Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Spike Moss (Selaginella apoda)
Also called Meadow Spikemoss, Creeping Selaginella.
More about spike moss
About Spike Moss
Selaginella apoda · also called Meadow Spikemoss, Creeping Selaginella · houseplant
Selaginella apoda is a low-growing, mat-forming spikemoss native to eastern North America, with delicate bright-green scale-like leaves. It thrives in moist, shaded terrariums or humid windowsills. Not a true moss or fern, but similarly considered non-toxic, with no ASPCA listings indicating harm.
Preferred mix: Moist, fine-textured peat-free mix with high organic content
Watch for — Fungal rot: In overly wet, stagnant conditions rot can set in. Ensure air circulation and avoid standing water around the root zone.
Why spike moss needs this mix
Spike Moss is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Spike Moss 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 spike moss 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 spike moss'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 spike moss.
pH — does it matter for spike moss?
Spike Moss 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 spike moss 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 spike moss needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh spike moss'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 spike moss covers the timing and technique step by step.
Spike Moss soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for spike moss?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Spike Moss 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 spike moss?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates spike moss's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for spike moss 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 spike moss need a special pH?
Spike Moss 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 spike moss?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for spike moss 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 spike moss?
Refresh spike moss'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 spike moss needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Spike Moss care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water spike moss — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting spike moss — 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
- Best soil for golden lace cactus
- Best soil for notch cactus
- Best soil for tephrocactus
- All 11687 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library