Aroid (and epiphyte) Potting mix

This is a highly requested video on aroid potting mix to help our aroids grow huge and spectacular leaves. This mix works for other epiphytes and sansevierias too as it drains/dries fairly quickly and allows for gripping roots. I discuss why epiphytes grow better in this medium rather than the conventional “soil”, the ingredients in this mix, and take you on a plant tour to see my collection that is grown in this medium.
My instagram: @bo.tan.ist
Jazz background music made by Rhythm Alley
/ rhythmalley.taiwan
Background music are created by me exclusively for this channel.

[@doyouzgot2knw]

Honestly, I don’t think anyone realizes how GOLD your videos are about everything! Like i swear by you, to everyone who needs a visual explanation of how to care for all kinds of plants! Thank you, for making all these videos, for all the information, and for your effort! Because I really appreciate it! 🙏🏼

[@onlyplants]

Whoaa thank you so much that is quite the testimonial.

[@TinyHyena1967]

@PlantManUli ~ My thoughts exactly!! I send ALL of my plant buddies (and strangers that I meet at my local plant stores/nurseries) here for plant info. Thank you, thank you, Sean (Shawn?), the plant info you provide us all is soooo much appreciated, and second to none, in my opinion. You have most likely saved some of my plants from certain death because the plants were new to me and I needed the CORRECT care information for them. And a large part of what makes your videos so invaluable is the updates you provide at the end. I can't thank you enough for taking the time and making the effort to do that. About 90% of my plant collection is Aroids and they thank you, as well. They're all extremely healthy and thriving, so please keep doing what you do! :) Very grateful here in Tampa, FL.

[@lindadianamurrell6653]

🥰 Just can’t get enough of this channel, always enjoyable, very informative and well presented!!!!!🇬🇧

[@onlyplants]

Thanks Linda 😌

[@lindadianamurrell6653]

@@onlyplants 😊You’re very welcome!

[@gayathryvenkiteswaran6326]

I love your videos on the medium/soil - makes absolute sense! Thank you for doing such extensive research and experiments and sharing the results with us :-) And your text commentaries are hilarious!

[@miam1458]

This video is so relaxing. I loved listening to you explain the soil mixture while watching you play with it 😄 I want to go make my own now! Thank you

[@dixie2881]

Love love stone wall in background . I’m soo envious 🤩 great info thanks

[@camille.c]

AROID MIX: - something chunky (fast draining, resist compaction), e.g. bark, charcoal, coconut chips - potential add ins: rice hulls, twiga - big bits of perlite (aeration!) - worm castings

[@kathleenstapf1499]

Hello, did you find burnt rice hulls or just rice hulls?

[@aniya545]

@@kathleenstapf1499 I haven’t been able to find burnt rice hull either

[@swayback7375]

Rice ingredients are very hard to find in the states. Your plants won’t mind as long as you use ingredients that won’t compact. Pumice is great and usually cheap and easy to find but you might need to crush it to a smaller size, wear ppe you don’t want to get it in your eyes or your lungs! Coco coir, the stringy kind, is a great addition as well, you can cut some of it up into like 1” bits and leave some long. You can also use stuff you find outdoors too! If your in the states you likely have access to lots of dead ash trees since the ash borer has killed them all… the bark can easily be gathered and crushed to use, I like it a lot! As well as any old dead dry twigs, I pull them out of my compost heap, dry in the sun and crush them up, seems to work just fine!

[@christinekobzeff]

Loving these potting mix videos and how you show the plants growing in each mix, you’re amazing, thank you Sean!

[@onlyplants]

Thank youuu. One last video next Friday on general purpose potting mix!

[@aquafina6544]

@@onlyplants Sean i can't find burnt rice hull and coconut chunk in the states what can I use for these?

[@livingwithinne1756]

This becomes my fav potting mix. It works well for my plants.. Thank you Sean..

[@onlyplants]

You’re welcome. I love seeing other succeed with their plants it brings me so much joy!

