Monstera aren’t fussy about soil, but the wrong mix can still kill them. Here’s what I use, what I’d avoid, and a super simple DIY recipe.
Here’s the thing about Monstera soil: they are not that fussy. I’ve seen Monsteras thriving in straight-up garden soil someone dug out of their backyard. The bar is not as high as plant influencers would have you believe.
But there’s a difference between surviving and thriving, and the wrong mix can cause root rot, hydrophobic soil, or a plant that just sits there looking sorry for itself.
After rescuing and repotting well over 200 plants (yes, really), here’s my short answer: in the UK, Westland Houseplant Mix with added perlite. In the US, Fox Farms Ocean Forest. Or make your own aroid mix if you have the ingredients already — the full recipe is below.
That’s it. Everything else in this article is context, caveats, and the stuff I wish someone had told me earlier.
What Monstera soil actually needs to do
Before we get into specific products, here’s the quick version of what you’re actually looking for in a Monstera potting mix. Three things:
- Drainage. Water needs to move through the soil and out of the pot, not pool at the bottom and sit there rotting your roots. This is why most peat-heavy composts aren’t ideal on their own — they hold too much water.
- Aeration. Roots need oxygen as much as they need water. Chunky ingredients like orchid bark, perlite, and pumice create air pockets between particles, keeping roots healthy and rot-resistant.
- Moisture retention. You don’t want the opposite extreme either — soil that dries out in 24 hours ain’t great unless you’re happy watering daily. A bit of coco coir or compost helps hold moisture without waterlogging.
Get those three things right and your Monstera will grow in almost anything. Nutrition is a bonus, not a necessity — if you fertilise regularly during the growing season, you can make up for a less nutrient-rich mix.
The best ready-made soils for Monstera
If you’d rather just buy a bag and get on with it, these are the ones I’d point you towards.
Westland Houseplant Potting Mix — UK hero pick
This is what I use. It’s widely available across the UK — B&Q, garden centres, Amazon — and it does a decent job straight out of the bag. It’s slightly denser than I’d ideally like for a Monstera, so I always mix in a good handful of perlite to improve drainage. But as a base, it’s reliable, affordable, and I’ve never had issues with it.
If your Monstera is in lower light, definitely add the perlite — denser soil in lower light = soil staying wet for longer = root rot risk. Search ‘Westland Houseplant Potting Mix’ on Amazon UK and grab a bag of perlite while you’re there (link below).
FoxFarm Ocean Forest — US hero pick
I don’t use this personally — it’s a US product — but it’s the most recommended potting mix among serious plant people in the US and I can see why. The ingredient list is solid: composted forest humus, bat guano, earthworm castings, and aged wood chips. It’s nutrient-rich, well-aerated, and drains well without being too coarse.
It does run a bit rich for some plants, but Monsteras are big, hungry growers — they can take it. Check current price on Amazon: FoxFarm Ocean Forest →
Molly’s Aroid Mix — for the US reader who wants a ready-made specialist mix
If you want something closer to the DIY aroid mix below but without the faff of sourcing individual ingredients, Molly’s is a good shout. It’s chunky, soilless, and specifically designed for aroids. The only downside is cost — you’re paying for the convenience. Check price on Amazon →
Budget option: any standard houseplant compost + perlite
Miracle-Gro, Aldi compost, whatever’s on sale — it will work. A Monstera will not die just because you used supermarket compost. The key is adding perlite to improve drainage, and making sure you let the soil dry out properly between waterings before you water again. That’s genuinely it.
Perlite link: Legigo Perlite on Amazon →
The best DIY Monstera soil mix (what I actually use when I’m repotting en masse)
Making your own mix is cheaper per litre than buying specialist premixed soil, especially once you have a few plants. Here are the two mixes I’d recommend.
The aroid mix — for the enthusiast
This is my go-to for Monsteras I really want to grow well. It drains brilliantly, has good aeration, and the worm castings add a slow-release nutrition boost.
- 3 parts coco coir — holds moisture without waterlogging
- 3 parts orchid bark — adds chunkiness and aeration
- 3 parts perlite — improves drainage and airflow
- 1 part horticultural charcoal — filters toxins and helps prevent root rot
- 1 part worm castings — gentle, slow-release nutrients
These amounts can be amended so they suit your watering style or light situation. Drying out too quickly? Add more coir. Staying wet for too long? More perlite.
One caveat: this mix needs bottom watering. If you top water quickly, the water runs between the bark chunks and coir and doesn’t actually absorb properly. I either bottom water, or if it’s warm outside, I take mine outside and hose them down properly. A pressure sprayer works too if you’re indoors. Fucking look my pressure sprayer,
If I run out of something, I just sub in whatever I have — leca, sphagnum moss, extra perlite. Monstera really aren’t fussy.
