DIY Houseplant Soil Mixture

If you’re not mixing your own houseplant soil, you’re doing it all wrong. Just kidding. Seriously though, you should try mixing your own.

I know, it sounds super overwhelming.
I know for me it sounded overwhelming. Never thought I could do it. After watching multiple videos and doing lots of research, I figured it out and I will never pot my plants in prepackaged houseplant soil again. Now I’m sharing with you MY personal experience with mixing my own medium and what I use.

Note that every plant has their own requirements. Some plants enjoy well-draining soil while others prefer a moist soil.
So when I purchase a new plant the first thing I do is research proper care for that plant. This includes the potting mixture.

When mixing your own soil you want to make sure you have the right mixture of substrate, moisture, aeration, nutrients, and drainage.

Base Substrate - this is base soil, it produces no nutrients the plant needs.

Coco Coir or Sphagnum Peat Moss

Coco Coir
This has Excellent water retention while offering a texture that encourages healthy root growth. Plus environmentally friendly, comes from the husk of a coconut.

Sphagnum Peat Moss
Retains water and holds onto nutrients, but is also slightly more acidic and definitely needs additional aeration ingredients to help with root growth.

Extra water retention ingredients for the moisture loving plants

Vermiculite or Perlite

Vermiculite
It has great moisture retention while also offering aeration for the roots. Little more pricey than perlite.

Perlite
This ingredient is best utilized in a mixture where drainage is very important. It slowly releases water to the plant. This is what I personally use.

Nutrients
Nutrition for plants is very important. Thankfully there’s tons of options from organic and inorganic fertilizers. Homemade fertilizers and compost. This is all personal preference and research. I like to speak from experience so I’ll stick to what I’ve used.

Worm Castings
Most beneficial organic fertilizer for house plants. Even though worm castings are rich in nutrients, it’s also a slow release fertilizer. So you don’t have to worry about over-fertilizing your mixture.

Inorganic fertilizer
I’ve used inorganic fertilizer for maintenance. I also fear of over-fertilizing so I immensely dilute my fertilizer in water.

Drainage
Most plants like well-draining soil and there’s a lot of options to intergrade with your mixture for good drainage.

Bark/Wood Chips
I prefer orchard bark, it makes the soil light and less compact for better drainage and aeration. Best for any aroid plant.

Pumice or Perlite
Both of these ingredients provide excellent drainage and aeration to soil mixtures.

You’ll want to mix this in a sealable tote
35% Coco Coir
25% Perlite
20% Orchid Bark
20% Worm Castings

Disclaimer: Please know that I didn’t go into extensive details about each ingredient. Further research can be done on the origins and detail into each ingredient. I suggest watching videos and exploring other blogs on how and what they use to create their mixture. There’s so many other options and I’ve found this mixture of ingredients has worked for me the best.

Plants & Mental Health • Knowing your limits

Plants & Mental Health

Let’s talk plants & mental health.
I feel this is something that isn’t talked about enough.
I’m no expert, but I do have plants and I do struggle with mental health.

Your mental health is not only super important, but something you may have to take into consideration when purchasing plants. Ask yourself these questions. Is this plant going to stress you out? Is this plant going to be a positive motive to get out of bed to turn on the humidifier and check the soil?
Is this plant going to continue to thrive on the days when you’re struggling to even take care of yourself?

Plants are very beneficial for your mental health. Studies show plants reduced stress, fear, anger, and sadness. Houseplants are a great way to disconnect and reconnect with not only nature, but your sympathetic and nurturing side.
A plant in your care and to watch it grow is very rewarding and positive.
Plus interacting with the planty community and creating new relationships with others is helpful for those who feel like they don’t have anyone.
So yes, plants indoor or outdoor are amazing for your mental health.

With that being said, we don’t want to make something so good for us be bad. That can happen. Know your limits and question yourself if you find yourself struggling.

Since becoming a plant parent, I’ve had some bad times. Times where I felt like getting up and brushing my hair, showering, or trying to complete simple task like dishes and laundry were exhausting. I’ve had times were I would work and come home and go to sleep and sleep the whole day on the weekends. Plants became last on my to-do list when this would happen.
Knowing this is something I’ve been through with plants, and will most likely go through again at some point and time, I can’t have “needy” plants. I need the ones that can thrive while being neglected and go the extra days without watering.
This is something I take into consideration when buying a new plant.

Something else I try to stay conscious about is making sure the amount of plants I have won’t overwhelm me.
I tend to get overwhelmed easily and it makes me feel “weighted”.
Between what kind of plants and how many plants can have an effect on me.
It’s okay to not have every variety of a syngonium plant because you can’t mentally handle it.
We still have adulting chores with our plant chores, plus if you have pets, kids, demanding jobs, other hobbies and interest, etc.
When you have these awesome plants you can’t tend to, it won’t only overwhelm you, but when you can’t provide the attention they need and they begin to die, then that’s going to make us feel even worse.
The overwhelming feelings and OCD also play hand in hand. Anything from dirt & messes I make repotting. I’m very minimalistic and clean so bringing in plants makes me feel “cluttered”, almost like a claustrophobic feeling. So I try to remind myself when buying a plant that I have room on my shelves which are my specific areas for my plants.

As easy as it is to get carried way, remember you can control this and what type of effect it has on you. Know your limits.
Know you’re not alone. If you can’t handle 20 plants, that’s okay.
If you can handle over 100, that’s okay. Some may say the more plants I have the more calm I feel and others may say the more plants I have, the more it stresses me out. It’s not a competition, it’s whatever helps you grow as a person.
Just do what best for you and know you’re in control. Do not make this positive planty life a stressful planty life.

I do want to end this on a happy note, because plants are positive and awesome!
I want to share some of my favorite planty quotes that will bring positive mental health vibes.

“Every plant has their own requirements to grow… So do people.”

“Don’t forget to drink water and get some sunlight. You’re basically a houseplant with more complicated emotions.”

“Love yourself as much as you love your plants.”

“Maybe you’ve outgrown your pot.”

“Find your light and grow towards it.”

Thanks for reading,
Allison K