Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Ruby Necklace (Othonna capensis)
Also called Ruby Necklace, String of Rubies, Little Pickles, Trailing Othonna, Cape Aster.
More about ruby necklace
About Ruby Necklace
Othonna capensis · also called Ruby Necklace, String of Rubies · houseplant
Ruby Necklace (Othonna capensis, syn. Crassothonna capensis) is a trailing South African succulent with bean-shaped leaves on purple stems that flush ruby-red in bright light, plus tiny yellow daisy flowers. Give it bright light, gritty fast-draining soil and sparing water. It is not ASPCA-listed; treat as mildly toxic and verify with a vet.
Preferred mix: Free-draining cactus and succulent mix with heavy mineral grit
Watch for — Mushy, translucent stems / root rot: The most common problem, caused by overwatering or soil that holds moisture. Let the mix dry out fully between waterings, use a gritty fast-draining medium and a pot with drainage holes, and cut back hard on water in winter.
Why ruby necklace needs this mix
Ruby Necklace stores water in its leaves and stems, so it wants a free-draining, gritty mix that dries out fully between waterings — not a moisture-holding one.
- Ruby Necklace carries its own water supply in its thick tissue, so the soil's job is to drain fast and then get out of the way.
- Its roots are adapted to short wet spells followed by long dry ones — a mix that stays damp removes the dry phase they depend on.
- A gritty mix also keeps the plant compact and well-coloured rather than soft, leggy and prone to collapse.
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 ruby necklace struggles, and the damage often shows up weeks later as a watering problem. For this species specifically:
- Standard potting compost on its own stays wet far too long for ruby necklace; the lower leaves and stem base go soft and translucent first.
- Big plastic pots full of dense mix hold a wet core long after the surface looks dry — that hidden wet zone is where rot starts.
- Anything sold as "moisture control" is the opposite of what this plant wants.
Treating ruby necklace like a leafy houseplant and using plain compost. It needs at least half its volume as grit, perlite or pumice to survive long term.
pH — does it matter for ruby necklace?
pH is not a concern for ruby necklace — anything from mildly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0) works. Get the drainage right and pH looks after itself.
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 bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for ruby necklace if you add roughly 30-50% extra perlite or grit. Mixing your own from the ratio above gives you full control of how fast it dries.
Drainage and the pot
Use a pot with a drainage hole and empty the saucer within minutes of watering. Terracotta is more forgiving than glazed or plastic because it dries the rootball faster.
This mix decomposes slowly, so ruby necklace only needs repotting every 2-3 years — mainly to refresh the grit and check the roots are firm and pale. When the time comes, our repotting guide for ruby necklace covers the timing and technique step by step.
Ruby Necklace soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for ruby necklace?
2 parts standard cactus or succulent compost : 1 part perlite or pumice : 1 part coarse grit or coarse sand. Ruby Necklace carries its own water supply in its thick tissue, so the soil's job is to drain fast and then get out of the way.
Can I use normal potting soil for ruby necklace?
Standard potting compost on its own stays wet far too long for ruby necklace; the lower leaves and stem base go soft and translucent first. A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for ruby necklace if you add roughly 30-50% extra perlite or grit. Mixing your own from the ratio above gives you full control of how fast it dries.
Does ruby necklace need a special pH?
pH is not a concern for ruby necklace — anything from mildly acidic to neutral (6.0-7.0) works. Get the drainage right and pH looks after itself.
Should I buy a bagged mix or make my own for ruby necklace?
A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for ruby necklace if you add roughly 30-50% extra perlite or grit. Mixing your own from the ratio above gives you full control of how fast it dries.
How often should I refresh the soil for ruby necklace?
This mix decomposes slowly, so ruby necklace only needs repotting every 2-3 years — mainly to refresh the grit and check the roots are firm and pale. Use a pot with a drainage hole and empty the saucer within minutes of watering. Terracotta is more forgiving than glazed or plastic because it dries the rootball faster.
Keep reading
- Ruby Necklace care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water ruby necklace — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting ruby necklace — when and how to refresh the mix
- Soil pH guide — test it and adjust it safely
- How often to water succulents — the soak-and-dry method
- Overwatered plant — signs and recovery
- Root rot — how the wrong soil starts it, and how to save the plant
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- All 609 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library