The budget mix — James Wong method
British botanist James Wong shared this on Instagram and it made me question whether the whole specialist soil industry is a bit of a con. His mix for the vast majority of his houseplants:
- 1 part topsoil
- 1 part compost
- 1 part leca
It has structure, drainage, and nutrients. The leca adds aeration and stops the compost from compacting. If budget is tight, this is genuinely a solid option — no shame in it whatsoever.
Monstera soil comparison table
Skimmer? Here’s the short version.
| Mix | Best for | Drainage | Moisture |
| Westland + perlite (UK) | UK beginners, underwaterers | Good | Medium-high |
| FoxFarm Ocean Forest (US) | US growers | Good | Medium |
| Molly’s Aroid Mix (US) | Want specialist, no DIY, overwaterers | Very good | Medium-low |
| DIY aroid mix | Enthusiasts, multiple plants | Excellent | Medium |
| James Wong budget mix | Budget-conscious beginners | Good | Medium-high |
| Standard compost + perlite | Total beginners, cuttings | Medium | High |
How to choose the right Monstera soil for your situation
There isn’t one universally perfect Monstera soil — it depends on your watering habits, your light levels, and your budget. Here’s how to think about it:
- You tend to overwater: Go chunkier and drier. More orchid bark, more perlite, less coir. The mix should feel almost gravelly with bits of fibre in it.
- You underwater or travel a lot: Add more coir to your mix, or top-dress the soil surface with damp sphagnum moss. It acts as a moisture buffer and slows evaporation.
- Your Monstera is in low light: Soil dries out more slowly in low light, so lean toward a chunkier, better-draining mix to reduce root rot risk. Less coir, more bark and perlite.
- You have a Thai Constellation: Treat it like an overwaterer regardless of your actual habits. Thai Cons are famously prone to root rot — use the aroid mix with less coir, and never let it sit in wet soil.
- You’re on a budget: James Wong mix. Seriously, it’s fine.
- You only have one Monstera: Just buy a bag of Westland (UK) or FoxFarm (US) and add a handful of perlite. Done in five minutes, sorted.
Can Monstera grow in [X]? (Honest answers)
Yes, with one caveat. Cactus soil drains fast — which is great — but it holds very little moisture, so you’ll need to water more frequently than usual. If you have some cactus mix and want to use it up, go ahead. Your Monstera will be fine. You can also bulk it out with a bit of coir to slow the drying time.
Yes — lots of plant people prefer leca for Monsteras, especially large ones. It removes the guesswork around watering and eliminates fungus gnats. It’s a different approach rather than a better one — you’ll need to get your head around nutrients and pH, and Monsteras can be tricky to support in leca because they get so big. I have a full guide to semi-hydroponics if you want to go down that route.
Yes. I know this is controversial in plant circles but a Monstera will not die in Miracle-Gro. It’s denser than ideal so root rot is a risk if you overwater — let it dry out properly between waterings and you’ll be fine. Add perlite to improve drainage if you can.
Yes, and they do well in it. My Thai Constellation lives in water permanently — it’s the only way I can keep its root rot under control. The main challenge is supporting the plant upright without a pole to attach to. If anyone has cracked this, please let me know.
Slightly. The ideal pH is 5.5–7, which is the same preference as most tropical houseplants. Unless you’re having unexplained problems, you don’t need to test or adjust pH — a decent potting mix will naturally sit in this range.
White mould on the soil surface is usually saprophytic fungus — it feeds on organic matter in the soil and is not harmful to your plant. It’s more common in humid conditions or when the soil stays wet too long. Improve airflow around the plant, let the surface dry out more between waterings, and it’ll usually disappear on its own.
Every 1–2 years is the standard advice, but honestly ‘when rootbound’ is a better trigger than a fixed calendar. If roots are circling the bottom of the pot, poking out of drainage holes, or the soil is drying out unusually fast — those are your signs.
When you repot, take the opportunity to refresh the soil entirely rather than just topping up. Old soil compacts over time, loses its structure, and stops draining as well as it used to.
Full guide: How to Repot Monstera
The bottom line
The best Monstera soil is the one that drains well, has a bit of structure, and suits your watering habits. Westland + perlite in the UK. FoxFarm in the US. DIY aroid mix if you want to go all in. And if you only have basic compost and nothing else? Your Monstera will survive. Just don’t overwater it.
Try putting “pretty” but heavy rocks at the bottom of your pot for the weight. You can also very very loosely tie a part of the root to a a very heavy rock on the bottom. The root will eat up the string. I like a natural butcher string. That should solve your tipping over, and staying upright.
I collect big pretty rocks for this very reason!