Looking to nurture your succulent plants and your cacti? Start them out right by investing in some high-quality soil. When it comes to propagating succulent plant life, choosing the right soil can quite literally be a matter of life and death.
There are a few different succulent soil options to consider. You can always mix your own soil, which is something that many succulent experts take pleasure in. Mixing soil can be fun but also rather time-consuming, so you may prefer to buy something that’s pre-mixed. There are several brands that are worth considering, but these are our picks for the best of the best.
8 Great Soils for Your Succulents and Cacti
1. Black Gold Cactus Mix by Sun Gro Horticulture
Black Gold is a pretty big name in the succulent community. The people who use this soil typically rave about it, saying their plants have never appeared heartier or more robust. This is certainly one of the best options for a “light” soil mix; with comparatively little organic matter, it doesn’t weigh as much as some of the other soils that are out there. That’s exactly what makes it ideally suited for succulents, which really don’t need organic matter to retain moisture. All told, this soil should be seen as a go-to for experienced and novice succulent growers alike.
2. Succulent & Cactus Soil Mix from Superfly Bonsai
Here’s another great soil that you can use straight out of the bag, and that’s tailored for use with succulent and cactus plants. Again, there’s not a lot of organic matter here, which makes it a fairly light soil, and there’s also very little dirt. Instead, you just get a nice blend of pumice, bark, and other substances that help fortify your succulent and cactus life. We’ll also highlight that this brand comes in a number of sizes and offers easy-to-reseal bags for your convenience.
3. Bonsai Jack Succulent & Cactus Gritty Mix
A great example of a “gritty mix,” this soil is made up of larger particles and almost nothing in the way of organic matter. Again, you’ll get some bark, calcified clay, and the like. The resulting mix is lightweight, fast-draining, and ready to use right out of the bag. One of the best things about Bonsai Jack is the robust anti-pathogen mix, which helps keep any pests out of your beloved succulent pots. This is definitely a high recommendation for first-timers and experienced succulent growers alike.
4. Hoffman Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix
While we don’t recommend this mix for every type of succulent, we do recommend it for some. That’s because Hoffman has specifically honed this mix for desert cacti, for jungle cacti, and for Aloe Vera. If that’s what you’re growing, look no further, because this is the specialty soil you’ve been looking for. The pH balances Canadian sphagnum peat moss with a number of other ingredients, including limestone, perlite, reed sedge peat, and sand, and should be just what your plant life needs to thrive.
5. Bliss Gardens Organic Succulent and Cactus Soil
Bliss Gardens’ flagship soil is made with some truly premium ingredients, including shale, expanded clay, and horticultural charcoal. Together, these ingredients promote filtering and rapid drainage. Also note the presence of Mycorrhizae root inoculate, which not a lot of soils have. This cultivates beneficial fungi that grow along the roots of your succulents, actually helping nurture them. The result may be succulents and cacti that grow quite fast and remain healthy. This is definitely a brand worth knowing about, no matter what kind of succulent life you’re hoping to propagate.
6. Espoma Organic Potting Mix
This organic mix is tailored for cacti and comes with a number of ingredients to ensure healthy growth: a high concentration of sphagnum peat moss, along with perlite, humus, and limestone. Additional benefits include a neutral pH level, which is something that tends to benefit succulent plants, and optimal drainage and aeration. We’ll caution against using this mix for your more fragile plants, and we’ll also note that this soil retains a bit more water than some of the others on the list. With that said, it’s been rapturously reviewed by the succulent community, and should work well for a range of succulent plant life.
7. Miracle-Gro Cactus, Palm, and Citrus Potting Mix
Miracle-Gro is a well-known brand name, and for good reason: The company makes some really excellent products. This soil is specially made with succulent and cactus plant life in mind. Those who have used it say that it can feed plants for a full six months, and that it produces some really vibrant and robust colors. This soil is also designed to promote drainage and to prevent compaction. We will note that, because this soil can retain water, a bit of added perlite may be necessary. With that small caveat aside, this is a soil well worth considering.
8. Fat Plants San Diego Soil Mix for Succulents
Last on our list is this mix from Fat Plants, which is notable for a few reasons. Specially formulated by a licensed grower, this mix is made with cacti and succulents in mind. Its nutrient-rich mix can feed plants for up to nine months, providing everything needed for your succulents to grow. And while this is a little bit pricier than some of the other soils on the list, we think it offers incredible value.
Get the Right Soil Mix for Your Succulents and Cacti
The choice of which soil to get is not one to make lightly. There are some crucial factors to consider, any one of which can make a big difference in the growth of your plant life. Drainage, pH balance, and presence of organic matter are just a few of the core considerations to make.
The soils on this list have all been tested and proven to be worthwhile, and we think they’ll bring you good results with your succulent and cactus garden. Try one today, and for more information, don’t hesitate to contact us directly.
