🟤 Dirt That Works: The Best Soil Mixes for Your Prickly, Chunky, Carnivorous, and Caudex-y Friends

Let’s talk dirt.

(Not gossip—we’re talking actual plant soil, though let’s be real, succulent drama is juicy too.)

Whether you’re growing a sassy Aeonium, a spiny cactus, or a flesh-eating Sarracenia (we say that with love), your plant’s soil mix matters more than you think. Give them the right medium, and they’ll thrive. Get it wrong… and, well, you’ll be staring at a mushy mess wondering where you went wrong.

Let’s break it down by plant type—because these green babies all have different personalities (and dirt preferences to match).

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🌵 Best Soil Mix for Cacti

Fast-draining. Gritty. Absolutely no water retention issues allowed.

DIY Cactus Mix Recipe:

• 50% coarse sand or pumice

• 30% cactus potting mix or coco coir

• 20% perlite or crushed lava rock

Pro Tip: If you water your cactus and the soil isn’t dry in 24–48 hours, it’s too moisture-retentive. Adjust with more grit.

🌵 Cactus Crew

Plant	Soil Mix	Watering Tips
Astrophytum asterias	50% coarse sand, 30% cactus mix, 20% perlite	Deep watering only when soil is fully dry
Mammillaria elongata	Same as above	Same
Echinopsis chamaecereus	Same as above	Same
Gymnocalycium mihanovichii	Same as above	Minimal water, especially for grafted types
Opuntia microdasys	Same as above	Water sparingly
Ferocactus wislizeni	Gritty mix with extra rock	Less frequent, deep watering
Parodia magnifica	Add extra pumice	Water deeply once dry
Rebutia muscula	Fast-draining + gravel	Let dry between waterings
Cereus peruvianus	Cactus mix + lava rock	Infrequent, allow full dry out
Lophophora williamsii	Extremely porous, sandy loam	Rarely water

 

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🌿Best Soil for Succulents

Light, airy, and ready to dry out faster than your ex’s last apology.

DIY Succulent Mix Recipe:

• 50% cactus/succulent potting mix

• 25% perlite

• 25% pumice or coarse sand

Add-ins: Crushed charcoal or worm castings (optional) for nutrients. Just don’t overdo it—succulents like lean living.

💚 Succulent Squad

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🌈 Best Soil for Aeoniums:

A bit more moisture-friendly, but still fast-draining.

DIY Aeonium Mix:

• 40% succulent/cactus mix

• 30% pumice or coarse perlite

• 20% coconut coir or compost

• 10% small bark fines (they like structure!)

Fun Fact: Aeoniums go semi-dormant in summer and don’t want to be waterlogged—especially in the heat.

🌈 Aeoniums a.k.a. Rosette Royalty

Plant	Soil Mix	Watering Tips
'Sunburst'	40% cactus mix, 30% pumice, 20% coir, 10% bark fines	Deep water, less in dormancy
'Zwartkop'	Same	Reduce watering in heat
'Blushing Beauty'	Same	Sparse water in summer
'Cyclops'	Same	Water when top 2″ dry
'Cornish Rose'	Same	Adjust for season
'Mardi Gras'	Same	Minimal in summer
'Velour'	Same	Infrequent watering
'Lily Pad'	Same	Mist sparingly
'Medusa'	Same	Dry during dormancy
'Pink Witch'	Same	Every few weeks

🌿 Rooting Tip: If starting from a cutting, let it callous for 3–7 days, then plant in dry mix. Water only after 7–10 days. Drama takes time, darling.

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💀 Best Soil for Carnivorous Plants

NO fertilizer. NO minerals. Just pure, acidic, nutrient-poor bliss.

Classic Mix for Most Carnivores (like Venus Flytraps, Sundews, Sarracenia):

• 50% pure sphagnum peat moss

• 50% perlite (rinsed!)

• NO compost, NO regular potting soil, NO miracle anything.

Exceptions:

• Mexican Pinguicula (butterworts): Add crushed lava rock or a little orchid bark.

• Drosophyllum (Dewy Pine): Likes alkaline, gritty soils with sand and terracotta pots.

• Heliamphora: Prefers long-fiber sphagnum with extra drainage.

🦷 Carnivorous Cuties

Plant	Soil Mix	Watering Tips
Dionaea muscipula (Flytrap)	50% peat moss, 50% perlite	Use distilled water, keep moist
Drosera capensis	Same	Keep soil moist, not wet
Drosera spatulata	Same	Moist soil always
Sarracenia leucophylla	Same	Tray method (sit in water)
Sarracenia purpurea	Add more sphagnum	Moist, not soggy
Nepenthes ventricosa	Long-fiber sphagnum + bark	Keep humid, use distilled
Pinguicula esseriana	50% perlite + 50% sand	Keep moist, avoid drying
Pinguicula gigantea	Same	Mist occasionally
Utricularia sandersonii	Sand + peat + fine bark	Keep moist via tray
Heliamphora minor	Sphagnum + lava rock	Humidity + moisture balance

💧 Water Rule: No tap water, ever. Carnivores demand distilled, rain, or reverse osmosis water only. They’re fancy like that.

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🌱Best Soil for Caudiciforms (Caudex Plants)

Think bonsai meets desert. These chunky bois need airflow around their roots.

Custom Caudex Mix:

• 40% bonsai soil or akadama

• 30% pumice or crushed lava rock

• 20% cactus mix or coarse coco coir

• 10% perlite or fine gravel

Optional: A shallow pot for staging, especially for Dioscorea, Stephania, or Fockea. Just don’t let the caudex sit in moisture.

Bonus Tip: Top dress with gravel for a museum-quality look and to prevent rot near the base.

🌱Caudex Plants (aka Chunky & Funky)

🌱 Reminder: These are desert bonsai, not houseplants. Let them go dry between waterings. They like a little struggle.

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🌿 Final Thoughts: Soil Is Sexy

Okay, maybe not sexy sexy—but soil is the silent hero of every thriving plant collection. From chunky caudex kings to thirsty carnivores, giving each plant its custom soil mix is like picking out the perfect mattress: it’s not glamorous, but it’ll change their life (and yours).

• When in doubt, more drainage is better.

• Water less often—but water deeply.

• Repot every 1–2 years or when your mix starts acting funky.

• Don’t trust pre-bagged “succulent soil” blindly. Check the label—if it holds moisture for days, toss it.