Plant Substrate Recipes

Cliff crevice mix

• Perlite
• Peat moss
• Seachem flourite
• Fine orchid bark (Pinus radiata)
• Crushed lava rock
• Coarse lime grit – to raise/balance the pH and emulate the limestone cliffs it naturally lives on
• Shredded sphagnum moss – very small quantity

Plants:

• Elatostema sp. China

Lithophytic mineral mix

(SUB-011)

For lithophytes preferring a well-drained substrate with modest moisture retention and a balanced pH.

• 1 part small lava
• 1 part pumice
• 1 part small akadama
• 1 part small perlite

Plants:

Tested with:

• Mexican Pinguicula
• Some Nepenthes

Lithophytic mineral mix

(SUB-012)

For lithophytes preferring a well-drained substrate with minimal moisture retention and an alkaline pH.

• 1 part small lava
• 1 part pumice
• 1 part limestone grit

Plants:

Tested with:

• Mexican Pinguicula spp.

AWT Magic Mix

(SUB-001 / SUB-002)

For terrestrial plants from forested areas. This substrate performs well across many types of plants, so feel free to experiment with it.

• Akadama (medium size)
• Radiata bark (may substitute extra fine orchid bark or fir fines)
• Chopped Sphagnum (small to moderate amount)
• Perlite (1/2″ size)
• Pumice (1/4″ size)
• Monto Clay

Variations:

• Add Bonsai Block or small lava to increase pH
• Add Kanuma to decrease pH
• Add Azomite dust for enhanced growth

Tips:

• The grain size of individual ingredients can be increased or decreased depending on the size of the species being grown
• For extra humidity and moisture retention, top with 1/4″ to 1/2″ layer of sphagnum (depending on size of plant species)

Plants

Tested with:

• Small to large forest ferns
• Sonerila
• Pilea
• Peperomia
• and many others

Forest mix (light and permeable)

• 5 parts peat moss
• 3 parts perlite
• 2 parts fine pinus radiata bark
• Topped lightly with sphagnum to keep moisture and humidity up

Plants:

• Corybas spp. (C. sp. Philippines)

Moist Acidic Jungle mix (lean)

• 5 parts sphagnum moss
• 1 part fine pinus radiata bark
• Light sprinkle of leaf litter

Plants:

• Many tropical plants

Moist Acidic Jungle mix #2 (rich)

• 6 parts Sphagnum
• 2 parts Happy Frog potting mix
• 2 parts Perlite (coarse grade)
• 1 part Pinus radiata bark (fine grade)
• 1 part Monto clay
• 1 part Willow-Oak leaf litter (mixed in)

Plants:

• Labisia, Ardisia, many other tropical plants

Wild forest mix

• Peat
• Pinus radiata bark
• Kanuma
• Pumice
• Bonsai Block
• Monto Clay
• Sphagnum

Plants:

• Lithacne sp. (mini bamboo)

Limestone Potting mix

For Begonia spp. and other plants from neutral to alkaline habitats (Limestone-growers)

• Peat moss
• Perlite
• Charcoal
• Bonsai Block (calcined clay)
• Coarse Limestone grit

Plants:

Tested with:

• Limestone Begonias

Limestone Potting mix #2

For Begonia spp. and other plants from neutral to alkaline habitats (Limestone-growers)

• Happy Frog potting soil
• Coarse perlite
• Bonsai Block
• Crushed chalk (Crayola Anti-Dust, white)
• Azomite rock dust

Plants:

Tested with:

• Begonia kui, ningmingensis, rubida, and others
• Petrocosmea

Typical Mix

(SUB-013)

Commonly used for species of carnivorous plants and other plants which are found in bogs and marshes.

• 1 part Peat moss
• 1 part Perlite (small to medium grade)

Plants:

Tested with:

• Drosera
• Utricularia

Straight Stratum

• Fluval Stratum

Plants:

• Many plants will grow in 100% Fluval Stratum

Basic acid mix

• 1 part peat moss
• 1 part ripped up beech leaves

Plants:

• Cryptocoryne spp.

Rheophyte rocky stratum

• Fluval Stratum
• Topped with 1/4″ to 1/2″ of small crushed Lava

Plants:

• Bucephalandra spp.
• Dicranopygium spp.

Rheophyte bank mix

• Akadama
• Pumice
• Lava
• Monto Clay
• Perlite
• Charcoal
• Fluval stratum

Plants:

• Dicranopygium spp.
• Large Bucephalandra spp.
• Some rheophytic ferns

Hard Core Rheophyte

• Small crushed Lava

Plants:

• Bucephalandra spp.