Hello @BronteJackson
Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community. It's wonderful to have you join us, and thank you for sharing your question about making your own potting mix.
My wife has a fair collection of succulents (let's just say a lot) and my gardening specialist at the store gave me a tip on how to mix soil for succulents.
The ingredients are Garden Basics 25L All Purpose Potting Mix, specifically the one that does not have any additives or moisture retainers in it. You want the soil to freely drain and not hold water as this will not benefit the succulent. Next is Ki-Carma 20kg Coarse Landscape Sand. Again, you want sand that lets water drain out. The last piece is Brunnings 5L Perlite Potting Mix, when it's mixed in with the soil mix, this Perlite potting mix forms spaces to allow water to freely move through the root system.
The formula passed on to me for succulent potting soil consists of the following proportions:
- 3 parts potting soil
- 2 parts sand
- 1 part perlite
What does "part" mean in this context? A "part" serves as a general unit of measurement to establish the ratio of ingredients in the potting mix. You have the flexibility to choose any measuring tool you prefer for defining your "part." It's essential to maintain consistency in the measuring tool you use for each "part."
To illustrate, if you opt for a 1-cup measure as your unit, the recipe can be translated into 3 cups of potting soil, 2 cups of sand, and 1 cup of perlite. This ensures the same proportional mixture, regardless of the quantity you intend to create. Make sure to mix well
I also suggest having a look at this discussion - Recipe for my best homemade potting mix by @doubleaitch.
Here are some links to handy soil guides:
Let me call on our experienced members @Noelle and @mich1972 for their recommendations.
If you have any other questions we can help with, please let us know.
Eric
