Best Soil for Succulents & Cacti - Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix or Miracle Gro Succulent Soil

What's the best soil for succulents and cacti? If you're into fatty plants then you've definitely run into a substrate-related question or two. Finding the best succulent soil and/or cactus soil isn't easy so we've simplified your search for you with this video.

In this video, you'll get a soil definition and we'll explain what is gritty mix for succulents? After that, I'll go through all of my succulents to show you which succulent substrate is best for each.

We mix our own succulent soil. Do we have the best succulent soil mix recipe? Probably. In terms of the competition, we'll discuss if gritty mix for succulents is a thing. Essentially we'll clarify any gritty mix soil confusion.

[ccochran]

I'm so glad I found your channel. Great information & greatly appreciated.

[ellietobe]

Cannot count the number of succulents that I killed with Miracle Grow succulent mix. As I learned a bit more I began mixing Perlite with the Miracle Grow almost half and half. After adjusting the time between waterings my succulents began to survive and grow a bit but not a whole lot of improvement. At least they lived more than a few months. I then bought the B.J. gritty mix and mixed a little soil with it for some of my succulents. That is when I saw a definite improvement.
I do not recommend switching totally to gritty mix if the succulent is doing well in a less free draining soil. Mix the gritty mix with your soil at first and gradually switch to all grit of your plant needs less moisture. You don’t want to repot real often so try to find out which type of soil your plant needs. Succulents that would ordinarily be found growing on and around rocks in their natural habitat tend to do best with a gritty mix.
It is difficult at first to understand what your plant needs. If only they could talk! It is best to buy a good book on the subject so you have a handy reference. I don’t know how it happens but the challenge of working with these plants can tend to get you hooked on them .I am never going to have a ton of plants but I do want the plants that I have to flourish.

[leaflover]

I actually mix them together. I use cactus potting soil, add some perlite and them mix in the Bonsai Jack. Bonsai Jack is too expensive to use by itself. Seems to work well for me.

[inco-gneito]

I did 4 tests with all golden barrel cacti and all the same size starting about year ago. The one with ONLY Bonsai Jack has grown the most. The one with Bonsai Jack, Espoma Organic Cactus Mix, and 100% perlite did the next best. 33/33/33 ratio. Next was Bonsai Jack and 100% perlite. Mix 70/30. The worst one was the one that was Espoma Organic Cactus Mix mixed at a ratio of 50/50 with perlite.

One thing of note was the Second one, the Bonsai Jack, Espoma Organic Cactus Mix, and 100% perlite, 33/33/33 mix, it made the golden barrel cactus "pop" out above the media. It doesn't look like it has a good foundation, but it does and is growing well.

All golden barrels were bought at the same time from the same place and at the same size. They have all been watered the same every time, in the same pot, and in the same growing conditions. I bought these four golden barrels last year for the reason to test the media.

You can not go wrong with Bonsai Jack apparently.

[myemperorw]

The chart is very helpful and descriptive. Hope you expand on it.

[juniekalu]

I'm not a newbie gardener but a newbie succulent collector. I love this video with pictures & watering needs. Perfect for someone like me. 👏👏👏

[jhernandezxi]

I toss in cinnamon to help kill any fungus that may exist in the soil, I hate fungus gnats so it's helped keep the little jerks from taking up residence in my cactus soil... It also helps with root growth. Also, Lowes sells a $4.99 masonry pebble bag that I rinse out & use to mix into my succulent soil.

[simonworthington]

Just came across this interesting video, we advise not to water plants for 1 week as they are in stress mode and to keep out of sunlight also.
love the Bonsai Jack with plenty of grit and looking very powerful.
I dont see and wood or twigs in your Miracle Gro and was it sieved ? Perlite holds water and would replace it with grit instead and beware of dry Perlite as its dangerous.

[masik]

This is so helpful! Thank you for the wonderful, consise explanations :)

[jordanmatt]

Excellent video really loved the thorough breakdown always appreciate some first principals ❤

[Dunbarton]

I live in Riverside CA -- 60 miles east of Los Angeles -- and the summer temp exceed 100 degrees F and the winter temps may drop to 20 degrees F.

About 8 years ago, I drastically pruned all of the various potted plants on my patio, washed off all of the soil from their roots, pruned the roots and re-potted the shrubs in a modified "Al's Gritty Mix" [equal portions of 1/8"-1/4" redwood bark, Turface MVP and grit (#5)].

Except for applying all-purpose granular fertilizer several years ago, I have done nothing to the gritty mix.

Now, the shrubs look like they need some plant nutrients. What do you recommend?

[L-xjxs]

What soil and pot type do you think is best for growing Euphorbia aeruginosa indoors? My other Euphorbias in clay pots with cactus soil dry out very quick and need water every 2-4 days. My Euphorbia in plastic pots do good with either cactus soil or gritty pumice mix and last twice this long without water. My Euphorbia aeruginosa needs repotting and everyone is saying to use a clay pot with gritty mix, however I think it would dry out way to fast. Its been growing in a 100% pumice mix in a plastic pot for 3 years under grow lights and looks great and very healthy but isn't growing any larger.

[patrickgrubbs]

i love bonsai jack!! thanks for sharing this info

[eloina]

my experience with bonsai jack is going very well but now im curious how my succulents will do in normal succulent soil since i started with jacks mix

[rna]

looking for how to make gritty soil... how? 😅 I mean do you mix all together or half or I need help

[bhumphries]

Why not mix them together? I think well draining soil and an organic mix is vital for drainage and nutrients.

[inco-gneito]

I want to do an update. Bonsai jack soil is not worth it. The soil that I got from espoma, while it is harder to saturate and easier bought, my plants have all done better in the espoma cacti mix. All of my cacti that are in the Bonsai Jack Mix, which I paid a ton of money for because I thought it was the best, are and have been stagnant. My Uebelmannia pectinifera has become white in color now after transplanting it to the Bonsai Jack mix last year. None of my cacti have grown at all in the bonsai jack mix. They are just "there" I guess you could say. like dormant carnivorous plants. I wish I could share pictures, but this is my experience after using both soils for at least a year now. I will not be buying Bonsai Jack gritty mix anymore. I will be using espoma cacti mix from now on. The plants in the espoma cacti mix are growing rather swell.