Soil Mixes That Truly Understand Your Plants Not all soil mixes are...
Choosing the right medium for Monstera is a big win. In nature Monsteras climb trees, send out aerial roots, and live among leaf litter with lots of airflow. Indoors they thrive in an airy, chunky mix that holds moisture without staying soggy. For a ready-to-use option, our pick is Sybotanica’s aroid mix for Monstera and Philodendron, which balances coco coir for moisture with bark and husk for air around the roots.
Monstera prefer a loose, open, well-drained mix made of particles of various sizes. Large pieces (bark, chunky wood chips) maintain air spaces; fines (coir, worm castings) help retain moisture without compaction. A mix that allows water to pass through quickly but still traps moisture near the roots ensures healthy growth.
Slightly acidic to near neutral soil is ideal: around 5.5 to 7.0, with about 6.0 to 6.5 often giving best nutrient absorption. Soils more acidic (<5.5) can leach essential minerals; too alkaline (>7.0) may lock out iron, magnesium, or cause salt buildup.
No. Garden soil tends to compact tightly in containers, reducing aeration and slowing drainage. It often brings pests, pathogens, and might not match needed pH or nutrient availability.
It’s tempting, but a “false drainage layer” (gravel etc.) usually causes a perched water table just above it, meaning lower layers stay wetter. Better: use a well-structured potting medium and ensure the pot has drainage holes.
Look for an “aroid mix” or “Monstera/Philodendron/tropical houseplant mix” that includes coarse bark, mineral aerators (perlite, pumice), and water-holding components like coco coir. The medium should feel light, gritty, with visible chunks so it does not collapse into sludge.
Bark (orchid bark or fir/pine bark fines) creates large macro-pores, resists compaction, and mimics the leaf litter / wood substrate Monsteras naturally grow around. It helps water drain freely and oxygen reach the roots.
Coco coir retains moisture well, re-wets easily, resists over-drying, and is a more sustainable alternative to peat. It also helps buffer rapid drying but may need occasional leaching (flush with water) to remove built-up salts. Learn more in our coco coir FAQs.
This is not recommended. Pure orchid bark dries out too quickly, lacks moisture retention, and contains no fine organic matter for nutrition. It works well as part of a blend with coir or compost to hold moisture and nutrients.
Yes, when used properly. Biochar boosts porosity, can help hold moisture in dry moments, and may reduce nutrient leaching. But if overused, or from poor source material, it can disrupt pH or contain unwanted compounds.
Only if your mix tends to be too acidic and you need to nudge pH upward. Many peat-free, coir-based mixes are already slightly acidic, which Monsteras like. If you use coir and find pH stays too low, adding a bit of dolomitic limestone can help.
Go up only one size: choose a pot just a few centimetres wider in diameter than the old one. Oversized pots hold too much medium, which stays wet longer, which encourages root rot. The right size lets roots expand without waterlogging. For extra guidance, try our pot volume calculator to find the best fit.
Spring through early summer, when Monsteras are entering active growth. Repotting then means faster root recovery. Avoid repotting in winter or dormancy when slower growth makes stress recovery slower.
For step-by-step instructions, check out our blog: The ultimate beginner guide to repotting.
Aerial roots naturally seek support and moisture. If you provide a barky or mossy pole, these roots can attach and benefit the plant structure. Soil should be airy so that roots entering from above aren’t forced into waterlogged media.
Yes. Guiding a few aerial roots into the mix provides the plant extra water and nutrient access. Just ensure the medium remains airy, don’t pack too tightly around them, or they may rot.
For more guidance, see our blog on how to choose the perfect pot for your plant.
Let the top 2-4 cm (or top inch or so) dry slightly before watering again. When you water, do so thoroughly so water reaches deep roots, then let excess drain out. Avoid constant exposure to a damp medium; that invites root rot. Learn how to recognise, control, and prevent it in our guide on root rot.
It can help with deep hydration, especially if the medium has dried out inside. But top watering occasionally is useful to flush salt build-up and ensure surface components re-wet. Do both as needed.
If your tap water is hard or alkaline, rainwater (or filtered water) helps avoid raising soil pH too high or depositing calcium salts. Rainwater is generally softer, which better matches the slightly acidic preference of your monstera. For more tips, see our blog on the 7 most common watering mistakes and how to prevent them.
Often algae or moss grows on the surface due to constant dampness, low light, and humid conditions. Improve airflow, reduce watering frequency, allow the top layer of soil to dry a bit, maybe use more coarse material on top (bark, decorative stones) for surface dryness.
