Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass (Phalaris arundinacea 'Strawberries and Cream')
Also called strawberries and cream ribbon grass, pink-tinged ribbon grass.
More about strawberries and cream ribbon grass
About Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass
Phalaris arundinacea 'Strawberries and Cream' · also called strawberries and cream ribbon grass, pink-tinged ribbon grass · flowering
'Strawberries and Cream' is a selection of ribbon grass whose white-and-green variegated blades take on a soft pink or strawberry flush in cool spring and autumn weather. Like all ribbon grass it is vigorous and rhizomatous, spreading aggressively and best contained. Tough and adaptable to sun or shade and wet or dry soils, it offers eye-catching cool-season colour with minimal fuss.
Preferred mix: Adaptable, moisture-retentive soil
Watch for — Invasive spreading: Spreads aggressively by rhizomes like all ribbon grass; confine it to containers or use sturdy root barriers to prevent it overrunning beds.
Why strawberries and cream ribbon grass needs this mix
Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass hates drying out, so it wants a mix that stays evenly moist — but it still needs perlite so "moist" never tips into "waterlogged".
- Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass — 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass dry out. It needs a moisture-retentive but still airy blend.
pH — does it matter for strawberries and cream ribbon grass?
Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass'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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass covers the timing and technique step by step.
Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for strawberries and cream ribbon grass?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part coco coir : 1 part perlite. Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass?
A free-draining, gritty mix dries too fast for strawberries and cream ribbon grass — you get crispy brown edges and frond or leaf drop within days of one missed watering. A good peat-free houseplant compost works for strawberries and cream ribbon grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass need a special pH?
Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass?
A good peat-free houseplant compost works for strawberries and cream ribbon grass 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 strawberries and cream ribbon grass?
Peat-free mixes slump and compact as they hold moisture, so refresh strawberries and cream ribbon grass'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
- Strawberries and Cream Ribbon Grass care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water strawberries and cream ribbon grass — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting strawberries and cream ribbon grass — 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 peace lily
- Best soil for bird of paradise
- Best soil for hoya
- All 3899 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library