Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Good King Henry (Blitum bonus-henricus)
Also called Good King Henry, Mercury, Wild Spinach.
More about good king henry
About Good King Henry
Blitum bonus-henricus · also called Good King Henry, Mercury · herb
Good King Henry is an old-fashioned hardy perennial vegetable in the goosefoot family, grown for spinach-like leaves and asparagus-like spring shoots. Tolerant and long-lived, it thrives in rich, moist soil and part shade, cropping for years from one planting. Leaves contain oxalic acid, so they are best lightly cooked rather than eaten raw in quantity.
Preferred mix: Rich, moisture-retentive loam
Watch for — Bolting and bitter leaves: Hot, dry conditions push plants to flower and toughen the leaves. Keep soil moist, harvest young, and remove flower spikes to prolong leaf production.
Why good king henry needs this mix
Good King Henry hates drying out, so it wants a mix that stays evenly moist — but it still needs perlite so "moist" never tips into "waterlogged".
- Good King Henry comes from damp, shaded forest floors and has fine roots that scorch and brown the moment the rootball dries — the mix has to hold a steady reserve.
- Coir and compost give that reserve, while perlite keeps enough air that the constantly-moist mix does not turn anaerobic.
- Even moisture also keeps its thin leaves from crisping at the edges, which is this plant’s most visible stress signal.
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 good king henry struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- A free-draining, gritty mix dries too fast for good king henry — you get crispy brown edges and frond or leaf drop within days of one missed watering.
- A pure, airless peat mix swings the other way: it holds water but suffocates the fine roots and rots the crown.
- Letting the mix dry to the point it shrinks from the pot is very hard to re-wet evenly and stresses the plant badly.
Using a sharp, fast-draining "houseplant" or cactus-leaning mix that lets good king henry dry out. It needs a moisture-retentive but still airy blend.
pH — does it matter for good king henry?
Good King Henry prefers a slightly acidic mix (around pH 5.5-6.5); a peat-free compost-and-coir blend sits there naturally, so routine pH testing is unnecessary.
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 good peat-free houseplant compost works for good king henry straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
Drainage and the pot
Use a pot with a drainage hole but a less-porous material (plastic or glazed) so it does not dry too fast. Bottom-watering keeps the mix evenly moist without sogging the crown.
Peat-free mixes slump and compact as they hold moisture, so refresh good king henry's mix every 12-18 months to keep air in the rootball even if the pot size is unchanged. When the time comes, our repotting guide for good king henry covers the timing and technique step by step.
Good King Henry soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for good king henry?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part coco coir : 1 part perlite. Good King Henry comes from damp, shaded forest floors and has fine roots that scorch and brown the moment the rootball dries — the mix has to hold a steady reserve.
Can I use normal potting soil for good king henry?
A free-draining, gritty mix dries too fast for good king henry — you get crispy brown edges and frond or leaf drop within days of one missed watering. A good peat-free houseplant compost works for good king henry straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
Does good king henry need a special pH?
Good King Henry prefers a slightly acidic mix (around pH 5.5-6.5); a peat-free compost-and-coir blend sits there naturally, so routine pH testing is unnecessary.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for good king henry?
A good peat-free houseplant compost works for good king henry straight from the bag if you mix in some perlite for air. The DIY ratio above gives a more reliable moisture-to-air balance.
How often should I refresh the soil for good king henry?
Peat-free mixes slump and compact as they hold moisture, so refresh good king henry's mix every 12-18 months to keep air in the rootball even if the pot size is unchanged. Use a pot with a drainage hole but a less-porous material (plastic or glazed) so it does not dry too fast. Bottom-watering keeps the mix evenly moist without sogging the crown.
Keep reading
- Good King Henry care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water good king henry — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting good king henry — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- Underwatered plant — signs and how to rehydrate it
- Why is my plant wilting? Wet vs dry diagnosis
- Should I water my plant? The simple check first
- Best soil for basil
- Best soil for herb garden
- Best soil for mint
- All 5561 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library