Let the top few centimetres dry out between waterings; water only when needed. Use sticky traps, cover the soil surface with coarse material or sand, or apply mild biological controls. Repot with fresh mix if infestation is severe.
Organic components like bark and coir break down, causing the pores close, which compacts the soil. Refresh the mix or repot every 1-2 years: replace bark, reintroduce larger particles, aerators like perlite or pumice to restore the airy structure.
It can have high salt or potassium levels depending on processing; sometimes poor quality coir retains too much sodium. Rinse/coir pre-soaking flushes salts, which can build up over time.
Moderate nutrients are sufficient if light is good. Monsteras are relatively fast growers but overfertilising can burn roots. Use a balanced feed during the growing season, and make sure compost or worm castings are included to provide slow-release baseline nutrients.
Learn more about worm castings, where we cover what they are, why they’re useful, and how to use them.
Yes. Soil with biological activity aids nutrient cycling, helps suppress pathogens, and improves root health. But sterile soilless mixes can work too if you feed regularly and keep them clean.
For a ready-made option with rich biological activity, check out our SYBASoil premium soil mixes.
The soil structure remains the same: airy, moisture holding, well draining. For most variegated monsteras an extra chunky mix is recommended, such as our anthurium mix.
Variegated forms (especially those with large white areas) produce less chlorophyll and photosynthesize less; so they benefit from very good light so the roots can support the leaf growth.
Thai Constellation is a tissue-cultured cultivar of Monstera deliciosa with cream-speckled patterning. Its variegation tends to be more stable than chimeral “Albo” types, meaning it keeps its pattern leaf after leaf. But regardless, soil mix must be optimal in terms of drainage and nutrients, as poor soil stresses the plant and may reduce variegation expression.
Albo has larger white patches or or full white sectors that do not photosynthesise; thus it needs more intense, indirect light and possibly a soil mix that drains moisture well to compensate. Therefore a chunky soil mix with extra bark is recommended.
Taxonomically, Monstera deliciosa var. borsigiana is generally treated as a synonym of Monstera deliciosa. Growing conditions, including soil, are the same. Differences are in leaf size, growth habit, not soil preferences.
Most climbing Monsteras (deliciosa, adansonii, siltepecana, dubia, etc.) share similar soil needs: airy, chunky, retaining moisture but draining well. For swampish or thicker-leaf species you might slightly increase water retention; for thin-leaf or smaller species, airier mix works best.
A good home mix: ~ 10% coco coir, 50% medium bark (orchid bark or pine/fir bark fines), 25% perlite or pumice, 15% composted organic matter or worm castings. If you want extra moisture retention, add a little more coir; for faster drainage, more perlite or bark.
For a full guide, see our blog on how to mix aroid soil that your plants will love.
In hot bright rooms, soil dries faster: decrease bark or pumice to slow down drainage and retain moisture. Also water a bit more often, but always allow the top layer to dry slightly between watering. In lower light or cooler spaces, decrease coir/organic matter to reduce moisture, which reduces the risk of soggy roots.
Every 1 to 2 years, or whenever you notice compaction, foul smell, poor drainage, or slowed growth. Refresh by replacing coarse bark/fines and re-aerating, not just top-dressing.
Yes, but only if plants were healthy: sift out old roots, refresh with new bark and aerators, add fresh organic matter. Avoid reuse from plants that had root rot, pests, or fungal problems.
It is built for aroids like Monsteras, balances moisture and air/drainage with coco coir, bark, and mineral structure. This mirrors how Monstera roots behave in nature, attaching, exploring, needing air, yet retaining moisture without staying soggy.
Choosing the right medium for Monstera is a big win. In nature Monsteras climb trees, send out aerial roots, and live among leaf litter with lots of airflow. Indoors they...
Choosing the right medium for Monstera is a big win. In nature Monsteras climb trees, send out aerial roots, and live among leaf litter with lots of airflow. Indoors they...
Orchid bark is one of those materials that plant lovers often hear about but aren’t always sure how or when to use. Is it only for orchids? Can you use...
Orchid bark is one of those materials that plant lovers often hear about but aren’t always sure how or when to use. Is it only for orchids? Can you use...
Pumice might just look like gravel, but for your houseplants, it can be a game-changer. It improves drainage, boosts airflow, and helps prevent root rot. Still, if you’ve never used...
Pumice might just look like gravel, but for your houseplants, it can be a game-changer. It improves drainage, boosts airflow, and helps prevent root rot. Still, if you’ve never used...
