Soil & potting mix
Best soil for Temple Bells (Smithiantha cinnabarina)
Also called Temple Bells, Cinnabarina Temple Bells.
More about temple bells
About Temple Bells
Smithiantha cinnabarina · also called Temple Bells, Cinnabarina Temple Bells · houseplant
A rhizomatous gesneriad from Mexican cloud forests bearing scarlet, tubular bell flowers on velvety stems from late summer into autumn. It enters a dry winter dormancy, dying back to scaly rhizomes, then resurges in spring. Grow it in bright, filtered light with high humidity and a peat-perlite mix — treat it like a warm, moisture-loving African violet.
Preferred mix: Peat-based, well-aerated mix
Watch for — Rhizome rot: Overwatering or cold, waterlogged soil during or after dormancy causes scaly rhizomes to rot. Ensure excellent drainage and reduce watering sharply as foliage dies back.
Why temple bells needs this mix
Temple Bells is an easy-going houseplant — it just wants a free-draining general mix that holds some moisture but never stays soggy.
- Temple Bells 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 temple bells 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 temple bells'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 temple bells.
pH — does it matter for temple bells?
Temple Bells 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 temple bells 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 temple bells needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Refresh temple bells'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 temple bells covers the timing and technique step by step.
Temple Bells soil — frequently asked questions
What is the best soil mix for temple bells?
3 parts peat-free houseplant compost : 1 part perlite : 1 part orchid bark or coco chips (optional). Temple Bells 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 temple bells?
Plain garden soil or a cheap, claggy compost compacts in the pot and slowly suffocates temple bells's roots. A decent bagged houseplant compost works for temple bells 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 temple bells need a special pH?
Temple Bells 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 temple bells?
A decent bagged houseplant compost works for temple bells 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 temple bells?
Refresh temple bells'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 temple bells needs — the free-draining mix does the rest.
Keep reading
- Temple Bells care — the full brief (light, water, humidity, problems, pet safety)
- How often to water temple bells — the schedule the mix feeds into
- Repotting temple bells — 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
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- Best soil for peperomia
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- All 8452 soil and potting-mix guides in the Growli library