Best Succulent Container Garden Soil Mix

Succulent garden soil mix is a magical thing that has mystified container gardeners through the ages. On a recent trip to the San Francisco Flower and Garden Show, I was able to meet up with Debra Lee Baldwin, who is world-renowned as the Succulent Garden Queen. I went to all her workshops and met with her personally to get the best advice I possibly could on a fantastic soil mix. One of the best things about planting succulents is that they are far more sustainable than other plants due to their drought-tolerant nature – definitely a win for gardeners.

Debra Baldwin’s Succulent Soil Mix Recipe for Container Gardens

Most Succulents –

• Half Pumice
• Half Potting Soil

Fine Leaved Succulents –

• 40% Pumice
• 60% Potting Soil

Above you see a photo of me with the famous garden writers Susan Morrison (middle) and Debra Lee Baldwin (right) having cocktails post garden event – please link through and follow them as they are filled with amazing garden knowledge and advice. While I was at the show I was faced with massive booths filled with succulents to buy and could not decide which plant would be the best choice. I grabbed Dan Heims’ arm and drug him to a succulent seller to help sort me out. If Debra is the Succulent Queen, Dan Heims of Terra Nova Nurseries (right) is the Plant Collecting King. He recommended three succulents that he considered unique and “must-haves” for the season; Crassula falcata ‘Scarlet Paint Brush’, Graptoveria ‘Opalina’, and Taciveria ‘Victor Reiter’ (see below).

Once I got back to my home near Chicago in March, I had a bunch of succulents and could not plant them outdoors yet. Our planting season begins once the last of the frosts hit, which is usually sometime in mid to late May. I needed to get the succulents into a temporary container until I could find a more permanent and creatively designed solution.

Debra gave me a bag of pumice. Using her super easy planting formula, I pulled the last of the cactus soil I made from last season’s Succulent Wok Project and combined it with her pumice with a half and half ratio. Placing an unbleached coffee filter over the container hole at the base of the pot, I filled the soil. Very carefully I placed the succulents in the container (see top photo). According to Debra, the succulent garden soil mix is so easy that every gardener should try it. When summer comes and I find the perfect container or planting bed for the succulents, I’ll show you my final results. Happy Succulent Gardening!