[@pawstar1]

Thanks for sharing, it helps ariod lovers that are just starting out (like me) a lot 👍🏻

[@stellistellostilletto301]

Thank you thank you! Your videos are all very informative, none hidden. You're amazing.

[@onlyplants]

Thank you 😌🙏🏽

[@waverine]

thank u for this video!! and love to see u intro your plants and their soil mix.. i am more of a visual person than text! keep it up your videos are informative!

[@ShyDog827]

I really enjoy these potting mix videos so much. Since I’m not always potting plants, I forget what the best soil mix and moisture levels should be. I live in north Texas , so I’ve learned to adjust for my climate. I use vermiculite now instead of perlite because it gets too dry here. It’s helped a lot👍

[@DoReMiFaSophia]

Very helpful! Thank you. Can't wait to repot my plants with this mix.

[@Ali-enAdventures]

I'll have to use moss the get the aerial roots to go down into the pot. Great idea, thank you!

[@cherylyeo25]

Oh YAY! And here is it! 3 part series yahooooo! ;P thanks! Making cues from you - finally took the courage to chop off / propagate my mini monstera (tetrasperma) and into the aroid potting mix it goes (w/o worm casting as you mentioned before - hope I m getting it right?). Fingers crossed and hope they will rooted up well as I would like to give them out as X'mas gifts ;) :) ;P as usual loving the captions!

[@yolymagnaye7935]

Sean, thank you so much for sharing info. Stay safe and God bless you🙏🙏🙏

[@mahalie23]

I’ve been doing a lot of research and learning about plants, lots of good content out there but your videos are my favorite by far! So informative and it’s obvious you really know what you’re doing. Thank you!!!

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu

[@bhumphries1360]

I agree Mahalie! 😊🌵☀️❤️

[@leanawong6744]

I agree 100%

[@wmchiew5823]

Love all your beautiful plants

[@jaskaur5127]

Great second video. Thanks Sean. All your plants look so fresh and healthy. Wow your cebu blue , didn't know it grows big leaves with penetrations.

[@neilbryllemalunes3837]

Wow your videos are educational and eye-opener ❤️ I'm learning new things everyday watching from it ❤️ Such a big help for a newbie like me 😀 Thank you 🙏

[@jeidina]

I love how excited you are about your plants !! i just made my potting mix today. Charcoal, orchid epiphyte bark, perlite, worm castings and soil. can't wait to do some re potting! i also just bought my first Anthurium after watching one of your videos. you made me believe they are easy to care for lol. Keep up the great content! from New Orleans, Louisiana USA

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu

[@athena2012]

Great video! Thanks! I didn' t know that cebu blue philodendron has perforated leaves ( I mean with holes). First time seen so large leaves on that plant. Greeting from Greece.

[@leonardomendes9945]

thanks for this man, in my city I can't find the right soil, so I always mix my own! 💖

[@gloriacaraan8150]

Great tip on putting moss to contain the aerial roots!!!! Will def try that too. The potted philos I have all have aerial roots flailing around so when I move them around occasionally some get damaged 😬

[@manishachahel3862]

Thanks again for these potting mix videos.

[@onlyplants]

😌🙏🏽

[@jovitatulloch814]

Thnks for the tips 👍love it ❤️take care and be safe,love all your beautiful plants 👍

[@rubyrose49]

Your plants look super healthy and happy! 🥰

[@onlyplants]

Thank you 😌

[@eehhh3791]

All my Alocasia and philodendrons are all in this video including one of my Standleyana Monstera. I have never used bark in my entire life for indoor plants and it drains so fast, Im so phappy it doesn't get soaked. Soaked soil is a killer of all my plants and pushing a wooden spoon to push the water out of the soil for each pot plant is an exhausting job! Now I can focus on this Aroid soil mix, chunky style for some of my plants. Thanks for you help once again. My mind is blown by your teaching. Thank you! xD

[@onlyplants]

Yayee

[@nachig4754]

Great information, Sean, thank you so much

[@diena2825]

Super useful ! Big thank you !

[@praysing77]

Your plants are beautiful!!!

