Can I Use Cactus Soil for Peace Lily? (And DIY Recipe)

If you want long flowering and leaves having a rich green color of peace lily you need to choose the right soil. You be may be wondering if you can use cactus soil for a peace lily? Well, here we go…

Cactus soil is great for peace lilies because it drains well and aerates well for healthy root development. A well-draining soil mix is the best option for both cactus and peace lily. On top of that, both the plants love slightly acidic soil. You can use cactus soil for peace lily without any doubt.

In this article, I will explain how to use cactus soil for peace lilies and how to make your own.

What Soil Do Peace Lilies Like?

This drainage layer keeps the container moist and allows air to move freely. If you prepare the soil appropriately, it is simple to grow this gorgeous plant in your home. In high-quality soil, roots do not rot, flowering is profuse, and acidity is suitable.

Soil Composition for Peace Lily

Now, to choose the soil for a peace lily, you need to know which components have a beneficial effect on it. A suitable version of the soil substrate includes:

Only these soil components provide favorable conditions for the growth and development of your evergreen peace lily.

Recommended Soil for Peace Lily

You can buy readymade soil mixtures for plating or repotting peace lily. The ready-made mixtures work well for this type of houseplant.

So, they are worth buying if you do not want to make it by yourself.  Here are some top-performing suggestions of ready-made soil for peace lily:

• Organic Cactus and Succulent Soil Mix: This soil mix contains a high concentration of organic components. Your plant will get nitrogen, potassium, and a balanced portion of phosphorus. You can use this type of soil to grow all members of the Aroid family. You can feed your plant instantly with this soil mix. This ready-mix soil will ensure long term (up to 3 months) food supply for your peace lily. Because it is a slow-releasing nutrient mix for your plant.

• Succulent & Cactus Soil Mix: This soil mix contains only eco-friendly ingredients. You will find an optimal proportion of nutrients is this organic potting soil. Its main advantage is the presence of Perlite and pumice which prevents the development of rot on the root system of a peace lily. Because perlite and pumice ensure very good water drainage and aeration.

• Organic Succulent and Cactus Soil Mix: You already know that you can use cactus soil mix for peace lily also. So almost any kind of soil mix which is designed for houseplants, you can use that for your peace lily. This organic mix will provide your peace lily well drainage and aeration. You can also use this soil mix for the repotting of the peace lily. You do not need to sterilize this soil mix before use. It has already been sterilized before packaging.

Because plants have various soil requirements. Consider the soil’s strengths and limitations.

How to Make Your Own Soil

If the ready-made soil mix does not meet your needs, you can produce your own soil at home. I’m going to give you a recipe for producing your own soil at home now.

Components and Proportions

You can prepare soil suitable for a peace lily in many ways. The differences between the ingredients of different types of soil are insignificant.

The main thing is to make a loose and nutritious substrate. Then it can fully satisfy all the needs of your peace lily plant.

Peace lily can easily survive a week without water. It can revive very quickly if you water it properly. However, like all other indoor plants, they require easy, but proper care. 

Now, let’s find out the type of soil mix peace lily love. Here I’ll also discuss the soil mix formulation so that you can make your own soil.

Here is a table of soil components that will help you make the best mixture by yourself.

