--- title: "What are your favorite ratios for soil mixes? Would love to compare…" description: "What are your favorite ratios for soil mixes? Would love to compare notes 🤔 having trouble figuring out a good set of mixes. I have a bunch of different…" url: "https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg/6428ea915b2862745aea9366" community: "Anything about plants" author: "ADDeejay" published: "2023-04-02T02:38:09.807Z" language: "en" image: "https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/lgNt6ykmAmFP5X3MzkmWP0KvJ-xJp6mnlIovqkor52c/5eeab8e5f1774b2d8ca410a80e9a688c.webp?size=large" --- [Community](https://getplanta.com/community.md) / [Anything about plants](https://getplanta.com/community/lZ7uAE3pQ86jnFGxrCwLrg.md) # What are your favorite ratios for soil mixes? Would love to compare… _Posted by ADDeejay on 2023-04-02_ What are your favorite ratios for soil mixes? Would love to compare notes 🤔 having trouble figuring out a good set of mixes. I have a bunch of different substrates. Never can get it fluffy without retaining too much water, myself. ![Attachment 1 of 1](https://images.getplanta.com/v1/resize/lgNt6ykmAmFP5X3MzkmWP0KvJ-xJp6mnlIovqkor52c/5eeab8e5f1774b2d8ca410a80e9a688c.webp?size=large) ## 12 comments ### 9s commented on 2023-04-02 2 coco coir, 2 perlite, 1 charcoal, 1 orchid bark, 1 vermiculite. This is my go to mix for basically everything that’s not a succulent. Dries in around 1-2 weeks so great for lots of houseplants. :) ### ADDeejay commented on 2023-04-02 I really need to find some coir. It’s been out at the last 3 places I looked. Is all charcoal the same? I added some to my mix recently and it compromised the whole thing. Made it heavy with soot ash that got muddy. #### 9s replied on 2023-04-02 Buy the bricks off Amazon. It’s cheap and lasts a long time. For charcoal, you have to get horticultural charcoal. I like getting the better grow orchid mix and just adding more coco coir to it if I’m lazy #### 9s replied on 2023-04-02 If you used griller charcoal, it usually has additives to make it light on fire easier which is why it isn’t good for the plant. #### ADDeejay replied on 2023-04-03 Last night your replies weren’t coming through. I could see they were coming in, but couldn’t see them here. THIS MAKES SENSE LOL. Ok good to know. As I said in a reply below, my orchid bark tends to mold. Is that ok? Not bad or anything, just lightly. Is that normal? I’m not even overwatering or anything. #### ADDeejay replied on 2023-04-03 Wasn’t griller but it wasn’t horticultural #### Lay.grew.it replied on 2023-04-03 I get my coco coir from dollar tree ### Tee Jay commented on 2023-04-03 1/3 fox farm soil, 1/3 perlite, 1/3 orchid bark #### ADDeejay replied on 2023-04-03 Is orchid bark supposed to get mold on it? Maybe I’m doing it wrong 😆 ### courtney commented on 2023-04-03 I use 1/2 peat moss and 1/2 miracle grow but I live in a super dry environment so my plants love the water retention. ### Leafmealone commented on 2023-04-03 I use fox farm coco loco along with fox farm ocean forest and orchid bark. I don’t know why the bark is getting moldy. Maybe a bad batch? If it’s just white mold you can sprinkle some cinnamon on it and it’ll be fine. #### ADDeejay replied on 2023-04-05 Some bits were actually yellow 0.o some are white. Just weird stuff I’ll have to photograph it if I see it again. --- _Source: the Planta community (https://getplanta.com). Reading is open to everyone. To post, comment and like, get the Planta app: https://getplanta.com/download_