[@edieweiss5797]

Sean...Never mind! I found them all! I now also understand that you do not measure your soil ingredients. I have been learning a lot from all your videos! Thank you!!!

[@onlyplants]

Haha heyyy I just replied you 😀

[@rsmith6909]

Once again, Thank you.

[@nuansasuwarsono]

Fresh and "gemesh" all of their leaves 😍

[@cyc7lops]

Enjoyed the tour!

[@alouella]

I would definitely buy this mix

[@IbasorFish2plants-XAgUB22rFpQ]

Thank you. Love your informations... so informative I am a new in indoor plants so these videos so helpful.

[@balukim4184]

Soooo informative! Thank you so much 🥰

[@pudgyplanter1130]

Love this video! Your potting mix looks delicious!!! lol don't worry I won't eat it... But I WILL make it!! I just ordered a bunch of stuff you listed to make the aroid medium, except I substituted perlite for pumice. I love all your videos, thanks so much for taking the time and doing such a good job making them. Be well and stay safe!!! xoxo

[@onlyplants]

Thank you so much for writing in. Hope you have great success with the formula. Im sure you will 🤓

[@beautywithdani8622]

Wow your variegated monsteras look amazing!!

[@ManjuShrivastava]

Nice tips

[@francis.valencia]

Thanks again Sean for this video, and for all the tips you've given me over IG DMs in my fight against Monstera root rot! :D

[@onlyplants]

😌😌 happy to see ya’ll plants thriving

[@adilbajrai3036]

First minute im already subscribing. Exactly what I need!

[@onlyplants]

😀😀

[@sen0ritagee829]

Loving these potting mix!🥰🥰

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu I had great success with these and I hope you guys can discover ones that work for you!

[@cloudfairweather1]

Love information. Music sounds funereal

[@jenVLSQZ]

@onlyplants drinking game- take a shot each time Shaun: 1) says, “how cute” 2) says, “greedy” while propagating 3) is chased by a bee or mosquito 4) is visited by Josie the dog Thanks for all the content. Likes from Texas 🇺🇸

[@rozklapiocha2013]

Hehehe, good one 🙏🦋🌱🌿💚☀️

[@NhuNguyen-wl8wj]

or whenever he says aroid potting mix. you'll be so drunk after this video lol

[@onlyplants]

Lol yes!

[@onlyplants]

Haha. Or drops a pot 😅

[@joannashelton3253]

add to the list when he waves goodbye to the plant 😊

[@azasmu]

Thanks Sean!

[@adriantomo5688]

I'm painting while listening to your video, it's really effective

[@onlyplants]

Thats so nice to hear 😌

[@cherylyeo25]

i do my walkabout while I listen / watch his videos. Then I replayed if I missed out the funny captions! ;)

[@ruthstevens3720]

Love your videos! ❤️

[@GLD516]

You ain’t lying. They love that rough mix! 🌱

[@OoiHunnMei]

Hi Sean! Thanks for making so many awesome videos! I’m new to plants and this video really educated me a lot. Can’t wait to try the recipe and save my alocasia Mickey Mouse (the leafs are getting smaller and smaller 😅 ) loves from 🇲🇾 Take care and stay safe. ✨

[@tonyeclau]

I have been planting colocasias less than a year ago. My experience is that Colocasias are rather adaptive. They can grown in general potting mix. But I have learnt is that Colocasias love water. My Colocasia Black magic literally grows in mud with permanent water covering the entire pot. I have also planned them in the ground with rather heavy texture and in pots containing soil and Coco peat. Colocasias love all day direct sun too. But they will also grow with less sun. Black Magics will not be able to turn black of they do not get more than 4-5 hours of direct sunlight. But they still look rather nice greenish with dark veins.

[@pioneeragroindustrycoimbat330]

Very good detailed explanation.

[@roo288]

Awesome! 💚

[@mcarvajal]

thank you soooo so much for this video

[@theaoh5237]

Going to try out this mix next time I repot! Also those big fenestrations on the Cebu blue are

[@onlyplants]

😀😀

[@leanawong6744]

Thank you for this!! My alocasias are really struggling. I think this is going to help immensely!