Ingredients	The properties	Where to get them
Soil with decomposed leaf	Rich in nutrients, loose, light, easily absorbs water.	You can find this type of soil under a deciduous tree. The fallen leaves of the tree incorporated with soil and increased its fertility.
Clay turf soil	It retains the water and nutrients are washed out more slowly.	Near the garden, where the ground is covered with turf (thick grass). Remove the turf from the ground using a shovel.  Then leave it for at least one year. If this technology seems difficult for you, you can get this soil in another way. You have to dig up the turf and hold the grass and shake off the soil well from its roots. In this case, it will not be as nutritious as if it had been pressed for a year. Nevertheless, the soil will meet the requirements.
Old greenhouse soil	You can use this when it is not possible to get the soil or clay-turf soil.	In the old garden bed.
Well decomposed manure	You should use it in a small amount if the soil is nutrient-poor.	Mix the soil with kitchen waste, cow dung and place it in the compost pit. Cover it with tree leaves and some more soil.  Dug up and use it after six/ one years. You need to sterilize the soil before using it.
Coarse river sand	Gives the soil friability and porosity. This is an essential component in any soil for cactus and peace lily.	On the river, on the beach, it is necessary to wash well from fine dust. For cactus and peace lily a fraction of sand of 2-3 mm is needed, it is almost fine gravel.
Zeolite or burnt clay	It increases the porosity of the soil, helps moisture to absorb and dry out quickly.	We need a non-clumping filler such that the granules can be washed and sieved. All small things less than 3 mm – discard, use granules 4-5 mm. You can find it here.
Charcoal	You should use this for disinfecting roots (wounded roots are sprinkled). This will increase the antiseptic properties of soil.	You can burn wood or any stick of deciduous trees. Crush the charcoal into powder and leave it in small pieces and add to the soil.
Brick chips	Gives soil looseness and porosity, has the ability to retain excess moisture	Break a red brick into a crumb with a hammer. Then you are ready to go.

Before choosing a particular soil mixture, you need to know that it must meet the following requirements:

• The soil for any cacti and peace lily should be loose, easy to pass water and air;
• Soil acidity should be slightly acidic reaction better than pH = 5 – 6.5

You need to know that leafy soil is friable than clay turf and garden beds. You can make the soil loose with brick chips and river sand. 

And to give the soil the right acidity, either add peat (to increase acidity) or lime (it gives an alkaline reaction and reduces acidity). You should always keep in mind that young peace lily needs friable and more nutritious soil.  

Therefore, a significant proportion of the soil mixture for them is soil with decomposed leaves. 

For older peace lily, you should use denser soil. In this case, you can use gardened soil and clay-turf soil. Humus is added to soil mixture for the rapidly growing peace lily. 

Improve The Soil Mixture Quality

You can improve the air permeability of the soil mixture for peace lily by adding coconut fiber to it.

Besides, this component will reduce the acidity level of the soil, increase its nutritional value, and make it more aerated.

Regardless of which method you choose to prepare the soil at home, do not neglect the drainage layer.

Because this is very important to remove excess moisture from the pot. This protects the plant from associated diseases like root rot.

Step-by-step instructions

The soil substrate for planting or transplanting peace lily is prepared in the following sequence:

• Choose a suitable container with drainage holes.

• Place the brick chips at the bottom (layer thickness 2 cm).

• Put all components of the soil in the tank in the right amount.

• The components are mixed and transferred to a container.

• Upon completion, make sure the drainage holes are working.

Here is a useful video for soil mix preparation. This video will walk you through the steps of soil mix preparation.

The Consequences of Using The Wrong Soil

If you choose soil that does not meet the needs of peace lily, then you are in trouble with your plant.  Here are some of the unpleasant consequences that you might face:

• The absence of flowers against the active growth of leaf mass. Such symptoms indicate a high concentration of nitrogen in the soil and a deficiency of phosphorus and potassium. You can save the plant by applying fertilizers to flowering plants.

• Withering, loss of rigidity in the stems. This physiological disorder is the result of the too dense substrate. The roots at the bottom of the pot do not receive full moisture. You will find it very difficult to water the bottom of the container. It is better to transplant into another container.

• The decay of the underground part of the plant. Stagnation of water in the container is the cause of damage to the peace lily plant. In such cases, houseplant needs to be transplanted into a new soil substrate. You should remove the rotten roots before transplanting.  Before planting in another container, dry the roots for two hours. You should irrigate the plant after  2-3 days after transplantation.

• Black spots on leaf blades. The appearance of dark spots is caused by an oversupply of useful components in the soil and a high level of acidity. Only a complete replacement of the substrate will help the plant.

• Change in the natural color of leaves to yellow with green veins. Change of natural leaf coloration to yellow with green veins. Chlorosis most often occurs when there is a shortage of nutrients in the soil mixture. Then you should fertilize Peace lily with a universal composition.

Finally, You can easily prepare the soil for keeping Peace Lily at home. The main thing is to observe the proportions of the selected components.

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