Whether in the wild or on a bookshelf, all plants need stability, nutrition, and just the right amount of water – and it’s the soil that typically provides these things. Plants have evolved in remarkably different habitats – with different soils – and when we bring these plants into our homes, we’re more successful when we try to mimic their native soils. Here, we take a look at a few of our favorite types of houseplants, the natural environments they come from, and the kind of potting soil they need to thrive in our homes.
Foliage Houseplants
Most of our favorite green foliage houseplants – like palms, dracaenas, ferns, and philodendrons – are native to tropical areas of the world where they enjoy warm days and frequent precipitation. The rich soil there is full of nutritious organic matter that holds moisture well, but also lets excess water drain away too. So, in our homes, these plants thrive in a general-purpose potting mix that contains a blend of peat moss, aged evergreen bark, vermiculite, and coconut coir fiber – components that provide nutritious organic matter and retain just the right amount of moisture around the roots. For most foliage houseplants, we like to use Fafard Professional Potting Mix.
Cacti and Succulents
In desert environments, rainfall is scarce. The soil is rocky and coarse and contains little moisture-retaining organic matter, so when it does rain, the water quickly filters down through the soil and disappears almost immediately. It’s a wonder plants can grow here at all, but cacti and succulents have evolved specialized root systems, stems, and foliage that allow these resourceful plants to soak up water quickly during the short time it’s available and then store it long-term when it’s not. In fact, cacti and succulents are such drought-specialists that sitting in moist soil for too long will lead to their quick decline. So, their preferred potting soil contains a high proportion of fast-draining components like crushed rock, pumice, and perlite. Around here, we like Crump Greenhouse Cacti and Succulent Mix and Black Gold Cactus Mix – and we often use a 50/50 blend of the two.
Orchids
If you look at the orchids in our Greenhouse, you’ll notice something unusual about the medium they grow in. Like other plants from the tropics, orchids enjoy warmth and abundant moisture. But orchids are epiphytes, so instead of rooting into the rich soil on the ground, orchids use their roots to cling harmlessly to taller plants. There, they collect moisture and nutrition from the rain and organic matter that falls on them naturally. So, to mimic that environment, orchids like a potting medium that drains fast, but also has the capacity to retain moisture for a while, slowly releasing it to the root system over the course of several days. Often called “orchid mix,” this kind of potting medium contains big chunks of sphagnum moss, fir bark, and lava rock that give the orchid roots something to cling to while retaining just the right amount of moisture around the roots. For a perfect example, look for Ferti-lome Orchid Mix in the Greenhouse.
Give Them What They Love
Plant parents want the best for their plants, and understanding the environment and soils that plants enjoy in their native habitats is important for helping them thrive in our homes too. When it’s time to repot, come visit the Greenhouse. We’ll help you find the perfect potting soil for any plant in your collection.
