DIY Aroid Soil Recipe
Aroid Soil Mix Recipe Menu
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Why Make Your Own Soil Mix
Other than the obvious difference in cost, making your own Aroid soil comes with several advantages over using commercial premixed soils. One of the most significant benefits is controlling the quality and cleanliness of the soil. Commercial premixed soils can sometimes harbour pest eggs or weed seeds, which can introduce unwanted problems to your plants. By creating your own DIY Aroid soil mix, you can ensure that the substrate is sterile and free of these potential threats. Clean soil provides a healthier environment for your aroids, whilst getting the correct Aroid soil mix ratio for your specific plant.
Making your own Aroid soil mix offers greater control over quality, it offers cost savings, and it gives you the ability to customize the soil to meet the unique needs of your plants. This DIY soil recipe covers the needs of Aroids.
Monstera 'adansonii'
DIY Soil vs Commercial Soil Mixes
Commercial premixed soils can sometimes harbour pest eggs or weed seeds, which can introduce unwanted problems to your plants. By creating your own mix, you can ensure that the soil is sterile and free of these potential threats, providing a healthier environment for your aroids.
Additionally, crafting your own soil mix can be more cost-effective in the long run. While the initial purchase of individual ingredients might seem higher, you can often make large batches of soil mix that last longer than smaller bags of commercial soil. Over time, this can lead to substantial savings, especially if you have a large collection of Aroid plants or plan to propagate and expand your collection. Additionally, making your own soil mix allows you to get the Aroid soil mix ratio just right for your plant without the one-size-fits-all approach often seen with commercial soils.
How To Make Aroid Soil Mix
Aroid Soil Ingredients:
1 litre of coco coir
1 litre of worm castings, or compost
1 litre of perlite
1 litre of orchid bark
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Gather Your Soil Mix Ingredients
Before you start mixing, make sure you have all the necessary ingredients on hand. If you don't trust the source of your soil components, you can sterilize the ingredients to ensure that there's no pest eggs or unwanted guests. Here's a brief overview of each component:
Coco Coir: A sustainable and eco-friendly alternative to peat moss, coco coir retains moisture while allowing for good aeration.
Worm Castings: Provides essential nutrients to the plants. Make sure to use high-quality worm castings.
Perlite: A lightweight volcanic rock that improves soil aeration and drainage.
Orchid Bark: Chunky pieces of bark that enhance drainage and create a well-aerated soil structure.
2. Measure the Soil Mix Ingredients
Measure out 1 litre of each ingredient. If you need a larger batch, simply scale up the measurements accordingly (e.g., 2 litres of each ingredient for a larger batch).
3. Combine the Soil Mix Ingredients
In a large container or mixing tub, combine the measured coco coir, compost, perlite, and orchid bark. Ensure you mix them thoroughly to create a uniform blend. It's important to achieve an even distribution of all components to ensure consistent soil quality.
4. Check and Adjust the Soil Recipe pH Level
Aroids generally prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. If you've closely followed our recipe and your ingredients are from reputable sources, your pH should be perfect for Aroids. If you're uncertain, use a pH meter to test your soil mix. Where adjustments are required, adjust the pH by adding agricultural lime to raise the pH or sulphur to lower it. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the correct amounts of each pH amendment.
5. Moisten the Soil Mix
Lightly moisten the soil mix with water. The goal is to achieve a damp consistency without making the soil soggy. Proper moisture helps the components bond together and prepares the soil for planting. When repotting high value plants, we love to add a seaweed biofertilizer to help reduce transplant stress.
6. Store or Use the Mix
If you're not using the soil mix immediately, store it in a sealed container to keep it fresh and ready for future use. When you're ready to plant, fill your pots with the DIY Aroid soil mix, and plant your aroids as usual!
Additional Tips:
Sterilize Ingredients: To avoid introducing pests or pathogens, consider sterilizing your ingredients.
Customize for Species: You can adjust the proportions or add other components based on the specific needs of different Aroid species. For example, adding more orchid bark for epiphytic species like Monsteras or more coco coir for moisture-loving species like Philodendrons.
Monitor and Adjust: Keep an eye on your plants and the soil's performance over time. Make adjustments to the mix as needed to suit your specific growing conditions and plant responses. If your plant doesn't stay moist, add more coco coir. If your soil is staying too wet, try adding more perlite or orchid bark.
Why Use An Advanced DIY Soil Mix Recipe
Using a more advanced Aroid soil mix with chunky, airy components is crucial for the health of your Aroid plants. One of the primary benefits is preventing root rot, which is a common issue in houseplants that's caused by waterlogged soil. Chunky components like orchid bark, pumice, and perlite help improve soil drainage, ensuring that excess water quickly flows out of the pot.
