Houseplants such as anthuriums, philodendrons, alocasia, monsteras and begonias are becoming increasingly popular. But if you really want these tropical beauties to shine, you should not only pay attention to light and water - the right substrate is crucial for healthy root growth, a stable plant structure and a permanently vital plant. In this article, you will learn all about the ideal substrates for these plant species, what their natural habitats are like and what you should look out for when buying a substrate.

First of all: We offer you a wide range of substrates for your favorite plants, ready-mixed directly in our online store and in-store. Our selected substrates offer ideal conditions for the different requirements of individual plant species. All plant lovers who prefer to compose their own substrate and thus create the perfect conditions for their protégé can of course also do so, taking a few factors into account.

So what should you look out for if you have acquired a new protégé and want to repot it?

Before we answer this question, we first need to look at the natural habitat of your plant. The most important care factors can be derived from this:

🌍 Origin and soil structure in the natural habitat

The original habitats of anthuriums, philodendrons, alocasia, monsteras and begonias are in the warm, humid, species-rich tropical forests of South America, Central America, Africa and Southeast Asia. These regions are characterized by a stable climate all year round with high humidity, even temperatures and a pronounced alternation between rainy and dry periods - conditions that have shaped our houseplants in evolutionary terms and that we should imitate as closely as possible for healthy plant growth.

🌿 Rainforest as a home - plenty of moisture, but never waterlogged

In the tropical rainforest, there is often a constant humidity of over 80%, accompanied by warm temperatures of between 20 and 30 °C. These environments are characterized by a dense canopy of leaves that filters the sunlight, providing bright but indirect lighting conditions on the forest floor. It is precisely this filtered light that many tropical plant species prefer - they have adapted to shady locations where they compete for light but are protected from direct sunlight by the canopy of the rainforest.

🌱 The soil in the rainforest - living, loose, nutrient-rich

The forest soil itself is loose, highly aerated and organically highly active. The top layer usually consists of dead plant material such as leaves, branches, moss and bark, which is quickly decomposed by microorganisms and soil organisms such as fungi and worms. This so-called litter layer is extremely rich in nutrients, but never dense or lumpy - water can drain away quickly and excess moisture is regulated by capillary forces and air exchange.

Many of our tropical houseplants grow in this environment:

• Epiphytic (sitting on trees, e.g. many anthuriums or philodendrons), where they cling to the bark with aerial roots and absorb moisture from the air or from collected organic material.

• Hemiepiphytic (starting as an epiphyte, later rooting in the soil, e.g. Monstera deliciosa)

• Terrestrial (rooted in the soil, e.g. alocasia, begonias), whereby they are dependent on well-drained, humus-rich soils that are not prone to compaction.

🔍 Exemplary soil structure in nature:

• Anthuriums: Grow on trees or in loose layers of humus with lots of bark and moss. Their root system therefore needs plenty of oxygen and does not tolerate waterlogging.

• Philodendrons: Colonize both soil and tree trunks. They prefer a permeable, well-aerated substrate with high organic activity.

• Alocasia: Lives on the forest floor in moist but airy soil with even moisture. The balance between water retention capacity and airiness is important here in order to avoid root rot.

• Monstera: Uses its strong aerial roots to absorb water and nutrients, grows along tree trunks or roots loosely in the forest floor. It requires a highly structured substrate.

• Begonias: Grow in the humus-rich undergrowth of tropical forests, where the soil never dries out but is also never waterlogged. They prefer substrates with a finer structure but good drainage.

🌱 What makes a good substrate for anthuriums, philodendrons & co.

To ensure that your tropical plants also flourish in the living room, the substrate used should have the following properties:

• High air permeability to prevent root rot

• Good structural stability so that it does not collapse too quickly

• Moisture-regulating: It should store water but not cause waterlogging

• Nutrient-rich, but not too compact or loamy

• pH value between 5.5 and 6.5, i.e. slightly acidic

A mix of pine bark, coconut fibers, perlite, activated charcoal and a little worm humus has proven its worth - this imitates the natural litter and humus layer of the rainforest soil almost perfectly.

🔍 What you should look out for when buying a substrate

When buying a suitable substrate, you should consider the following criteria:

• Do not use cheap peat mixtures: These compact quickly, store too much water and promote root rot.

• Structure-rich additives such as bark or expanded clay promote air circulation.

• Sustainability: Look for peat-free or peat-reduced products that protect the environment.

• Area of application: Make sure that the substrate is specifically designed for aroid or tropical houseplants.

👉 Recommended product for anthuriums and orchids: [Premium substrate for anthuriums from SYBASoil]

👉 Recommended product for cacti & succulents: [Premium substrate for cacti & succulents from SYBASoil]

👉 Universal aroid mix for monstera, philodendron and co.: [Premium substrate for aroid plants (aroids) from SYBASoil].

