Soil
A mix for pots that dry too slowly
5 min readBy Marisol Vane
Bark, pumice, a little coir. The recipe matters less than the air you leave between the grains.
Why pots stay wet
A pot that stays sodden for a week is rarely overwatered. It is usually under-aerated — a fine, peat-heavy mix that holds water in every pore and leaves no room for air.
Roots drown in the absence of air, not in the presence of water.
The mix
Two parts bark, one part pumice, one part coir. Mix it dry, wet it once before potting, and expect it to drain within seconds rather than minutes.
Watering it afterwards
A coarse mix asks for more frequent watering and forgives nearly every mistake in return. That trade is almost always worth making indoors, where evaporation is slow and light is scarce.
