What Kind of Soil Does a String of Turtles Plant Require? (Best Soil Mix)

The String of Turtles is semi-succulent, which has different soil requirements than most plants or succulents. Unlike most succulents that grow in dry areas, String of Turtles is native to moist Brazilian rainforests, so it is not suitable to use sandy soil or premixed soil that has been formulated especially for cactus or succulents. Meanwhile, though it is native to rainforests, it is afraid of overwatering or waterlogging because it has succulent-like leaves that store water. It is best to use well-drained soil that replicates its natural environments at the same time.

There are many factors to consider while choosing the right soil mix for your String of Turtles plant. With that in mind let’s find out what kind of soil does String of Turtles needs?

Best Soil for String of Turtles Plant

Soaking soil is the easiest way to kill your string of turtles plant with root rot. A well-drained soil/mix is necessary. To keep the plants thriving and beautiful, we need to mimic the properties of the natural soil, which should be nutrient-rich and remain slightly damp while not soggy or waterlogged. 

Overall, the best soil for the String of Turtles plants must support the requirements for drainage, aeration and fertility. Choose loamy soil as the base medium for a perfect soil mixture, then mix in the other ingredients. Keep reading on how how to mix soil for String of Turtles.

 

 

 

 

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Components of String of Turtles Plant Soil Mix

​​Before making the soil for String of Turtles, we should know that each ingredient in the potting mix should have a specific function. Think about these questions:
 

• Can it increase the drainage ability? 
• Can it offer necessary nutrition for plants?
• Can it improve aeration in the soil?
• Can it improve water retention capacity?
• Does it contain harmful microorganisms or weed seeds?
• How will it adjust the soil PH?

After considering these problems, the best components to mix soil for string of turtles include:

Sphagnum Peat Moss

Peat moss also called sphagnum peat moss, has superior moisture management capacity since it doesn’t compact or break down readily. It contains much of the dead material in a peat bog that comes from sphagnum moss that grew on top of the bog and has an acid pH, doing wonders for string of turtles soil pH balance and nutritional content. Peat moss doesn’t contain harmful microorganisms or weed seeds. (Read More: Are String Of Turtles Toxic To Cats)

Coconut Coir

Because it is pH neutral, readily available, and lightweight, Coconut Coir is an excellent String of Turtles plant potting mix component.

• High water retention capacity.
• Acceptable pH & EC.
• Ability to retain nutrients against leaching and to buffer supply.
• Good drainage/aeration.
• Less shrinkage.
• Retains physical properties longer.

Perlite & Vermiculite

Both perlite and vermiculite are beneficial to aeration and water retention for String of Turtles soil. Compared with vermiculite, perlite is more porous and allows soil mix to drain water more efficiently. Meanwhile, perlite is also pH neutral and naturally pasteurized.

Sand

If you don’t have access to perlite or vermiculite, coarse sand will serve a similar function. It is the least expensive aeration and water retention medium. Make sure that it is coarse enough for better drainage and aeration.

Ideal Soil pH for String of Turtles Plants

In terms of acidity, soil with a pH between 5 and 7 is ideal for String of Turtles plant. We can adjust the soil pH by changing the percentage of soil components or adding other components. Peat moss and coco coir, can cause the soil pH to tip towards the acidic side. 

Testing the soil is every so often is a good idea. If the soil is too acid (less than 5.0), adding limestone will be useful. If the soil is too alkaline (above 7.0), you can add more sphagnum peat moss or coco coir. 

How to Make String of Turtles Required Soil

String of Turtles plants are easy to care for acctually (Read More: How to Care for String of Turtles Plant). However, to keep the plants in good health, a suitble potting soil mix is necessary. It can be used when planting a new plant or repotting an existing String of Turtles plant.

Read Next:

• How to Repot String of Turtles Plant
• How to Propagate String of Turtles Plant
• How to Deal with String of Turtles Flower

There are recipes suitable for String of Turtles soil:

• 1 part of sphagnum peat moss; 3 part of organic soil with part sand and perlite; A handful of coconut coir or orchid barks.
• 2 part of sphagnum peat moss or coconut coir; ​1 part perlite or sand; 1 part high-quality compost

The key is to promotes good drainage and enough nutrition to encourage String of Turles root growth and increase the vines’ strength
 

String of Turtles Plant has a certain demand for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer. In the growth season of the String of Turtles plants, you can apply nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer to the plants once every half month. At the end of autumn, phosphorus and potash fertilizer was applied to String of Turtles plants to improve the freezing resistance of String of Turtles plants. Fertilization was stopped in winter.
 

Read Next:

• String of Turtles: Plant Facts, Care & Propagation Guide
• How to Propagate String of Turtles Plant
• How Much & How Often to Water String of Turtles Plant
• How to Repot String of Turtles Plant
• How Much Light Does a String of Turtles Plant Require
• 11 Best String of Succulent Varieties as Hanging Plants