15 Best Soil for Succulents – Indoor and Outdoor

Having well-drained, fertile and properly mixed soil is the key to growing. Here we have reviewed the best soil for succulents.

You sit there wondering whether you can plant succulents indoors or not. The process is quite simple and all you need is an ideal soil for growing succulents indoors. With all these soil mixes available online, you are confused about what to pick up.

Worry not as we are here with our guide on the best soil for growing succulents indoor or outdoor to give you a sense of direction on what to look for and which one you should pick for growing your indoor succulent.

Choosing the Best Soil for Succulents

Succulents grow in both indoors and outdoors, it requires little water and good potting soils.

As there is countless soil available on the market to grow succulents, it is quite normal to get overwhelmed. To give you a better sense of direction, you can keep your eyes out for these factors while choosing the right soil for your succulents-

  1. Indoor vs Outdoor potting soil

While choosing soil for succulents, you need to first determine whether you are trying to grow succulents indoor or outdoor. Depending on this, the quantity and ingredients requirement will greatly vary. 

  1. Insects

You should choose a soil that has minimal peat moss, especially while shopping for outdoor succulent soil. Peat moss attracts bugs and will tamper with the health of your succulent plant and even damage it. So look for a soil that has the least amount of peat moss while maintaining the required nutrients that your succulent needs.

  1. Soil Composition 

There are two types of soil, organic and inorganic and you should always go for organic ones because they create a natural environment for your succulents to grow. Organic soil usually contains coconut coir, leaf shreds, manure, and compost. 

All of these ingredients create an organic composition that is amazing for growing succulents.

  1. Drainage Capability

 Succulents don’t enjoy too much moisture so you need to ensure that the soil you are choosing has enough drainage capability to avoid excess watering. Look for a soil that remains dry for 1 to 1.5 days after watering and you can ensure that the soil has good drainage capability.

  1. Re-Usability

 Often you will find yourself not needing succulent soil for the time being and keeping it away for later use. Not keeping it properly degrades the quality of the soil over time and will not be as effective it once was. So choose a soil that comes in a sealed bag or has a high retention rate if used later.

Best Soil for Succulents [Indoor Potted Succulents Plant]  

During this quarantine, you are running out of ideas to spend the available time wisely and productively. So you decided to decorate your room giving it a natural outlook.

You look up online and found out indoor succulents are pretty darn cute and add aesthetic to your living room.

Keep on reading as we review some of the best soil for succulents available online followed by a guide on how to make your soil for succulents and plant it.

Succulent and Cactus Soil Mix

The Best Soil for Succulents

Superfly Bonsai has done an amazing job in creating this blend that you can choose for your indoor succulent. 

The mix is instantly usable and has a pre-mixture of Japanese Akadama which is amazing for retaining water, USA Pumice that provides greater nutrients, Pine Bark of New Zealand that holds water and fertilizer, and finally USA Haydite that helps to absorb excess water.

Your succulents need enough water to remain healthy, however, access water will degrade the health of your plant. Also, your succulents need enough air alongside water to ensure greater growth. Thankfully, this soil will ensure efficient drainage while keeping enough water for your succulents to absorb and remain healthy. 

This soil ensures that air will reach the root of your succulent.

Oftentimes you will find yourself not needing all of the soil for your succulent. To ensure less wastage, this soil comes in a resealable bag that you can use to store up an unused portion of the soil while keeping it fresh. This way, the soil will remain fresh and you can use it later on.

This soil comes in 4 different shapes and sizes ranging from, 1.25 to 12 in terms of dry quarts. You can use any of these according to your need. To give you a clear idea, the 1.25 bag has a soil of about 6 cups.

If you are planning to grow cactus indoor, you will find this as the best soil for growing succulents indoors.

Succulent Planter Soil Kit

Succulent Planter Soil Kit

Are you planning on decorating a nice looking terrarium without giving much effort to it? This soil kit is everything you need. With easy instruction, all you need to do is add your succulent. TerraGreen has done an amazing job of creating this blend that is both inclusive and effective in growing indoor plants.

