Walk into any garden centre and you'll find dozens of potting mixes. Choosing the wrong one is one of the leading causes of houseplant death. Here's how to pick correctly.
Standard Potting Mix
All-purpose compost works well for most tropical houseplants — pothos, monsteras, philodendrons, snake plants. It holds moisture without becoming waterlogged if you don't overwater.
Improve drainage by mixing in 20–30% perlite. Perlite is white volcanic glass that aerates the soil and prevents compaction.
Cactus and Succulent Mix
Designed to drain fast and dry out quickly. Never use standard potting mix for succulents — it stays moist too long. Cactus mix + extra coarse sand or grit works well.
Orchid Mix
Orchids don't grow in soil at all — they're epiphytes that cling to trees. Use bark-based orchid mix that allows roots to dry out completely between waterings.
Aroid Mix
For aroids (monstera, philodendron, pothos, alocasia): a chunky mix of potting soil + perlite + orchid bark + a little coco coir. This mimics the loose, aerated forest floor these plants naturally grow on.