Air circulation around the roots is another significant advantage of a chunky soil mix. In their natural habitat, aroids often grow as epiphytes or hemi-epiphytes, clinging to trees and other surfaces where their roots are exposed to plenty of air. A well-aerated soil mix replicates these wild conditions, allowing oxygen to reach the roots more effectively. Good air circulation around the roots is essential for their overall health and helps prevent fungal infections and other root-related diseases.
Replicating the natural habitat of Aroid plants is perhaps the most important reason to use a more advanced soil mix. Aroids thrive in environments where their roots have access to both moisture and air, typically growing in the loose, decomposing organic matter found in rainforests. Some Aroids, like Monstera, grow vertically up tree trunks by attaching their aerial roots to the snags in the tree trunks.
By using a soil mix that mimics their natural conditions, you can create an environment where your Aroids can grow robustly, showcasing their lush foliage. This allows Aroids leaves to level up to their mature size and colouration — this is particularly evident in fenestrated Aroids like Monstera, whose leaves completely change size and shape once allowed to climb and mature. Giving Aroid roots the right soil mix can drastically speed up leaves maturing to their final form.
How To Make an Advanced DIY Aroid Soil Recipe
Aroid Soil Ingredients:
4 litre of coco coir
4 litre of perlite
4 litre of orchid bark
2 litres of lecca balls (Lightweight Expanded Clay Aggregate)
1 litre of worm castings, or compost
Optional: 1 litre of pumice, 1 litre of activated charcoal, and 1 litre of unscented zeolite
Step-by-Step Instructions:
1. Gather The Soil Mix Ingredients
Ensure you have all the necessary ingredients ready. If you don't trust the source of your soil components, you can sterilize the ingredients to ensure that there's no pest eggs or unwanted guests. Here’s a breakdown of each component:
Coco Coir: A sustainable, eco-friendly alternative to peat moss, coco coir improves moisture retention while promoting good drainage.
Perlite: A lightweight volcanic rock that enhances aeration and drainage.
Orchid Bark: Provides structure and promotes airflow to the roots.
Lecca Balls: These clay balls improve drainage and aeration, helping to prevent root rot.
Worm Castings: Rich in nutrients, worm castings promote healthy plant growth.
Pumice (optional): Adds extra aeration and improves drainage.
Activated Charcoal (optional): Helps to purify the soil and prevent root rot by absorbing toxins.
Unscented Zeolite (optional): A mineral that aids in moisture retention and nutrient absorption.
2. Measure the Soil Mix Ingredients
Measure each ingredient accurately based on the required quantities. Using a large container or mixing tub can help to combine the ingredients more effectively.
3. Mix the Base Soil Mix Ingredients
Start by adding the 4 litres of coco coir, 4 litres of perlite, and 4 litres of orchid bark into the container. Mix these thoroughly to ensure an even distribution. These base components form the bulk of the soil mix, providing excellent drainage and aeration.
4. Add Lecca Balls and Worm Castings
Next, add 2 litres of lecca balls and 1 litre of worm castings to the mix. Stir well to integrate these elements, enhancing the soil's structure and nutrient content.
5. Incorporate Optional Soil Mix Ingredients
If you’re using pumice, activated charcoal, and unscented zeolite, add 1 litre of each to the mix. These optional components further improve aeration, drainage, and soil health by absorbing impurities and retaining moisture without waterlogging.
6. Check and Adjust the Soil Recipe pH Level
Aroids generally prefer slightly acidic to neutral soil with a pH of 5.5 to 7.0. If you've closely followed our soil recipe and your ingredients are from reputable sources, your pH should be perfect for Aroids. If you're uncertain, use a pH meter to test your soil mix. Where adjustments are required, adjust the pH by adding agricultural lime to raise the pH or sulphur to lower it. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for the correct amounts of each pH amendment.
7. Moisten the Soil Mix
Lightly moisten the soil mix with water until it is damp but not soggy. This helps the ingredients bind together and makes the soil ready for planting.
8. Use or Store the Mix
If not using immediately, store the soil mix in a sealed container to keep it fresh. When ready, fill your plant pots with the DIY Aroid soil mix and plant your aroids.
Additional Tips:
Sterilize Organic Matter: To avoid pests or diseases, consider sterilizing compost and other organic components before mixing.
Customize for Plant Needs: Adjust the proportions or add specific components to tailor the mix for different Aroid species.
Monitor Plant Health: Regularly check your plants and soil. Adjust the mix as needed to ensure optimal conditions.
Tailoring Your Aroid Soil To Each Species
Not all Aroids come from the same place in the wild, therefore, some have different soil mix requirements. Here are some individual Aroids and their specific soil needs that might differ from our DIY Aroid soil mix recipe:
Philodendrons: These versatile plants generally thrive in a mix similar to the advanced DIY soil mix, but they can benefit from a higher proportion of organic matter like compost or worm castings to support their growth.