[@onlyplants]

For alocasias they do really well in rocky substrate like Pon or leca and living in semi-hydro. Ive never done so myself but people save about it 😀

[@leanawong6744]

@@onlyplants Im not sure why but I’m terrified of going semi-hydro, do you have to ease them into going semi hydro?

[@ezclean7022]

amazing video series

[@raen313]

🥺 BEAUTIFUL!!

[@onlyplants]

Thank you 🙈

[@joeseeva5797]

Thank you sean

[@onlyplants]

🥰🥰

[@gingeryockey7149]

I want to run my hands through all that soil! Looks so satisfying 😂😂😂

[@onlyplants]

Thats my favorite part of the day haha. My hands are as smooth as a baby’s butt cuz they are so well exfoliated

[@juneleejones5099]

Omg, from Jakarta!!! I miss Indonesia. Aloha from Hawaii!!!

[@onlyplants]

Alohaaa

[@tangaako5908]

I love your “cebu blue” 😻😻

[@onlyplants]

😀❤️

[@erlindatruscott778]

Thanks your video more intersted

[@ibentnugroz4851]

Bunganya cantik2 😍

[@mariafolch8067]

Hi Shawn. Forgive me if I am spelling your name wrong. I just saw your video and I was hooked. I like your presentation & knowledge of plants. I subscribed and I am looking forward to more interesting topics. I like the fact that you cover each species separately. I wish you keep the captions longer on the screen. I do not get to read the entire caption before it is removed. Also, I wish you put the name of the plant you are identifying on the screen. The spelling of most is hard to capture when you mention them. I will definitely follow you on Instagram, as well. 🍃🌿🌱

[@onlyplants]

Thank you so much! Very useful feedback 😌

[@f00lungs85]

I LOVED 03:25+ for it was my A-HA!-moment and everyone should be aware of this: PLANTS DEVELOP WELL AFTER THERE'S SOMETHING TO WHAT THE ROOTS CAN GRIP ON; Just like you will perform any task better if you have both feet solidly stable on the ground and don't have to worry about balance. After hearing this I adjusted my perspective regarding the composition of my potting mixes. - - - If I happen to find Rice Hulls: is the industrial process of burning the very same as doing it at home or do they do anything extra that attributes more beneficial properties? Also, regarding its alternative: What is the difference between horticultural charcoal and the vegetable charcoal for barbecues and fireplaces?

[@onlyplants]

I think the barbeque charcoal is made of coal? And they kinda leave soot around and dissolve over time. While horticultural charcoal is made of wood chips? But I may be wrong ya.

[@ranieldarrendomingo7457]

Loving the tattoo though. ❤️❤️

[@claire2470]

...your dwarf biliietiae varigata is soooooo cute🤗...

[@onlyplants]

😅😅

[@urbanglamping5047]

Loving this potting mix video. Very interesting. Liked and subbed. Stay connected 👍🔔😉

[@onlyplants]

Hello thank you and welcome to the channel 💖

[@Tanubasar]

😂 I have bought the same storage box for my potting mix today.

[@brandiefraser8822]

Sold! Repotting my Alocasias!

[@taniagilbody1745]

Hi Sean thank you for your potting mix videos, very informative and easy to follow. Love how you call out to Gia, Can i ask if you have tried New Zealand Tree Fern Fibre?

[@onlyplants]

Yes I have and I use it in my forest floor mix sometimes 😀 they can however get fungus/mold on them sometimes

[@burntorangehorn]

Ever tried Al Tapla's 5-1-1 mix? It's 5 parts screened pine (or fir) bark fines (I screen out anything larger than 3/8"), 1 part coarse perlite, and 1 part peat. The idea is that it's virtually impossible to overwater anything grown in it, because consistent particle size and surface tension result in a free-flowing mix that exchanges plenty of oxygen while still making water available. I'm still pretty new to aroids, but my various epipremna are doing so well in it that I'm moving some of my other aroids and other tropicals into it. I'm also going to try your aroid mix, of course!

