How To Make Your Own Succulent Soil (With Recipe!) (2024)

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After years of trial and error, I finally came up with the perfect succulent potting mix recipe. This is the best soil for succulents, and it’s super easy to make too! In this post, I will share my recipe and show you exactly how to make your own succulent soil.

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I don’t buy succulent soil, I make my own. It’s much cheaper than buying a commercial succulent potting mix.

Plus, I think the commercial soil mix for succulents (at least the stuff I’ve purchased in the past) are light on sand, and hold more water than I like.

Making your own succulent soil is not only cheaper than buying the commercial stuff, it’s super easy. In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how to do it, step by step.

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Table of Contents

The Best Soil For Succulents

Choosing the right potting soil for planting succulents in containers is crucial! When readers reach out to me about problems with succulents, most of the issues they have are caused by overwatering.

Overwatering is the number one cause of death for succulent plants, and that is why it is super important to make sure you use the right type of soil to plant succulents.

The best potting soil for succulents is a well draining mix. Using a good potting mix of porous soil for succulents is super important to prevent overwatering.

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Benefits Of Making Your Own DIY Succulent Soil Mix

The main benefits of making your own DIY succulent soil mix are that it’s cheaper, and you control the ingredients.

Making your own bulk mix is cheaper than buying a pre-made commercial succulent soil.

Plus, since you control the ingredients, you can modify this succulent soil recipe to get the perfect mix that both you and your plants will love.

How To Make Succulent Soil

Like I said, I find that many commercial succulent soil mixes aren’t coarse enough for my liking.

So, over the years I’ve played around with making my own succulent mix, until I figured out an easy, inexpensive recipe that I love the best.

I wanted to make sure the ingredients were all easy to find in your local garden center, or online. Plus, I use these ingredients to make my other homemade potting soils too, so they are all very reusable.

DIY Succulent Potting Soil Ingredients

To make your own succulent soil, you only need three ingredients, and you can find them at any garden center or home improvement store that has potting soil for sale:

  1. Potting soil
  2. Coarse sand (turface or poultry grit also work great)
  3. Perlite or Pumice

Related Post: How To Make Your Own Cactus Soil Mix (With Recipe!)

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All Purpose Potting Soil

Any type of all regular potting soil will work as the base to make your own succulent soil. Use whatever you have on hand (as long as it’s fresh and sterile).

The specific brand I use varies depending on what’s on sale at the time I need to buy potting soil. When making potting mix for succulents, it’s best to use a light, porous one as your base.

Don’t use heavy garden soils, mixes that contain vermiculite, or any type that says it has added moisture control or retains water. Succulents need a well draining potting soil, not one that holds moisture.

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Coarse Sand

Succulents grow best in a porous sandy potting soil, so amending your potting soil with sand is super important.

You could use any type of sand, but to ensure fast drainage for succulents, I recommend buying a coarse sand rather than the really fine stuff.

Just don’t use sand from the garden, the beach, or a sandbox (you never know what nasties will be in there).

If you prefer, you could use turface or poultry grit as a substitute instead. Either of those would make excellent alternatives to sand in this recipe.

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Perlite or Pumice

Perlite is a very lightweight organic soil amendment. It’s the white pieces that look like Styrofoam that you see in many commercial potting mixes.

Perlite retains very little moisture, prevents soil compaction, and helps add better drainage for succulents. In other words, it helps the soil drain faster which is exactly what we want for succulent potting soil.

You can usually buy perlite or pumice at any garden center or home improvement store. But sometimes it’s hard to find, so I usually buy it online.

Related Post: Propagating Succulents From Stem Cuttings Or Leaves

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Supplies Needed:
Along with your succulent potting mix ingredients, you’ll need a few other supplies to help you measure and mix your ingredients. So grab these items before getting started…

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DIY Succulent Soil Recipe

The succulent potting soil recipe I use is:

What is a “part”? – A “part” is just a generic unit of measure to use for your potting mix ratio. You can use anything you want to measure your ingredients, as long as you use the same type of measure for each “part”.

