Ready to make your very own aroid mix? Then this guide is for you! I will share my favourite ingredients, ratios, and go into details about the what, why, and how. I use this potting mix for all of my aroid plants, and highly recommend it for anthurium, monstera, hoya, philodendron, pothos (epipremnum), syngonium, and alocasia. 

Taking some time to understand each ingredient will help you in the long-term. The type of environment and plant pots are also very important to ensure healthy plant growth. I will talk about this after my recipe below.

Aroid Mix Ratio and Ingredients

5 parts coconut coir
5 parts perlite (fine and slightly coarse, range of 3mm-10mm)
3 parts orchid bark (pine or fir)
3 parts coconut husk chips
1 to 2 parts horticultural charcoal (optional)
1 to 2 parts worm castings (optional)

Consider adding some LECA at the bottom of pots to help with drainage.

Add more chunky materials (perlite, orchid bark, coco chips, charcoal) to increase drainage for faster drying time. Add more dense materials (coco coir, worm castings) to decrease drainage and slow down drying time. My pre-made Aroid Potting Mix is available for sale in my online shop, but can only be shipped within Canada because it contains organic materials.

I like to make a big batch in a plastic tote bin, making sure to let it air out and dry before storing away. If the materials are damp and remains still for a long time, it'll promote fungus and mold growth.

Replacement Ingredients

There are 6 different materials used here—some of which might be hard to find in your area, so here are some alternatives! In a pinch, you can even cut down to just 3 ingredients: coco coir, bark, and perlite in equal parts.

Coco coir - replace with general all-purpose potting soil, peat moss (not as eco-friendly), or don’t use any coir for an extra chunky mix (great for extremely high humidity settings).
Perlite - replace with pumice or lava rock.
Orchid Bark - replace with coconut husk chips, any pine or fir bark.
Coco Chips - replace with orchid bark.
Horticultural Charcoal - optional. Charcoal is not a necessity for plant health.
Worm Castings - optional. Can also use manure or compost. I recommend using soluble or slow-release fertilizer to feed your plants because organic materials wash away easily with watering.

About Each Ingredient And Their Role

Coco Coir
An eco-friendly substrate made of finely processed coconut husks. Great water retention, but doesn’t pack down as much as soil. Also comes in more fibrous forms.

Perlite
A lightweight material made from expanded rocks (heated until they pop). Increases aeration and drainage by forming air pockets, and retains water well due to its porous characteristic. Perlite is often used in potting mixes, and can be used on its own for semi-hydro growing and propagation. I highly recommend including perlite sizing from 3mm to 10mm in any aroid mix. The only downside is it can break easily in transit, and can form a lot of dust.

Orchid Bark
Usually made of pine bark or fir bark. Commonly known as orchid bark because it is so often used for growing orchid plants. This chunky organic material is good for increasing aeration and drainage.

Coco Chips
A byproduct made from coconut husks, this material is an eco-friendly addition to your potting mix. Good water retention while increasing aeration and drainage.

Horticultural Charcoal
A porous material that can help retain nutrients, absorb odor, increase drainage, and help beneficial microbes. Why “horticultural”? Because it’s pure charcoal with nothing added—many regular charcoal have additives for cooking purposes. Check before you buy!

Worm Castings
A great product for adding nutrients to your plants, this is essentially worm poop. Usually no unpleasant smells, and cannot “burn” your plants from overfeeding. For a chunky mix, any natural nutrients like worm castings and manure can be washed away much faster due to how chunky the potting mix is. 

Growing Advice

Watering
This chunky mix is different from regular potting soil, and will need to be treated as such. Due to the big pieces of substrate, watering from the top will likely just run straight out the bottom. I recommend soaking the pot, or use the bottom watering method. This will give the substrates some time to soak up water; make sure to fully drain excess water before putting your plant away. When using this aroid mix, the ideal drying time is around 7 days, and up to 10 days. Anything longer will increase the risk of root rot.

Fun fact: letting this mix dry out between watering is super effective at preventing fungus gnats, who prefer consistently damp environments.

Planters And Pots
Pots with ample drainage holes are probably more important than the substrate itself. I prefer using clear plastic pots to keep an eye on roots, and ensure the pots have plenty of drainage holes to help with aeration. Make sure these holes are along the edges of the pot where water likes to gather. Pots with one hole in the middle are terrible for drainage. For a cheap alternative, you can use plastic cups/containers and melt holes with a soldering torch/pen.

Environment
The space for your plants is crucial. For aroids, I recommend:
Humidity of 50% or higher - I’m in Canada where the air is dry most of the year, so all of my plants are in greenhouse cabinets where humidity is 60-80%

Bright indirect light for 10-12 hours per day - Canadian winters give me barely any sunlight, so I use full spectrum LED grow lights on a timer for 12 hours per day. 

Good airflow - in nature, there is often a natural breeze. This constant airflow prevents stagnant air which promotes growth of mold and fungi, and helps the substrate dry faster. I use tiny fans in my greenhouse cabinets, and a larger fan in my grow tent. If you have your plants in a high foot traffic area of the house, that will be ok too!

Thanks For Reading!

To sum it up, you can adjust the ratios of this DIY mix to fit your environment—it’s normal for everyone’s mix to be a little different! I hope this aroid potting mix recipe will help you along your plant journey. If you have additional questions, feel free to reach out on the Contact Page or social media!