👉 Hydroponic mix for alocasia and monstera: [Premium hydroponic substrate from SYBASoil]

For all those who would like to put together their own substrate, here is a summary of the most important points:

• Mix the soil so that the plant needs to be watered again after 1 to 2 weeks at the latest.
• Use soil (cocoshum, peat-free soil) and coarser components (perlite, pumice, expanded clay...).
• As far as possible, remove the old soil when repotting.
• Do not repot in winter.
• Use only inorganic substrates in self-watering pots.

The choice of soil is probably the most controversial topic in the plant community. We will stick to the basics and present some simple substrates/mixtures.

As already mentioned on the subject of watering, roots need oxygen in addition to water. In addition, the soil provides the support and stores the nutrients. So, a perfect soil provides both water and air, keeps the plant firmly in the pot and offers it nutrients.

Humus, garden soil or coco hum consists of very fine particles. When they are wet (i.e. freshly watered) the water molecules fill the spaces between the particles! This means that the roots cannot take in oxygen because the soil is completely saturated with water. In nurseries with lots of light and air movement, this may not be a problem, as the soil quickly dries out again and again. But at home, where the soil can stay moist for weeks, this potentially becomes a problem.

Therefore, we mix into the soil proportions of other substances that either have an aerating effect or reduce the water storage capacity of the substrate. These include pine bark (4-8mm), perlite, pumice, lava, expanded clay and other inorganic substances. These additives "store" air or cause the soil to dry out faster.

The mixing ratio is different for each plant and situation. Plants with a lot of water consumption (Calathea, ferns) get more soil (coco-shum, peat-free soil) and plants with medium water consumption (Monstera, Philodendron, most houseplants) get a 50:50 mixture of soil and coarse additives, while plants with a very low water consumption get a mixture with little to no soil. The rule of thumb is that the substrate should dry out within one week, or two at the latest! If it does not, it may lead to a problem.

Not only the mixture, but also the pot size and plant size plays a role. The larger the pot, the longer the soil stays moist. This means that if you use a small pot (with a relatively large plant) you can use a substrate that retains more water. On the other hand, if you use a huge pot (even with a large plant) you should really make sure that the soil can dry out after a few weeks.

Our mixing suggestions:

50% soil, 50% coarse

This is the mixture that probably fits most plants and situation. Instead of perlite you can also use pumice or lava, but these materials are more expensive and heavier, but prettier. Use such a mixture for philodendron, monstera, ivy, aglaonema, most houseplants with normal water consumption.

25% soil, 75% coarse fractions

This mixture is suitable for succulents and cacti, plants that can store water. They also have a lower water consumption and are particularly sensitive to constantly wet roots. We recommend pumice, lava or Lechuza Pon as coarse proportions. The high weight of these materials keeps the plant in the pot better than the light perlite

100% Sphagnum moss

If you have ever looked into the Philodendron or Anthurium world, you will see many people using Sphagnum. This is because Sphagnum is incredibly suitable for propagation or for plants in terrariums. It can also be used for normal houseplants. Depending on the quality of the moss, it is still quite airy even when wet - and stores a lot of water. Nevertheless, it should be handled with care as the constant wetness can be harmful. In our opinion, you should not repot plants from soil in Sphagnum, but only continue to cultivate plants in moss that you have obtained or propagated in moss. In our opinion, pure sphagnum makes more sense in a greenhouse or terrarium than indoors. Here you can find our Premium Sphagnum moss from SYBASoil.

What is the best way to repot?

Old substrate degrades. It decays, molds and is broken down by microorganisms. Therefore, we see it useful to remove the old soil when repotting. This does not have to be perfect (so as not to damage the roots too much). Use your fingers to loosen the pot ball a bit and remove the soil by shaking it gently and loosening it further. In the new (or the same) pot, keep the plant suspended as it should be at the end and fill the pot with the new substrate. Make sure that the roots are well distributed in the pot and not squeezed together. Water the repotted plant well and do not place it in direct sun to avoid extreme evaporation. After about a week it should be accustomed to the new soil.

When should I repot?

Repotting means stress for the plant, especially if you remove the old soil. Therefore, repot rather in the growing season, that is, not in the winter. This way the plant can recover faster and is in a stronger condition, both before and after. If you have growing lights, you can repot at any time.

What about fertilizer?

Coco hum, bark, perlite, pumice, etc. do not naturally contain nutrients for the plants. But this is not a problem if you fertilize. More about this in the topic "Fertilization".

What about self-watering systems?

In self-watering systems (whether by wick or contact with water), the soil always remains moist due to the water reservoir. This is a problem because it makes the soil decompose faster (organic matter degrades faster in a moist environment), plus the roots don't get oxygen well.

Therefore, we recommend only purely inorganic coarse substrates that allow enough air exchange even when completely saturated with water. On the German market there are hydroponics with expanded clay as well as the Lechuza™ system.