Soil & potting mix
Best soil for String of Tears (Curio herreianus)
Also called string of tears, string of watermelons, gooseberry plant.
More about string of tears
About String of Tears
Curio herreianus · also called string of tears, string of watermelons · houseplant
String of tears is a trailing succulent (formerly Senecio herreianus) whose plump, tear- or watermelon-shaped beads are striped with darker translucent lines that act as light windows. Closely related to string of pearls, it wants bright light, very sparing water, and gritty soil. It cascades attractively from a hanging pot but resents wet feet.
Preferred mix: Fast-draining cactus or succulent mix with added grit
Watch for — Shrivelled, deflated beads: Usually underwatering or, paradoxically, root rot from overwatering. Check the roots: firm roots mean give water; mushy roots mean dry out and re-root healthy stems.
Why string of tears needs this mix
String of Tears 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.
- String of Tears 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 string of tears 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 string of tears; 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 string of tears 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 string of tears?
pH is not a concern for string of tears — 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 string of tears 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 string of tears 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 string of tears covers the timing and technique step by step.
String of Tears soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for string of tears?
2 parts standard cactus or succulent compost : 1 part perlite or pumice : 1 part coarse grit or coarse sand. String of Tears 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 string of tears?
Standard potting compost on its own stays wet far too long for string of tears; the lower leaves and stem base go soft and translucent first. A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for string of tears 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 string of tears need a special pH?
pH is not a concern for string of tears — 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 string of tears?
A good bagged "cactus and succulent" mix works for string of tears 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 string of tears?
This mix decomposes slowly, so string of tears 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
- String of Tears care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water string of tears — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting string of tears — 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 2464 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library