4 Simple Soil Structure Recipes

The Soil Station at Tula has always been a refuge for those plant lovers looking to make that perfect mix. A perlite and lava mix for a rare arid wonder or a mixture of coco coir and a little compost for an uncommon tropical aroid. 

But when you're just getting started, mixing your own soil structure can be an intimidating task. To build up our confidence, let's create four easy from-scratch mixes that will work perfectly as growing media for many kinds of plants, with all ingredients available at the Soil Station. And to learn more about the intricacies of soil science, head over to this neighboring Plant Read. 

Tropical soil structure is light in weight but rich in organic matter, nutrients, and water-retentive additives. 

Tropical Plant Soil

Aroids, Ficus, Calatheas, Palms, and Philodendrons love light, moisture retentive soils.

2 parts coco coir
1 part perlite
2 parts compost
2 part pre-mix potting soil

Arid Plant Soil

Cacti and Succulents thrive in light, well-draining soil structures.

2 parts lava rock
2 part perlite
1 part compost
1 part pre-mix potting soil

Arid soil is light, heavy in structure and drainage, but light on nutrients.

Orchid / Bromeliad Mix

Epiphytes that climb and grow on the surfaces of tropical trees thrive in barky, chunky soil structures.

3 parts bark
2 parts coco coir
1 part lava rock
1 part compost

Black lava rock adds structure to soils and helps with drainage.

Fern Soil

Ferns like a nutrient-rich and structured substrate.

3 parts coco coir
2 parts compost
2 parts pre-mix potting soil
1 part lava rock

And there you have it! Four easy soil mixes that can serve a wide range of plants. And if you're ready to do a deep-dive on all things soil, continue on to our Soil Science Plant Read. Happy mixing!