[@onlyplants]

Unfortunately the right bark is not easily found here. But Many substrate thats chunky should do the same trick 😀

[@burntorangehorn]

@@onlyplants I was just now thinking that you might not have coniferous trees in your region, which would make it hard to find. Apparently what makes it better than hardwood bark for this mix is the elevated levels of lignin. I know coconut shells are high in lignin, but have no idea how it compares to conifer bark in that regard. Probably a fine substitute.

[@sherryporsch9349]

Loving your soil mixes 💚 Too bad we can’t get them in US. 😃

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu. In the US, try to use pine bark, perlite, and horticultural/activated charcoal as substitute. 😌

[@tresgooch]

Nice work, young man, tremendous video full of information. Thanks.

[@litsnombre6390]

thanks

[@onlyplants]

🥰🥰

[@AviSLeigh]

My crush on you gets stronger with every video! Lol! Great info! Great looking guy and plants!

[@onlyplants]

🙈

[@AviSLeigh]

@@onlyplants see? Adorable.

[@dhemi1383]

Yay micans! These are some good stuff Sean. Lots of helpful information. Since we live in the same city could you show us the lighting situation ? I am torn between providing good sunlight and burning the leafs in my balcony. IThanks

[@onlyplants]

I think you need to figure out what is direct sunlight and what is indirect. Most aroids cannot take more than 1 hour of direct sunlight a day. The sun changes movement throughout the year so you must master your geography and observe the sun movement. Check out my sunlight video if you havent yet 😌

[@dhemi1383]

@@onlyplants oh ada ya topik ttg matahari? I haven't been diligent master. 🙏

[@ninoncali6478]

New subscriber here. Thank you for the excellent tour of your aroids and the soil preparation! Your plants are so beautiful! They are outdoors and doing so well; what is your growing zone compared to the US? Does it get very cold?

[@onlyplants]

Its the same temperature all year long, with 3-4 months of extreme rainy season

[@Marioukos3]

I just so your hand tattoo! Μεράκι ! Is what someone think about you when watch your videos! Hi from Greece

[@onlyplants]

Thank youuu. Hi back! 👋🏻

[@floserfinareyno4495]

Thank you for sharing the potting mix for aroids. I think have to do some some repotting using this newly learned potting mix. Do you by chance also sell variegated monstera? I'm interested in having one too.

[@onlyplants]

Ill be letting go of them later this year I believe. Still enjoying them at the moment and they are growing so fast here.

[@Raheide]

I love the care that you put into all of your plants! I currently have a collection of 60+ houseplants, with the majority of them being aroids like pothos, philodendrons, and alocasias, so I'm excited to make your soil blend to see how well they do! I have a question about substituting materials - do you think horticultural charcoal is as effective as burnt rice husks? I live in the northern United States and burnt rice husks is a difficult product for me to get.

[@onlyplants]

I would substitue with horticultural charcoal or activated charcoal. Finding ones at the right shape and size could be tricky though.

[@Raheide]

@@onlyplants thank you! Would it work to break up the charcoal a bit with a mallet?

[@Zhuntress]

I need to try the sphagnum moss trick on top of the potting mix

[@onlyplants]

Anthuriums love that so much. The difference is night and day.

[@absolutelynoone5776]

I use coco peat, coco chip , fir bark , pumice, worm castings, ginger ,more bark , charcoal, orchid mix and mosquito bits

[@onlyplants]

Oooh ginger is interesting…

[@samuelgarciacampana2430]

Hey Sean, would you recommend to add either vermiculite or sphagnum moss or both to this mix? for water retention and nutrient uptake for example

[@onlyplants]

For some anthuriums yes 😀

[@leanna4021]

I need that aglaonema lotus delight!

[@eduardobraghirolli3561]

Sean!!! You're amazing for share such wonderfull hacks iwth us!!! Thank you so much!!! I have a question... Do you prepare the terracota pots before planting? My pots dry tooooo fast. I couldnt find a balance with watering yet... I know that your place rain a lot but, do you have any hint for this?