As with any soil kit, the most effective ones are those that provide a wide range of benefits. This soil kit includes pea gravel that is washed for efficient drainage, activated charcoal that helps to remove toxins, and for nutrients, it has organic soil. 

It also includes some decorative aspects such as river rocks and bright moss sheets that give up a bright pop color by removing moisture. 

If your budget is tight and you need to have as much benefit as possible out of your soil succulent, this is the ideal soil. It includes so many features which would cost a lot if you were to shop for them separately.

At this price point, this is one of the best soil for indoor succulents that you can get your hands on.

Whether you are building a big terrarium or a small one, you will find this soil just about right as it comes in three different sizes. The soil includes enough ingredients that will suit any indoor terrarium.

Succulent & Cactus Soil by Bonsai Jack

Quality Succulent Cactus Soil for Growing Indooor

In terms of price and performance, this soil might be just the thing your succulent needs. You can order this soil mix online without worrying about the shipping cost as the price itself covers it up.

The soil is an amazing mixture of fine pine bark particles and calcined clay.

The giant pores of this mixture will make sure that you don’t have to worry about access to water ruining your plant. The soil mix is light and has a great blend of almost everything that a plant needs to grow in a terrarium.

It is suggested to use it with a pot that has holes as you won’t have to ever worry about watering too much ever.

The soil mix is ideal for newbies who water too often their plants. If you are into growing cactus or Bonsai as your first plants this should be your ideal pick. Indoor plants need greater airflow especially during winter or else there is a chance that fungus gnats might damage them.

Thankfully, this soil can be used year-round, and just watering the surface will sometimes be enough as the soil soaks up every bit of water and supplies them to the root. Indoor plants need enough light and water to grow and this soil mix grants maximum absorption of water.

Hoffman 10404 Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix

Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix

Now for professionals who regularly grow indoor plants on their terrarium, this organic mix might be just the soil you are looking for for your succulent. You can use this with succulents such as cacti. The soil mix is balanced with pH and can be used instantly.

Also, these soils have enough ingredients to provide enough absorption, drainage, and nutrients for your plant.

Professional growers usually prefer soil mix made with rich ingredients. Thankfully, this soil mix has a blend of rich Canadian peat moss, perlite, limestone, and sand. It is pretty much clear that your plant will thrive in this soil with all these quality ingredients making room for it to grow.

The blended mix usually comes in packs holding 4 quarts that might be just enough to grow plants indoors. However, you can order the soil mix in multi-packs of as much you like and get enough quantity that will fulfill your project need.

Lastly, there is a catch in using this soil blend mix. As the blend include peat moss, it might attract bugs. The solution is quite simple as all you have to do is place the bag in the freezer and the cold will kill the moss overnight making you worry-free.

If you are a professional grower this blended mix is the best soil for a succulent that you can get online. As for the quality of the mix, it lives up to its price and worth it to get.

Soil Mix – Premium Pre-Mixed Fast Draining Blend

Cactus Potting Mix,

If you are planning to grow succulents in small pots this is one of the best soil for indoor succulents that you can get your hands on. Mostly suitable for beginners, this soil has everything you need to cultivate your fairy garden. 

It’s quite normal to get overwhelmed by all the soil available online for succulents. This stands out of the crowd with its quality soil.

We have tested various soil over the year in our indoor terrarium and this soil made a different impression on us. While growing cactus on pots, this soil made the job easy as the cactus grew a lot healthy than we have imagined.

The soil mixture will arrive as clumps that you can break very easily. You won’t have to worry about overwatering as this soil provides greater drainage and absorption as well. This in term provides enough moisture for your plants to grow and thrive in your pot.

It’s quite fine to be concerned about water drainage and absorption however, you also have to worry about whether your plant will get enough nutrients out of the soil or not. This soil contains enough nutrients that give your succulents room to grow.

This soil blend works well with cacti, palm, and similar types of plants, so if you are considering growing one indoor, you should get this soil mix for your succulent. 

This blend lives up to its price point and stands proud among other expensive soils and also is beginner-friendly.

Red Cinder Lava Bonsai and Succulent Soil

Red Succulent Soil

As per the name of the soil, this blend is not only for succulents but can also be used for growing other types of plants. This is one of the popular succulent soil that indoor gardeners use to grow their succulents.

