faulkner boxwood, small-leaved box Faulkner.
More about faulkner box
About Faulkner box
Buxus microphylla 'Faulkner' · also called Faulkner box, Faulkner boxwood · flowering
Faulkner box is a compact, slow-growing cultivar of Japanese boxwood with dense, glossy, dark bluish-green foliage that holds its colour well in winter. It is notably more resistant to box blight than many common boxwoods, making it a reliable choice for formal topiary, balls, and low hedging.
Preferred mix: Moist, well-drained loam; tolerates acid, neutral, or alkaline soil
Watch for — Root rot in containers: Container-grown specimens are vulnerable to Phytophthora root rot if overwatered or if pots lack adequate drainage holes. Use free-draining compost mixed with 20–30% perlite, and elevate pots to allow free drainage. Reduce watering frequency in winter.
Why faulkner box needs this mix
Faulkner box is a Mediterranean dry-hillside plant — it wants a lean, sharply drained, slightly alkaline mix, and rots fast in rich, water-holding soil.
- Faulkner box evolved on stony, sun-baked slopes — its roots expect to dry out hard and quickly between rains, so the mix must drain almost as fast as you pour.
- A lean, low-nutrient mix keeps growth firm and aromatic; a rich one gives soft, sappy, flavourless growth that flops and rots.
- It tolerates and often prefers a slightly alkaline soil, the opposite of most houseplants.
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 faulkner box struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Rich, moisture-holding compost is the classic killer of faulkner box — especially over a cold, wet winter, when the base of the plant simply rots.
- A peaty, acidic potting mix is doubly wrong: too wet and the wrong pH direction.
- No grit means the rootball stays damp for days, which a dry-climate root system never copes with.
Growing faulkner box in ordinary rich, moisture-retentive compost. Lean it out with at least a third grit, and never let it sit wet over winter.
pH — does it matter for faulkner box?
Faulkner box likes neutral to slightly alkaline soil, roughly pH 6.5-7.5. If your soil or compost is acidic, a little garden lime or extra grit nudges it the right way — the one common plant where you may add lime.
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
Bagged "herb" or "Mediterranean" mixes are usually fine for faulkner box, but most standard composts need cutting hard with grit. The DIY ratio above is cheap and exactly right.
Drainage and the pot
Sharp drainage is everything: a terracotta pot with a big hole, gritty mix and never a saucer left full. Raised beds suit these herbs outdoors for the same reason.
A gritty mix barely breaks down, so faulkner box needs little repotting — refresh the top layer and the grit every couple of years rather than potting on aggressively. When the time comes, our repotting guide for faulkner box covers the timing and technique step by step.
Faulkner box soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for faulkner box?
2 parts standard peat-free compost or loam : 1 part coarse horticultural grit : 1 part perlite or coarse sand. Faulkner box evolved on stony, sun-baked slopes — its roots expect to dry out hard and quickly between rains, so the mix must drain almost as fast as you pour.
Can I use normal potting soil for faulkner box?
Rich, moisture-holding compost is the classic killer of faulkner box — especially over a cold, wet winter, when the base of the plant simply rots. Bagged "herb" or "Mediterranean" mixes are usually fine for faulkner box, but most standard composts need cutting hard with grit. The DIY ratio above is cheap and exactly right.
Does faulkner box need a special pH?
Faulkner box likes neutral to slightly alkaline soil, roughly pH 6.5-7.5. If your soil or compost is acidic, a little garden lime or extra grit nudges it the right way — the one common plant where you may add lime.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for faulkner box?
Bagged "herb" or "Mediterranean" mixes are usually fine for faulkner box, but most standard composts need cutting hard with grit. The DIY ratio above is cheap and exactly right.
How often should I refresh the soil for faulkner box?
A gritty mix barely breaks down, so faulkner box needs little repotting — refresh the top layer and the grit every couple of years rather than potting on aggressively. Sharp drainage is everything: a terracotta pot with a big hole, gritty mix and never a saucer left full. Raised beds suit these herbs outdoors for the same reason.
Keep reading
- Faulkner box care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water faulkner box — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting faulkner box — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
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