Organic substrate mix

About the mix

A versatile organic aroid substrate based on pine bark, coco chips, perlite and lava rock, with small amounts of zeolite and charcoal. It provides a good balance of moisture, aeration and structure, but can hold quite a lot of water when heavily saturated.

LopolisBiotech rating - 9.5/10⭐

🔬LopolisBiotech experience

We have been using this substrate, or slightly modified versions of it, for over 2 years with large Monsteras, Philodendrons and other aroids. It has been extremely reliable for long-term growing, especially when combined with a 2–5 cm bottom layer of large lava rock, which gives excess water somewhere to go instead of keeping the substrate constantly saturated.

With larger pots, I can even water heavily without worrying about temporary overwatering. My largest Monstera has around 10 cm of lava rock at the bottom and has been performing very well in this setup.