If you use a scoop measure for 1 part, then use the same scoop twice for 2 parts, and three times for 3 parts.

So, for example if you use a 1 cup measure, then this recipe would convert to 3 cups potting soil, 2 cups sand, and 1 cup perlite.

Related Post: How To Care For A Jade Plant (Crassula)

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How To Mix Potting Soil For Succulent Plants

Mixing your DIY potting soil for succulents is super easy. All you need to do is dump everything into your mixing container (bucket, potting tray, wheelbarrow… whatever) and stir it all together.

Use a trowel, or your hands to mix it. Just make sure the ingredients are evenly mixed once you’re done.

That’s it. Told you it was easy to make your own potting soil for succulents.

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Storing Your Leftover Succulent Soil Mix

One of the things I love the most about making my own DIY succulent potting soil is that I can mix up a big batch, and store the leftovers for later. Succulent soil can be stored on a shelf in your basem*nt, garage or garden shed.

You could make a bunch ahead of time and store it for later use, or just mix it as you need it for repotting.

I like to mix up a big batch, and then I store it in a plastic bucket in the garage so I always have succulent soil on hand when I need it.

Make sure to store your succulent potting soil in an air-tight container. You don’t want pesky bugs getting in there.

If you don’t have an air-tight container you can use, I recommend you buy one of these bucket sealing lids, which work with a five gallon bucket.

Related Post: How To Make An Indoor Succulent Garden

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FAQs

In this section, I’ll answer some of the most frequently asked questions about succulent soil. If you can’t find your answer here, ask it in the comments below.

Can you use regular potting soil for succulents?

You certainly could use regular potting soil for succulents. It might work just fine, especially if you tend to forget to water for long periods of time, or your plants are very small. However, make sure the soil dries out completely between waterings, or they will rot.

What happens if you plant succulents in regular potting soil?

If you plant succulents in regular potting soil it increases the risk of overwatering. When the soil retains too much moisture, it can quickly cause your succulents to rot.

What is the difference between potting soil and succulent soil?

The differences between general potting soil and succulent soil are the ingredients and the consistency. Regular potting soils are made of organic materials that retain moisture, while succulent soil is porous, and designed to drain very quickly.

My succulents do very well in my homemade potting mix, and making my own saves me tons of money. Now that you know the best soil to use, and have my recipe to make your own, your succulents will thrive too. Learn more by watching my web story.

More Posts About Potting Soils

  • How To Make Your Own Gritty Mix Potting Soil
  • How To Choose The Best Jade Plant Soil
  • How To Make Potting Soil For Indoor Plants
  • How To Choose The Best Snake Plant Soil
  • 7 Easy DIY Potting Soil Recipes To Mix Your Own

Do you make your own succulent soil? Share your succulent potting soil mix recipe in the comments section below.

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How To Make Your Own Succulent Soil (With Recipe!) (2024)

FAQs

How To Make Your Own Succulent Soil (With Recipe!)? ›

My succulent soil mix uses only four ingredients (parts are by volume, not weight): 1 part coconut coir. 1 part commercial potting or gardening soil. Get the cheapest you can find; typically it's composted forest products and maybe a bit of manure.

How do you make homemade succulent soil? ›

To DIY potting mix for succulents, you need to mix sand, soil, and perlite or pumice in the ratio - 2:2:1. If you are using cups, it means 3 cups of soil and sand each and one-and-half cups of pumice or perlite. Perlite or pumice helps the soil breathe, while pumice helps retain nutrients.

What is the best potting mix ratio for succulents? ›

We use regular potting mix for succulents which involves the following :
  • sand ( 30% ) , gravel (10 % ) , vermicompost ( 20 % ) , soil ( 20 % ) and perlite (20% )
  • Cinder ( 70 % ) + Vermicompost ( 30 % )
  • Sand ( 40 % ) + vermicompost ( 30 % ) + perlite ( 10% ) + soil (. 20 % )
Oct 17, 2022

What is the best soil for succulents? ›

For organic matter, we recommend pine bark, coconut coir, compost, or potting soil. Good mineral options include coarse sand, perlite, volcanic rock, fine gravel, and chicken grit. Avoid minerals that store water, like vermiculite and non-calcined clays.

