Understanding soil composition, usage and function in succulent plant cultivation

If you want your succulent plants to look beautiful, a suitable pot of growing soil is indispensable. Let's take a look below at which soils are most suitable for growing succulent plants.

Akadama soil can be said to be the most suitable soil for succulent plant growth. This is not a soil formula only for fools or beginners, but an answer that many experts fully endorse. Take the akadama soil bought by the bag. Use a 20-mesh sieve to remove the powder that easily compacts, then plant directly with it. Almost any variety of succulent plant can use it.

Why is akadama soil so good to use, yet many succulent lovers are still discussing soil formulas for succulent plants?

1. Akadama soil is too expensive, and although akadama soil has decent hardness, over time it will still break down into powder, becoming something that obstructs the succulent's breathing. After repotting, the loss is too great (unlike things such as clay pebbles, which can be reused repeatedly). This further increases the cost of akadama soil (for home cultivation, the cost of akadama soil for roughly one small square pot is about 1 yuan).

2. Many highly experienced masters understand the local climate and the characteristics of various plants very well, and consider akadama soil not good enough, so they research soil formulas themselves. However, there is no unified answer to such formulas; they may even stop working once away from their greenhouse and away from their watering habits. If you obtain a formula, you should figure out what purpose each ingredient in the formula is proportioned to achieve, try using it first based on your own conditions, and then eventually use it entirely.

Characteristics of common succulent plant soil mixes

The uses of soil for succulents come down to just a few points: anchoring the root system, storing and slowly releasing water, providing nutrients (just a little is enough), air permeability, and adjusting pH (the roots of Sedum plants grow best in weakly acidic soil). Let's take a look at the main functions of common soils.

1. All-purpose type (can be used alone)