The Best Soil Mix for Aroids, Philodendron, Hoya - How to Stop Overwatering Your Plants
Aroid plants are some of the most interesting, uncommon, and rewarding plants you can grow. From their unusual foliage to weird flowers, they make a great addition to any home. Aroids love humidity so growing them indoors is often necessary for healthy growth.
If you want to keep your plant happy then it’s important that you know how much light it needs, what kind of soil mix is good for these type of plants, and what type of fertilizer will work best.
Symptoms of overwatering your plants
Plants absorb water through their roots. Once the soil is moist enough, the plant will not absorb any more water. If you overwater your plant, then you are essentially drowning its roots in too much water, which damages the root system. Overwatering symptoms are usually easy to spot once you know how to look for them.
Here are some signs of overwatering your plants:
- Brown spots are starting to develop in the middle of leaves. These spots are usually circled by yellowing foliage. They can seem to appear from nowhere.
- Mushy or dark brown parts, especially near the soil line and stems.
- Dropping leaves everywhere. New or old, they're all falling off or yellowing and limp.
- Mold or fungus growing on the top of the soil. Fungus gnats may be flying around your plants and house.
- The potting soil looks wet even when you haven't just watered it.
Understanding Your Plant's Needs
What are aroid plants?
Aroids are plants that belong to the family Araceae, and include some of them most common houseplants like philodendrons, Monstera, Anthurium. The family name refers to their unique inflorescence or flower structure.
Where are aroids found in the wild?
Philodendron, Monstera, and other Aroids are found in humid environments in the wild. These plants like a good amount of moisture, but are rarely in wet soil.
What type of soil do aroids like?
Soil is the foundation of your plants. There are many types of soil, but not all soils are good for aroid plants.
Make sure the soil is well-drained and has good aeration. This creates an environment where water can drain quickly while still retaining moisture in the soil. You want the soil to be able to dry out in a reasonable time between waterings. Depending on the container size, normally a mix and pot that dries out within 1-2 weeks after watering will be great.
Many off the shelf potting mixes will hold too much water. Use one of these mixes out of the bag, and you will find it difficult to care for your plant -- it will be easy to over water, and take too long for the soil to dry out.
Our favorite aroid potting mix recipe.
The soil mix for best growth and easy care is:
- 2 parts orchid bark
- 2 parts perlite
- .5-.74 part horticultural charcoal (depending on whether your orchid bark already contains charcoal)
- .25 part worm castings
Mix together with a bit of water, and you're ready to plant.
This optimal mixture will give your plant the drainage it needs while keeping its roots moist. It also provides nutrients to the plant's roots that help it thrive.
Short on space or just potting a few small Hoya? Just use a small container as your 1 part, and this recipe will easily scale down.
How to water your plants.
Water your plants deeply but infrequently – it’s better to water them less often than more often.
Fertilize every couple of months with a diluted solution of fertilizer, or for easy care and great growth choose a continuous feed method where you use a smaller dose of fertilizer in every watering. The dose size does vary, so please reference your fertilizer container for the proper water to nutrient ratio for continuous feeding.
Aroid plants are easy to grow, as long as you provide the right conditions then there are many species out there that are perfect for beginners!