While growing indoor succulents, you will often face problems regarding the growing of mushrooms. Thankfully, this soil mix helps to keep your indoor planetarium clean as you grow your succulent in it. 

This in term leads to better health for your succulent and helps it to grow at a much faster rate.

This blended mix is highly recommended as plenty of succulent growers use this and it is quite popular. You will find this blend instantly to use as all you gotta do is set your succulent up. Besides succulent, you can use it to grow bonsai as well.

If you have propagation on your checklist and looking for a soil blend to carry out the task efficiently, this soul proves to be great for propagation as well. Go ahead and grab it without giving it a second thought and you won’t regret your choice.

Bonsai Jack 111-2 Quarts Succulent and Cactus Soil Gritty Mix

111-2 Quarts Succulent and Cactus Soil Gritty Mix

When it comes to fas draining soils fo succulents, Bonsai Jack 111-2 Succulent soil mix stands proud. It is the best choice for any succulent enthusiasts. With diverse usage and quality ingredients, this succulent performs amazingly in growing your succulents. 

This is the best soil for indoor succulents, especially for growing cactus.

Did we say cactus? You can even grow bonsai plants and similar types of succulent as well using this soil blend mix. You will find yourself worrying too little about watering the soil as the blend has a fast-draining capability that supplies water directly to the root without overflowing it.

As per the quality of the soil mix, the blend is ultralight, pre-washed, pre-cleaned, and completely pathogen-free. Additionally, the blend has an optimized pH of 5.5. The particles in the soil mix are average as most of the soil blends and the particle size are quite consistent.

A succulent usually grave natural environment to grow and thrive. To better mimic the natural environment, this soil mix contains soil that has zero heavy potting. You will find no sphagnum or a peat-like ingredient in the soil. 

Your succulent will have quite a natural-like environment in this soil blend and will grow effectively.

As for the size of the bag of this soil blend for succulent, it is available in 2 quarts to 28 gallons. All you have to do is estimate what you need and pick the right size to suit your succulent growing needs.

Fat Plants San Diego 1-Gallon Succulent Soil

Best 1-Gallon Succulent Soil

When the health of your succulent is where you are emphasizing, this soil mix will provide your succulent with everything it needs to grow and look happy. Grow perfect looking succulents with this soil without needing much effort. This soil blend, without a doubt, is most effective in keeping your succulents live at a stable state.

Being a licensed grower from California, Fat Plants San Diego has created their soil following a home-made recipe that is successful to grow succulents, cacti, and similar types of plants for years now. You can put greater trust in their soil blend if you care about your succulent’s health and growth rate.

To ensure your succulents better growth, you need to provide it with just the right moisture at just the right time. Doing so will reduce the risk of your plant dying at a premature state. 

Thankfully, this soil mix contains ingredients full of nutrients such as sand, worm castings, perlite, peat moss, and bone meal. Everything your succulent needs to grow happily.

To offer your succulent the right amount of moisture, this soil mix has a varying particle size that ensures the root of your succulent gets the exact amount of water at the right time. Ensuring this adds up to the growth rate of your succulent and the health of it.

Now how much should you get to grow your succulent indoors? We will leave that up to you as the soil mix comes in several sizes ranging from 1 gallon to 2-gallon bags. 

Espoma CA4 4-Quart Organic Cactus Mix

4-Quart Organic Cactus Mix

If growing succulent is just the new hobby that you have adopted and you are a complete newbie to the succulent growing scene, you should pick this soil mix. This soil mix also works quite well in providing a nutrient boost to your succulent.

With 50% of peat humus along with sand, peat moss, earthworm castings, perlite, and limestone this soil mix is as natural as the soil can get. 

Giving your succulent a natural mimicking environment to grow. The soil is also enhanced with Myco-tone Mycorrhizae, which is a special ingredient of Espoman.

To better retain moisture, this blend has an almost neutral pH level that better caters to the succulents and has about 30% less water. Whether you are planning to grow bonsai, cactus, or palm it will grant greater aeration to the root, promoting growth in the process. 

If you are growing citrus plants indoors, this soil will help you to minimize drought stress.