Can you make succulent soil without sand? ›

Well, I never made soil mix with sand for mine. To maintain the porosity of your soil mix, you can have grit or pumice mixed with soil at 1 : 1. For myself, I used volcanic stones, soil, and burnt rice husks at 1 : 1 : 1. This will maintain good porosity and aeration for my succulents.

Is it OK to use regular potting soil for succulents? ›

You can use regular potting soil as long as you mix it with pumice or perlite,” Elliott says. “Pumice and perlite help with adding drainage to the soil.” You'll also want to keep in mind that your watering style will impact the success you have with succulent potting mixes and regular potting soil.

What is the best soil for succulents in pots indoors? ›

For the best potting soil for succulents, start with a basic cactus and succulent soil mix, or even an African violet mix, available at most garden centers. Then add some extra ingredients to find the one that will make watering easier, improve the drainage, and hold up a long time without compacting.

How do you make potting mix for cactus and succulents? ›

One common cactus soil recipe includes three parts potting soil, three parts sand, gravel, or grit, and two parts perlite or pumice. Mix this ratio of ingredients thoroughly in a large container before using it to plant your cacti.

Do succulents need special potting mix? ›

Succulents need soil that drains, so regular potting soil—or dirt from your yard—won't do. Choose cactus soil or mix potting soil with sand, pumice, or perlite. Succulent roots are very fragile so be gentle when repotting.

Do succulents need soil or just rocks? ›

They require a well-draining environment, which rocks can provide. However, they still need nutrients typically found in soil, so a soil-less medium like a special succulent or cactus mix is often used in combination with rocks.

Should succulents be in pots or ground? ›

Plant succulents in a loose, rocky soil that is nutrient-rich for best results. If planting in containers, use a potting mix specifically formulated for succulents and cacti and plant in a pot with holes in the bottom for drainage.

Do succulents need rocks in their soil? ›

Ideally, a succulent or cactus would be planted in well-draining or sandy soil and then topped off with small rocks. Even though succulents can't grow in rocks alone, there are several ways to make it look like you're growing them in rock. You can also do this if you are planting them in an outdoor area of your yard.

Is Miracle Grow good for succulents? ›

All succulents need lightweight, well-draining soil. Improve the planting area by mixing one part Miracle-Gro® Garden Soil for Cactus, Palm & Citrus with one part native soil. This will improve the soil density and add nutrition to give succulent plants a boost.

Can succulents grow in bark? ›

In general, a good succulent soil should contain equal parts organic material (peat moss or bark) and inorganic material (pumice or perlite), with no more than 10% sand. The next consideration should be that of the container the succulents will be planted in.

Do succulents need sun? ›

Most succulents do best in bright direct light and need at least 6 hours of natural light per day. But if you only have a shady corner in your home, choose plants like mother-in-law tongue that do well in low light and place them near a south or east-facing window.

What is the best potting soil for indoor succulents? ›

For the best potting soil for succulents, start with a basic cactus and succulent soil mix, or even an African violet mix, available at most garden centers. Then add some extra ingredients to find the one that will make watering easier, improve the drainage, and hold up a long time without compacting.

How do you grow succulents without dirt? ›

Can succulents grow on rocks, pebbles, sand, moss or driftwood? Without soil, the succulents need to attach to something. You can hot glue the succulents onto the driftwood or attach them using wires.

Do succulents need rooting powder? ›

While most popular succulents root easily, progress is slow for some types. You can speed up the process and improve your results by using rooting hormone. GardenTech® brand's RootBoost™ Rooting Hormone stimulates root development and encourages succulent leaves and stem cuttings to develop more uniform roots.

Do succulent cuttings need rooting powder? ›

Important: Succulents are one of the easiest types of plant to propagate, but propagation can still be finicky. Using a rooting hormone will greatly increase the chance of your succulent cutting growing into a mature plant.

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