Moisture Control Soil for Succulents

Soil

• When planting succulents outside, use your garden soil as the base for your soil mix. Although there's always a possibility of pests or disease in outdoor soil, it's typically full of nutrients to help your plants grow. It's best to mix the ingredients in a bucket, so dig a hole deep enough for the succulent's roots. Fill one-third of the bucket with some of the leftover garden soil to start your mix. For indoor succulents, a sterile potting soil works as a good base, but be sure to use a basic mix instead of a moisture-control one that might hold too much water. Fill one-third of a bowl with the potting soil as your base.

Sand

• Because most succulents adapted to flourish in sandy soil conditions, adding sand to the mix helps your plants feel right at home. The sand allows water to drain efficiently while keeping the roots aerated to help prevent root rot. One-third of your moisture-control soil mix for succulents should be sand. Horticultural sand is best because it's sterile, salt-free and coarse enough to aerate the soil properly. Builder-grade sand is another alternative.

Peat Moss

• Peat moss helps add texture to the soil while keeping it loose and aerated. This should fill the final one-third of your mixture. Peat moss will hold some moisture in the soil, releasing it to the roots over time. It's a sterile soil additive, so it won't introduce fungi or other pathogens to the mix, but it also won't provide much in nutritional value. Add a diluted houseplant fertilizer about once a month during the growing season to keep your plants well fed -- give your succulents about half the fertilizer you would other plants.

Considerations

• Testing your soil mix lets you know if you have the right consistency. Water it thoroughly, then pick up and handful of the mix and squeeze. It should break apart easily when you open your hand. If it holds its shape, it's too dense to support your succulents. Other additives, such as slate chips, perlite or vermiculite, can create more texture and aeration in the soil to allow better drainage. When watering a succulent, pour enough water so that it drains out the bottom of the pot or until the ground is damp at least 6 inches deep in your garden. Let the soil dry out completely before adding more water.