While shopping for the best soil for indoor succulents, you need to look for the organic ones that will promote health for your plant. Although soil blend is not OMRI-listed, it is approved to be used for organic gardening by a USDA certifying agent.

Bliss Gardens Organic Succulent and Cactus Soil

Organic Succulent and Cactus Soil

Are you looking for a soil blend mix that is organic and made with great care? This is can be the perfect fit for you. This mix a premium one that was made with great care as it is handmade. This soil mix will provide greater drainage to your cacti and succulents.

This premium mix has a variety of ingredients that promote growth for your plant. The included worm castings and perlite ensure your plant receives enough nutrients while coconut coir and peat moss ensure aeration and water supply to the root. 

This blended mix also includes shale rocks, mycorrhizae root inoculate, and expanded clay.

The challenge you are bound to face while shopping online is getting the right value for the price you pay. Although many claim to be premium soil for justifying their price, few claims live up to their expectation while growing succulent. 

We have tested this blended mix to grow cactus and this is indeed a premium soil that you can get at this price point.

Green Bay Wisconsin has greatly known for football as well as their nurseries like Bliss Garden. They put greater care in making soil mix for their plants and Bliss Garden has done an amazing job in creating this blended mix which is one of the best soil for succulents.

Best Soil for Outdoor Succulents [Outdoor Succulent Varieties] 

If you are growing them outdoor then indoor soil may turn out insufficient. Here, we have reviewed some best choices for growing in outdoor,

2/4/8-Quart Succulent Soil Mix by The Next Gardener 

Top Outdooer Potting soil - Quart Succulent Soil Mix

Succulent soil mix for the next gardener is an amazing blend mix that you can use to grow outdoor succulents. This includes growing medium-sized cacti or similar types of plants. Whatever the hunt, Perfect Plants soil mix will aid you in growing the perfect looking plants.

This soil blend has a moderate circulation of air and provides enough moisture for your outdoor succulents. While growing outdoor succulents, you need to ensure that your plants receive enough nutrients to grow in varying weather. 

The nutrients rich mix will provide your plant with a better environment to grow as it gets the minimal supply of nutrients that it needs.

As a succulent grower, you may know that succulents don’t enjoy excess moisture while growing in the soil. As the blend is prepared by professionals at Perfect Plants, they have done a remarkable job to ensure that your plants will receiver just the right amount of moisture that it needs to grow.

The ingredients included in this soil mix are balanced for pH. This includes lime, perlite, peat moss which is completely organic, and composted pine bark. Succulents and cactus enjoy growing in well-drained soils specifically the arid-types and this soil is just the right fit to grow succulents.

Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix by rePotme

Best Succulent Soil Mix for Outdoor

In terms of quality and freshness, rePotme has done an amazing job in creating this superior soil blend. The mix is completely handcrafted and is available in small batches so that the quality remains consistent. If you are considering using this for outdoor succulent growing, you can use this mix for greater results.

While growing succulents outdoor, you will face a lot of insects and pathogens damaging your succulent plants. This soil mix is ideal for keeping your succulents insects and pathogen-free so that it can grow in a healthy environment. 

If you are facing insect trouble, you should get this soil mix without giving it a second thought.

Besides insect and pathogen resistance, this soil mix ensures greater water absorption so that your succulent can supply enough water to its root. This helps in an outdoor environment where the sunlight might make your plant dry if it gets too much exposed. 

This eliminates the risk of your succulent rotting as it holds enough water for your plant.

The ingredients included in this soil mix are sand, perlite, peat moss, soil mix, and pumice. Although peat moss is likely to attract bugs, the coir coconut husk in this mix works as an effective replacement. Eliminating the chances of your succulent getting attacked by bugs.

Black Gold Cactus Mix by Sun Gro Horticulture

Black Gold Cactus Mix

As far as standard goes, this cactus mix is rated gold in terms of soil mix standard. A high percentage of users have given positive feedback about this blend’s effectiveness. 

To grow happy looking succulents outdoor, you should consider getting this blended mix ASAP!

The blend is often titled as light mix as it weighs less compared to a similar type of succulent mix available online. Planting outdoor can be quite the effort and this lightweight soil mix will ease up your planting activities. 