Monsteras: Monsteras prefer a chunky mix with good drainage. Adding more orchid bark and perlite can help replicate their natural epiphytic growing conditions, promoting healthy root development, and fenestrated leaves with splits and holes.
Anthuriums: Anthuriums need a mix that retains moisture without becoming waterlogged. Incorporating more coco coir and sphagnum moss can help maintain the necessary humidity around their roots.
Alocasias: Alocasias, with their large, dramatic leaves, require a mix that provides both moisture retention and good drainage. A higher proportion of coco coir and pumice can be beneficial for these plants.
Syngoniums: Syngoniums do well in a mix with good aeration and drainage. Adding more perlite and orchid bark can help ensure their roots have access to plenty of oxygen.
Pothos (Epipremnum or Scindapsus): Pothos are hardy and adaptable, but they can benefit from a mix with good drainage and aeration. A balanced mix of coco coir, perlite, and orchid bark works well for these plants.
By tailoring the soil mix to the specific needs of each Aroid species, you can create an optimal growing environment that promotes healthy growth and allows the plants to reach their full potential.
DIY Soil Mix Recipe Summary
Throughout our Aroid soil mix guide, we've delved into the intricacies of creating the ideal soil mix for Aroid plants, species by species. Starting with the basics, we learned how to make a simple DIY Aroid soil mix using coco coir, compost, perlite, and orchid bark, emphasizing the importance of scaling the recipe to meet your potting needs.
We then explored the benefits of an advanced soil mix, incorporating more advanced ingredients like lecca balls, worm castings, pumice, activated charcoal, and zeolite. This mix improves drainage and aeration, prevents root rot, and provides a balanced environment for aroids to thrive, mimicking their natural habitat. To maximise your chances of getting mature size and colour leaves, always match your Aroid soil recipe to the specific species.
This guide has highlighted the cost-effectiveness of making your own soil mix versus buying commercial premixed soil, which may contain pest eggs, weed seeds, and unwanted guests. By creating your own soil, you ensure cleanliness and can tailor the mix to meet the specific needs of different Aroid species. We also discussed the importance of sterilizing soil ingredients to prevent pests and diseases, and the limitations of sterilizing certain components like perlite, vermiculite, and orchid bark. Lastly, we provided insights into the species specific soil needs of various Aroid plants, ensuring that each Aroid receives the optimal conditions for growth.
In summary, making your own Aroid soil mix offers significant benefits, including better aeration, improved root health, prevention of pests, and significant cost savings over time. It allows you to create a tailored environment that supports the unique growth requirements of your aroids, ensuring they flourish in their indoor habitat.
Edited & Fact Checked By: The Houseplant Shop
Article Published: 26th November 2024
About The Houseplant Shop:
Independent Houseplant Nursery
Horticultural Specialists
Managing Over 250 Houseplant Species Onsite
Over 15 Years Of Experience With Horticulture
As head of horticulture, Sarah manages the care and propagation of over 250 plant species at a commercial houseplant nursery. With over 15 years of experience in horticulture, specializing in houseplants, Sarah has extensive expertise in plant biology, soil science, and integrated pest management. She continually reviews and integrates the latest research into her plant care guides. Dedicated to educating others, Sarah has spent years diagnosing houseplant care issues and sharing her real-world experience. Her commitment to scientific accuracy and helping people diagnose plant health issues has established her as a trusted authority and expert in the field.
The Houseplant Shop is a dedicated houseplant nursery, growing all of their own stock from their botanical library of over 250 houseplant species. The nursery staff are horticultural experts who have dedicated their lives to cultivating and nurturing over 250 different species of houseplants, focusing on Aroids, tropical plants, and NOID collectables. All their plants are grown in house in Britain to be more environmentally friendly. The nursery is proud to have been featured by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) as a 100% peat free nursery.
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How We Reviewed This Article:
Our horticultural experts continually monitor the houseplant space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available. We are committed to providing current and reliable information. If you have some information that you think would be helpful in this article, we'd love to hear from you. Our team works hard to revise articles for factual accuracy, and we regularly update our pages with new information, techniques, tips, images, trade secrets, and real world experience from the team here at the houseplant nursery. You can find a list of the article updates below.
Written By: Sarah Brooks, Head of Horticulture
Article Received: 24th November 2024
Copyright: The Houseplant Shop (https://thehouseplant.shop)
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List of Article Updates:
20th December 2024: Minor UI updates
Author Bio:
Author: Sarah Brooks,
Head of Horticulture at The Houseplant Shop
