NEW Bio Leaf INDOOR Houseplant Mix - 5 litre

Bio Leaf's NEW Indoor Houseplant Mix is a lovely, nutrient-rich, balanced blend that holds more water than the drier soil-free aroid mixes, but not as much as the finer mixes. Medium moisture retention with a medium to chunky, fibrous blend. This is a really good, basic blend and although it doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the other Bio Leaf blends, it's still a superb mix that saves you some pennies to spend on more plants.

TIP: Do NOT use fertiliser if repotting into this mix to avoid over-fertilising (this mix includes slow-release fertiliser unlike other Bio Leaf mixes). Wait around 6 months before fertilising your plants again following repotting.

PS: Need LOTS of potting mix? Orders over 15 litres total sometimes get too big or heavy for standard shipping rates. If your order goes over into overweight / oversize rates I will be in touch to let you know. I won't incur any costs without your okay - Anna  
 

Available in 2 litres (available here), and 5 litres, (this size)

Which plants is this potting mix for?

This is the mix to choose if you want one mix for all your houseplants, rather than fussing around with catering to each plant's needs with different mixes. Bio Leaf's Indoor Houseplant Mix is a good basic all-rounder as it sits in the middle between free-draining and moisture-retention.

Or, if you don't mind catering your mixes to your plant's needs (for example: an aroid mix that's more free-draining with lower moisture-retention for your Monstera), then I'd pick this mix just for your 'in-betweener' houseplants.

A great choice for your 'Goldilocks' houseplants that don't like it too wet or too dry. For your indoor plants that dislike fully drying out, but do still need to dry out a little between watering. Read up about your plants and if you find out they need that balance, this is for them. Your own conditions come into it also of course, but for me I'd include on that list of plants...

• Anthurium (especially the 'Flamingo Flower' Anthurium andraeanum),

• Alocasia*

• Syngonium,

• Cane Begonia,

• Diffenbachia ('Dumb Cane'),

• Ficus benjamina,

• Ficus elastica like Ruby, Tineke and Robusta,
  

• Fiddle Leaf Fig (Ficus lyrata),

• Palms that don't like things too dry (like Kentia, Bamboo and Parlour Palm).

  
  

...as well as others that like to be in-between free-draining and moisture-retention.

*ALOCASIA? Yes, I know Alocasia are often lumped in with other aroids and grown in a drier aroid mix - and yes, they are aroids - but in my experience they are notorious for yellowing and leaf drop if grown in too dry a mix. This is due to having rhizomatous roots, different to most epiphytic (climbing) aroids, as alocasia's roots remain attached to the ground.

Why is this mix different from other Bio Leaf mixes?

💧MEDIUM MOISTURE

If you think of your typical Aroid and Orchid mixes at the lower end of the moisture scale, and the finer soil-based or peat-based mixes (made for plants like African Violets and Peace Lilies), at the higher end for moisture retention; this new blend sits roughly in the middle of the moisture scale.

🪴NO BIOACTIVE BLEND

This mix does NOT include the Bio Leaf Bioactive Blend that the rest of the Bio Leaf potting mixes do include. The Bioactive Blend is a combination that boosts root health, helps protect from transplant stress after repotting, reduces the risk of root rot, supports photosynthesis and more.

That means no fulvic and humic acid (soil superheroes), triple calcium or silica (stress protectors), ocean minerals, organic plant proteins and more.

🪴SLOW-RELEASE FERTILISER

This mix DOES include slow-release fertiliser. The rest of the Bio Leaf range does NOT. Using this mix, you should avoid fertilising for 3 to 6 months after repotting. If you prefer to control what your plants get and when, have a look at any of the other Bio Leaf range.

Why your conditions matter (the weekly water rule)

If you have climbing aroids you would typically put in a soil-free aroid mix - plants like Philodendron, Monstera and Pothos - but you find they dry out too fast in your conditions, then a 50/50 mix of this blend and an aroid mix is a good solution.

It comes down to taking both the plant's preferences AND your conditions into account to find that perfect balance. Any plant I have to water more than once a week goes on my list for a repot, and unless that high-frequency watering was because it was rootbound, I upgrade to a mix that holds more water for longer (even if it's not the mix typically recommended for the plant). I do it for their sake and mine!

What's in this mix?

Composted bark, orchid bark, coco coir chips, pumice and perlite along with organic slow-release fertiliser. Here's why...

COMPOSTED BARK 

Composted bark is tree bark that's been composted until it breaks down into a dark, earthy, naturally nutrient-rich substrate. It helps retain more moisture and when combined with orchid bark, still maintains good aeration. 

ORCHID BARK

Orchid bark is a particularly hard grade of bark, designed to resist compaction for years, giving roots plenty of air, reducing the risk of root rot.

COCO COIR CHIPS

Light and fibrous, coco coir chips retain moisture while creating air pockets for healthy roots.

PUMICE

The addition of a chunky grade of pumice increases drainage and adds air for healthy roots, reducing the risk of root rot.

PERLITE

Similar benefits to pumice but without the weight. Increases drainage and adds air. Even when fully saturated, both pumice and perlite are highly porous, maintaining pockets of air. 

+ Slow-release organic fertiliser 

Unlike other Bio Leaf potting mixes which are fertiliser-free, this mix DOES contain slow-release fertiliser. That means you can skip fertilising for about 3 months after potting up (the length of time depends on your conditions). You CAN still use growth and health boosters like seaweed, GT Rootzone, HB-101, silica and similar from the start, no need to wait.