How to Make DIY Soil Mix for Blue Rose Echeveria – Have you ever thought of making your soil mix? Well, if not, this could have been the sign you are waiting for because this article is just for you!
How to make DIY Soil Mix for Blue Rose Echeveria
Making a DIY soil mix for your Blue Rose Echeveria is indeed fun and exciting! Doing so will also help you explore new things that are beneficial not just for yourself but also for your succulent.
What is the best soil to use?
The best soil to use for the Blue Rose Echeveria must be well-draining, non-compacting, and breathable, must have good aeration and pH balanced, and must not have too many nutrients.
- A well-draining soil helps prevent root rot which is the main enemy of Blue Rose Echeveria. It also helps the succulent to grow healthy and thrive.
- Having non-compacting and breathable soil saves the succulent from possible too much moisture and water retention.
- A soil that has good aeration provides space that the succulent needs to breathe in and absorbs necessary nutrients. On the other hand, having pH balanced ensures less acidic soil, essential for the Blue Rose Echeveria to be healthy and live longer.
- Too much or excess nutrients in the soil is not suitable for the Blue Rose Echeveria because it affects the growth of the succulents. If the soil is composed of too many nutrients, it may lead to brittle foliage and an unpleasant-looking succulent.
What You Need to Know About Soil Composition
Soil composition refers to what ingredients you put into the soil. There are organic and inorganic matter and the texture and porosity of the soil mix.
Organic and inorganic matter – Some examples of organic matter are compost, manure, bark shreds or leaf, sphagnum moss or peat, decomposing animals or plants, and coconut coir. These organic matters help the succulent grow but also increase water retention.
Therefore, if you are to put organic matter into your soil mix, do not put too much of it as it may harm the succulent. Meanwhile, the inorganic matter is those minerals like sand, silt, gravel, mud, and clay.
These inorganic matters ensure good drainage and avoid water retention. So, the more inorganic matter and lesser organic is in the soil. Therefore, the better soil mix will be.
Soil texture and porosity – Sand, silt, and clay have different porosity and texture. Sand has large particles and pores, while clay has a fine texture and small particles.
So, soil that has sand is more porous, which helps dry the soil mix quickly. On the other hand, soil with clay tends to absorb water longer than dirt with sand. Therefore, in making a DIY soil mix for a succulent, it is much better to use sandy soil than clay soil.
Can beach sand and construction sand be used in making DIY Blue Rose Echeveria soil mix?
The only answer to this question is no. Beach sand and construction sand contain bacteria or fungi, which is dangerous for the Blue Rose Echeveria. The bacteria coming from this sand can be transferred to the succulent roots and soon affect the whole plant. So, avoid using such sand at all times.
Some Benefits in Making a DIY Blue Rose Echeveria Soil Mix
Making your succulent soil mix is beneficial in many ways:
- Making your soil mix will cost you less than buying commercial ones. Those ready-made succulent soil mixes are truly expensive, and the amount of the soil mix is lesser.
- You can make as many bags of soil mixes as you want. Unlike the regular soil mix, which is limited to two or three kilograms per bag, you can make more than that when you make your soil mix, which is indeed a great idea. It will also be easier for you to get soil mix whenever needed because you do not need to go to the garden store to get one as your soil mix is only steps away!
- You can adjust the number of ingredients as much or less as you want.
Unlike those ready-made succulent soil mixes, making your soil mix will give you the right to add or decrease the number of ingredients. For instance, you prefer a more porous and well-draining soil mix.
You can add more sand to provide good drainage for the succulent. Or, if you accidentally pour more sand than what was measured, add more of the other ingredients to make everything equal.
Ingredients for the DIY Blue Rose Echeveria Soil Mix
The ingredients in making your soil mix are easy to find. You can get them at the nearest garden store.
1. All Purpose Potting Soil – This ingredient is available at retail stores or garden stores. It is a potting soil that has myco-tone, which helps the Blue Rose Echeveria grow.
Take note that not all All-Purpose Potting Soil is the same. Some contain vermiculates, which helps retain water, and others do not. Therefore, if you choose what All-Purpose Potting Soil to use for your plant, choose the one that contains no vermiculate.
2. Coarse Sand or Turface – Adding coarse sand to your succulent soil mix will ensure porosity and good drainage because coarse sand has large particles and pores, which provide small spaces for the succulent’s roots.
This ingredient also helps avoid water retention as it quickly drains water. Turface is an additive made from calcium clay. Unlike coarse sand, turface has a fine texture and tiny pores.
Because of turface, the water remains in the soil for an extended time and keeps the medium moist. Adding turface to your succulent soil mix is not a bad idea, as long as you only add a minimal amount of this ingredient.
3. Perlite or Pumice – The Blue Rose Echeveria will benefit from these two minerals. Perlite and pumice came from different minerals, but they both help in the drainage system of the soil. They also provide aeration enough for the succulent’s roots to have space to breathe in and avoid soil compaction.
4. Coconut coir – It is the shredded husk of the coconut which has natural fiber. Adding coconut coir to your succulent soil mix will give proper drainage as it helps to dry water from the soil quickly.
Necessary Tools Needed
There are few tools you needed before mixing your DIY Blue Rose Echeveria succulent soil mix.
1. Measuring container – You can use this to measure the number of ingredients you will add to your soil mix.
2. Trowel – You can use this material to dig or mix the succulent soil mix.
3. Container for mixing – This one can be something like a bucket or anything that can accommodate all the ingredients.
4. Hand gloves – You need to use hand gloves to ensure the safety of your hands while mixing the ingredients.
How to Measure the Soil Mix
In measuring the ingredients for your succulent soil mix, you can follow the chart below. You can also adjust the ingredients if you want to make a vast amount of succulent soil mix.
- 3 parts potting soil
- two parts coarse sand or turface
- 1 part perlite or pumice
- (you can add ½ – 1 part more sand and perlite for extra drainage)
Mixing the DIY Blue Rose Echeveria Soil Mix
Mixing the ingredients is super easy. You put on your hand gloves first to make sure you’re your hands are safe. Then prepare the mixing container. Afterward, pour the ingredients one by one on the mixing container carefully. Then, use the trowel, stir all the ingredients, and make sure that the ingredients are evenly mixed. And as easy as that, you now have your own Blue Rose Echeveria soil mix.
How to Properly Store Leftovers
In storing leftovers, use an airtight container or a bucket sealing lid to ensure that the soil mix is safe from harmful pests. Then put it in a place where it is safe from getting wet or being exposed to extreme weather.
Summary
Making a DIY soil mix for the Blue Rose Echeveria is truly easy and exciting! So, why don’t you give it a try? It will surely be worth it. It will save you money and is a fun experience. Hopefully, this article provides you the guidance you needed.
