Okay, so I’ve been getting really into houseplants lately, especially my philodendrons. They’re just so lush and gorgeous! But I quickly learned that getting the soil right is, like, 90% of the battle. I started with some basic potting mix, and my philodendron was… okay. It wasn’t dying, but it wasn’t exactly thriving either. So I decided to do some digging (pun intended!) and figure out what was up.
First, I checked the roots of my not-so-happy plant. They were a little soggy, and some were even starting to rot. Yikes! That’s a classic sign of overwatering, but I also knew it meant the soil wasn’t draining well enough. Philodendrons hate sitting in water.
My DIY Philodendron Soil Mix
After doing a lot of research, I decided to make my own soil mix. I learned that philodendrons like a really chunky, airy mix that lets water flow through easily. I used:
- Potting mix: This is my base, but just plain old potting mix is too dense on its own.
- Perlite: This stuff looks like little white rocks. I added a generous amount to help with drainage.
- Orchid bark: This gives the mix some extra chunkiness and helps create air pockets.
- Coco coir: This is a great addition that helps the mixture to retain enough moisture.
I didn’t really measure anything precisely, I just kind of eyeballed it. I’d say it was roughly equal parts of each, maybe a little less orchid bark. I mixed everything together in a big bucket until it looked nice and evenly distributed.
Then, I carefully removed my philodendron from its old pot, gently loosened the roots, and trimmed away any of the mushy, rotten ones. I filled the new pot with my homemade soil mix, placed the plant in, and added more soil around the roots, making sure not to pack it down too tightly. I watered it thoroughly until water started draining out the bottom, and then I just… waited.
And guess what? It worked! My philodendron is so much happier now. It’s putting out new leaves like crazy, and the leaves are bigger and greener than before. I’m seriously so proud of myself! It was a bit of a learning curve, but totally worth it. Now, I feel way more confident about taking care of my philodendrons, and I’m even thinking about propagating some to make more!