[@onlyplants]

Actually I do water my aroids everyday. They like that quick drying but frequent watering. However if you find that you want to water the plants less, I might suggest moving it to a plastic pot (or a plastic pot inside a terracotta for aesthetics). Plastic pots dry out about 2x slower than terracotta. Orrrrr… another solution is to top dress your terracotta + potting mix with about half inch of moss. The moss will seal in moisture and slow down surface evaporation. Plus I think it looks sexy as hell. Hope this helps! DM if you have more questions 🥰

[@fangandstingsumedang3741]

Mungkin bisa di coba, terima kasih sudah berbagi tips nya 🖕🏼🙏🏼

[@onlyplants]

Good luck 😀

[@kathleenstapf1499]

Hello Sean, I was wondering about where could I find burnt rice hulls in the USA? Also the dried bamboo! I found rice hulls but not burnt rice hulls. Thanks in Advance

[@lambertdiasdissanayake7899]

You can make Burnt Rice hull yourself ! At home . Ask someone how to do it simple .

[@liveinau6747]

Hi , Thanks for sharing this formula , can I use this potting mix for developing root system from the cutting with aerial root of Philodendron or you would suggest using Sphagnum moss? Thanks Jeff

[@onlyplants]

This depends on the species and conditions of the roots. In general if the plant has little to no aerial roots i recommend water propagation. With some aerial roots I recommend moss. But if the cutting came with sizeable aerial roots I would go straight into the potting mix. Hope this makes sense 😀

[@garoma300]

Thank you for this video! So does that mean I have to water the Monstera more often with this potting mix?

[@onlyplants]

Yes you do. It dries up faster and the plant loves that!

[@sarahlee7739]

Great content! Hi Sean, my micans developed yellow spots. Any idea why?

[@onlyplants]

Could be overwatering but could also be fungus. DM me with pics 😌

[@user-ko4ug3tx2c]

Hello there! I have 3 big monsteras(Deliciosa) and I m thinking of repotting them in a couple of weeks. The think is, that here in Greece it is difficult to find this special soil which consists of chunky wood pieces! I was wondering, is it OK if i use orchid soil(which i guess looks similar) instead? Thanks in advance! (soooo envy of your plant and great videos by the way) 🙏

[@onlyplants]

Hello if you are referring to pine bark, yes they love that 😀

[@user-ko4ug3tx2c]

@@onlyplants thank you♥️

[@judecezar9933]

❤️❤️❤️💯

[@mngjen]

awesome tip video! may i ask what ratio though you use for all the ingredients?

[@onlyplants]

I’ve never measured 😅 its different each time. When you mix it I think you find a ratio that works for you. A lot of it also comes down to how often you are willing to water your plants. More chunky/airy it you want it to dry out faster hence watering more.

[@andrescastillo07]

do you think a philodendron micans would love this mix? :) I just bought one but is in a very peat moss soil with some perlite and I'm not sure if I should change the soil.

[@onlyplants]

Mine loves the aroid mix. Though they are not fussy plants.

[@nerdhimeshy3869]

Can you give an update on the plants that you changed into leca for the rainy season?

[@onlyplants]

Hello, doing really well of course. No new growth yet but leaves look perfectly healthy and happy.

[@nicolacallista4040]

Hi Sean, if the plants still just a teeni tiny baby (such as baby pink princess), could we use this aroid mix? Since it's so coarse with big partice..

[@onlyplants]

Yes you can, the plant will grow into it. Ive grown infant sized anthurium waroqueanum, philodendron billietiae variegata and variegated adansonii cuttings in this mix

[@milany_2k]

Hi, love your videos. May I ask is aroid soil mix also good in plastic pots?

[@onlyplants]

Yes it is 😀

[@dikiralte3681]

Hi...I really enjoy watching your videos...can I use betel nut peel instead of the coco chip

[@onlyplants]

Thank youu. Ive never tried betel nut, and am not sure of its composition, water retention, as well as reaction with water/bacteria/nutrients.