The blend has a less lightweight organic mixture that offers just about the right nutrients for your succulents. As cactus and succulents don’t enjoy too much moisture, you will find this soil mix great for growing these kinds of plants. The mixture can be used instantly as it comes as ready to use. 

Sun Go Horticulture has done an amazing job in creating this blend as it keeps away pests and bugs from harming your plant. The mix also ensures that your plants remain fungus free while it grows on pot outdoor.

The only downside of using this soil mix is if you are considering planting heavy succulents, the lightweight soil might not be effective enough to hold it in place. Other than that, this blend has everything you need to grow succulents outdoor.

Window Garden Fiber Soil Organic Potting Soil

Window Garden Fiber Soil Organic Potting Soil for succulents

This soil mix is unique with its uncommon composition and has a fiber-like soil mixture. The soil blend allows greater water flow and enables them to flow freely to the roots. The tubelike fiber can be very efficient in growing succulents outdoor.

The soil mix mimics the natural environment to grow succulents as healthy as possible. Coconut husk used in this blend allows oxygen to move towards the root of the plant freely. The mix is completely peat-free that makes this eco-friendly and organic.

You can get this soil mix in 10 or 12-quart bag sizes and pick the right one that suits your outdoor succulent planting needs.

Fat Plants San Diego Premium Cacti and Succulent Soil with Nutrients

Fat Plants San Diego Premium Cacti and Succulent Soil with Nutrients

From a brand perspective, this soil mix is a fine one as it is quite popular among succulent growers. The ingredients of this soil mix include volcanic pumice, sand, coco coir, and fine sphagnum moss. All of these together generate enough nutrients for your succulent to grow and thrive.

The soil is ready to go and you don’t have to waste any time mixing it. You can even add additional pumice if you are concerned about the soil’s drainage capability. The soil also includes mycorrhizae that add life to the soil. This in term adds up to the health of your succulent.

How to Prepare Soil of  Succulents

If you don’t want to shop for soil for succulents online and want to take the responsibility of making your soil for succulents, you can do that quite easily.

The process can be quite effortless and exciting if you know the deal. So let us guide you in making soil for succulents.

  1. Firstly, you will be needing some ingredients. Shop for potting soil, coarse sand, and perlite.
  2. The potting soil that you are going to pick up can be all-purpose potting soil which is quite helpful and comes with a variety of succulent growing capability.
  3. Mix them up at just the right amount depending on whether you are growing succulent indoor or outdoor.

Your succulent will be needing enough nutrients to grow.

To make sure of that, you can add a variety of ingredients including worm tea. Mix them up in a container and they will be ready to use.

Also, you can store the excess amount for later use as well. Instead of using perlite, you can go for pumice. 

Be cautious as too much pumice will attract insects and bugs.

Tips for Growing Succulents

Succulents can be quite easy to grow if you know what you are doing. While growing succulents indoor or outdoor, make sure your succulents receive the following-

  • Ensure Enough Sunlight

Succulents grow amazing on sunlight and about six hours of light is needed per day to grow your succulents effectively. Make sure your succulent is getting enough sun exposure to remain healthy and grow.

  • Maintaining Usual Watering

Succulents hate excess moisture so proper watering needs to be ensured. The watering will vary according to seasons. During summer, it will need much watering and in winter, avoid watering your plant too much to get rid of excess moisture.

  • Choosing the Right Container

Succulents usually grow in pots and containers and you need to get a container that has good drainage capability. Although your soil for succulent will carry out the task of drainage, there needs to be enough holes to give excess water out of the pot.

  • Caring

Your succulents need enough care so that it remains healthy. Otherwise, bugs and insects are likely to damage your succulent. To avoid that from happening, clean your succulent regularly and get rid of dust piling up on it. Doing so will make them grow at a much faster rate.

Final Verdict  

Now that you have gained a pretty clear idea about succulents and how to grow one indoor or outdoor, you can start the process almost effortlessly. 

Whether you shop for the best soil for succulents or try to make it on your own, we hope our guide has given you a pretty clear picture about what are the things you should pay attention to.

Now go ahead and decorate your home with cute looking succulents.

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