1Aroid mix (Manual)
Watering type: manual
Airiness: mediumRot risk if overwatered: medium
Suitable for
MonsteraPhilodendronEpipremnumAglaonemaSyngonium
1-LLightened aroid mix (for plants sensitive to waterlogging)
Watering type: manual
Airiness: highRot risk if overwatered: low
Suitable for
AnthuriumPhilodendron Xanadu
- •A more airy substrate than the standard Mix aroid blend
- •For plants sensitive to waterlogging and root rot
- •Universal reduced to 20% — enough for nutrition without excess moisture
2Aroid mix (Wick)
Watering type: wick
Airiness: mediumRot risk if overwatered: high
Suitable for
Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)Monstera (on a wick)Philodendron (on a wick)
3Maranta mix (Manual)
Watering type: manual
Airiness: lowRot risk if overwatered: high
Suitable for
Calathea lancifoliaCalathea ornata
4Maranta mix (Wick)
Watering type: wick
Airiness: lowRot risk if overwatered: high
Suitable for
Calathea (only with very careful monitoring!)
5Universal Light (Manual)
Watering type: manual
Airiness: lowRot risk if overwatered: medium
Suitable for
Dracaena marginataDracaena fragransCrotonSpider Plant (Chlorophytum)
5-FUniversal Light (Wick)
Watering type: wick
Airiness: mediumRot risk if overwatered: medium
Suitable for
Croton (on a wick)
6For Palms
Watering type: manual
Airiness: lowRot risk if overwatered: medium
- •Wick watering is not recommended — palms are sensitive to overwatering
7For Epiphytes (bromeliads, jungle cacti)
Watering type: manual
Airiness: very highRot risk if overwatered: low
Composition
Pine Bark45%
Coarse Coconut Coir20%
Perlite15%
Charcoal10%
Fine Coconut Coir10%
Suitable for
GuzmaniaChristmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
- •For bromeliads: main watering goes into the rosette, the substrate is only for support
- •For jungle cacti: a loose, quick-drying substrate
8For Begonias
Watering type: manual
Airiness: mediumRot risk if overwatered: medium
Suitable for
Begonia maculata
- •Wick watering is NOT recommended — critical risk of rot
- •Universal reduced to 30% — begonias are critically sensitive to overwatering
- •Bark added for aeration, vermiculite reduced
9For Orchids
Watering type: manual
Airiness: very highRot risk if overwatered: low
Composition
Pine Bark60-70%
Sphagnum moss15-20%
Perlite10-15%
Charcoal5-10%
Suitable for
Phalaenopsis orchid
10For ferns
Watering type: manual
Airiness: mediumRot risk if overwatered: medium
Suitable for
NephrolepisSelaginella (spikemoss)Other ferns
- •Ferns like soil that is constantly moist but not soggy
- •Wick watering is not recommended — risk of overwetting
11For Succulents/Sansevieria
Watering type: manual
Airiness: highRot risk if overwatered: low
Suitable for
Snake Plant (Sansevieria)Zamioculcas (ZZ plant)Succulents
- •Very good drainage — the main requirement
- •Wick watering is absolutely unsuitable
- •Full drying out between waterings
12For velvety Anthuriums (without universal soil)
Watering type: manual
Airiness: very highRot risk if overwatered: low
Composition
Pine Bark40%
Perlite25%
Sphagnum moss10%
Coarse Coconut Coir15%
Charcoal10%
Suitable for
Anthurium clarinerviumOther velvety anthuriums
- •A very airy, coarse-fraction substrate — the key requirement
- •No universal soil — too dense and moisture-retentive for velvety types
- •Wick watering is absolutely unsuitable — risk of tuber rot
- •A pot with large drainage holes is a must
13For tuberous Aroids (alocasias)
Watering type: manual
Airiness: very highRot risk if overwatered: low
Composition
Pine Bark40%
Perlite30%
Coarse Coconut Coir15%
Fine Coconut Coir5%
Charcoal10%
Suitable for
Alocasia Regal ShieldsAlocasia (Polly / Amazonica)Alocasia FrydekAlocasia Black VelvetOther tuberous (corm-based) alocasias
- •Soil archetype for alocasias: an airy mix as the base, moisture-retentive components only in small amounts
- •No universal soil — it holds moisture for a long time, leaves little air at the roots, and raises the chance of rotting
- •Bark — framework and air, perlite — aeration, coarse coconut — a little moisture without bogginess
- •Charcoal — medium stabilizer
- •Wick watering is not recommended
14For African Violets / Gesneriads (violets)
Watering type: manual / wick
Airiness: highRot risk if overwatered: medium
Suitable for
African Violet (Saintpaulia)StreptocarpusOther gesneriads
- •Wick watering is recommended — African violets dislike getting water on their leaves
- •A light, mildly acidic, airy substrate
- •Peat is the base, perlite and vermiculite provide air and moisture retention
- •Charcoal to stabilize the medium
15Colocasia — semi-aquatic (pond)
Watering type: tray / water container
Airiness: highRot risk if overwatered: low
Composition
Coarse Coconut Coir60%
Pine Bark20%
Charcoal10%
Fine Coconut Coir10%
Suitable for
Colocasia 'Black Magic'Colocasia 'Mojito'Other Colocasia esculenta (semi-aquatic Elephant Ear)
- •Archetype: coconut chips as the base, everything else is framework. The pot stands in a container of water
- •No universal soil — in standing water peat collapses and goes anaerobic
- •No perlite — it floats up and drifts into the container; if a mineral additive is needed, use Semi Hydro Mix
- •Charcoal works here exactly as intended — sorption against souring in standing water
- •There is almost no nutrition in the substrate: feed through the water in the container, canister B at the upper limit of group B
- •A liquid feed applied from above washes into the container in a single watering — so the nutrition goes into the water itself when it is changed
- •Don't confuse with mix 13 — that one is for alocasias, where overwatering = tuber rot. Colocasia is semi-aquatic and needs moisture retention
- •Soak the coconut husk and rinse it several times before use: tannins can rot the bulb
16Aroids — mineral, airy
Watering type: manual
Airiness: very highRot risk if overwatered: low
Suitable for
Pink PrincessSanderiana Bull PinkBlack Velvet PinkCaramel Marble
- •Proportions in parts: lava 1, bark 1, perlite 1, pumice 1, fine coir 2 (percentages below are rounded)
- •For Monstera and Philodendron the substrate is often too dense — the roots need more air
- •Too much peat or fine coir harms young roots and slows leaf growth (observed on Sanderiana and Black Velvet)
- •For propagating Pink Princess — akadama under a closed dome; this is not a mix for an adult plant
For Carnivorous plants
Watering type: tray
Airiness: mediumRot risk if overwatered: medium
Suitable for
Venus Flytrap (Dionaea)
