The extensive range doesn’t make it easier to make a choice. In plant nurseries and garden centres, the multi-colour bags of soil mixes are often lined up many metres long. The same applies to indoor Bonsais: these miniature trees and shrubs have to get by with extremely little soil, so they rely strongly on optimal conditions. So buying a citrus soil mix is worth the investment in any case.

Citrus crops require an extra serving of iron if you don’t want their leaves to turn yellow. For example, indoor azaleas thrive best in soil with a low pH value, such as acid rhododendron and hydrangea soils. There are many indoor plants for which it is a good idea to use special-purpose substrates. For this reason, orchid substrates are made of pine bark (among other ingredients) as it ensures a loose, aerated structure. In the wild, the most popular indoor orchids grow on the branches or trunks of trees. Cactus soil mixes are also suitable for stonecrops. This is why they require special-purpose substrates that drain particularly well and have a low nutrient content.

Special-purpose substrates for special green plantsĬactuses, stonecrops (succulents) and orchids are extremely sensitive to excessive moisture, but also to an excess of nutrients. That’s why you should never put too much water in at once and, to be sure, you might want to check the cachepot for excessive water a few minutes after watering. Good drainage of water is also a must, because excessive water causes the plant roots to rot and provides ideal conditions for nasty little mushroom flies. The substrate should not slump as time passes, but continue to provide reliable support to the plant even in the fourth year. This means that the structure stability of the potting soil is very important. Most plants are left in the same substrate for two to four years before being re-potted. To unfold their full potential, indoor plants need one thing more than anything else apart from the right location: high-quality substrate. Kentia palms, spider plants, orchids …, the green roommates lend a cosy atmosphere even to spartanly furnished rooms and have been proven to improve the indoor climate by producing oxygen, increasing air humidity and, maybe most importantly, filtering dust and pollutants from the air. Indoor plants are more than just appealing home accessories. Indoor plants appreciate high-quality substrates

Download best indoor plants