For houseplants sitting in tired, compacted compost, the kind that stays wet for days or dries to a hard cake, and for the plants that never quite settle in a one-size-fits-all bag. This is peat-free houseplant soil from Sybotanica in six blends, each mixed for a particular family of plants: a Universal mix for most homes, and five more for the ones that want something different. 5L resealable bag.
Every blend starts with coco coir, the fibrous husk of the coconut, which holds water without collapsing the way peat compost does. Worm castings feed the soil slowly and bring it to life, and each mix then shifts the balance. More perlite and husk for plants with thick roots that need air, more vermiculite for plants that like to stay evenly damp, a little sand for fine-rooted ferns. They're mixed by hand each week in Sybotanica's social workplace in the Netherlands, and they keep for up to two years in the sealed bag.
Which mix for which plant
| Mix | Made for | Character |
|---|---|---|
| Universal | Most houseplants: pothos, monstera, spider plant, ZZ plant, peace lily, dracaena, hoya | Balanced, lightly fed, the all-rounder |
| Aroid (Monstera & Philodendron) | Monstera, Philodendron, Pothos, Aglaonema | Chunky and rich, with plenty of air for big roots |
| Alocasia | Alocasia, Colocasia, Caladium | Vermiculite instead of perlite, to stay evenly moist |
| Calathea & Maranta | Calathea, Maranta, Fittonia, Begonia, Strelitzia, banana plants, Hypoestes | Perlite and vermiculite together: drains but stays damp |
| Ficus | Ficus, palms, Peperomia, Pachira, Mediterranean plants | Open, with extra husk and sand for bulky roots |
| Fern | Ferns and ivy | Fine and moisture-holding, for thin, delicate roots |
Some plants appear in more than one place. A spider plant, a pothos or a ficus will do well in the Universal mix. The plant-specific blend is simply tuned more closely to that family. If you're unsure, start with Universal.
A little more on each
Universal is the one we'd hand most people: an easy, lightly fed, peat-free mix that suits the everyday plants on a Dublin windowsill. Adjust your watering to the plant rather than the soil.
Aroid is our aroid soil mix, for Monstera, Philodendron and their relatives, plants that grow fast and send out thick, hungry roots. It's chunkier and much richer than Universal, with plenty of coco husk, perlite and orchid bark to keep air around the roots.
Alocasia swaps perlite for vermiculite, which soaks up water and gives it back slowly. Alocasias sulk when they swing between wet and dry, and this keeps things steadier. A plastic or glazed pot helps too.
Calathea & Maranta plants grow on damp, rich jungle floors and show it quickly in brown, crisp leaf edges when their soil dries out. Perlite keeps this mix draining while vermiculite holds a reserve of moisture.
Ficus roots are large and bulky. Extra husk and perlite give them room, and a little horticultural sand makes the mix firmer and quicker draining. Ficus don't like wet feet, so let the top dry before watering again.
Fern is the finest of the six: plenty of coco coir and worm castings to stay moist, with perlite and sand so it never turns to sludge around those thin roots. Watering from below suits ferns well.
How to repot
- Ease the plant out of its pot and gently remove as much of the old soil as you can. A rinse under lukewarm water helps.
- Snip away any dead leaves.
- Put a small layer of fresh mix in the bottom of the pot, set the plant in, and fill around the sides so the point where roots meet stem sits just below the surface.
- Pat down lightly and water thoroughly, which settles the mix around the roots.
Good to know
- Peat-free and coco-coir based, with organic nutrients. Suitable for organic growing under Dutch law, but not certified organic: Sybotanica chooses not to sterilise the worm castings, which would kill the life in the soil.
- Because the mix is alive, you may find the odd live worm in the bag. That's a good sign, not a fault.
- Holds its structure for three to four years before the coir and husk start to break down.
- Not safe for pets or children if eaten (it contains perlite or vermiculite, fertiliser and activated carbon). Keep it out of reach.
See the rest of the Sybotanica range.