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can succulents use cactus soil

can succulents use cactus soil Molly's Gritty Mix for Cactus & Bonsai

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Description

can succulents use cactus soil Molly's Gritty Mix for Cactus & BonsaiQuick answer: what is Molly's Succulent Mix? For: succulents, cacti, bonsai, Haworthia, Echeveria, Sedum, Jade, and any arid environment plant. What's in it: high mineral gritty blend of pumice, lava rock, and crushed bark. Low organic matter by design. Why it works: succulent roots are built to drink fast and dry out fast. The gritty structure drains in seconds and holds zero standing water, so roots don't rot. Pre rinsed and pH balanced straight

Quick answer: what is Molly's Succulent Mix?

  • For: succulents, cacti, bonsai, Haworthia, Echeveria, Sedum, Jade, and any arid-environment plant.
  • What's in it: high-mineral gritty blend of pumice, lava rock, and crushed bark. Low organic matter by design.
  • Why it works: succulent roots are built to drink fast and dry out fast. The gritty structure drains in seconds and holds zero standing water, so roots don't rot.
  • Pre-rinsed and pH-balanced straight from the bag. No salt flush required.
  • Bonsai-safe. The grit profile matches what serious bonsai growers blend by hand from akadama, pumice, and lava.

More plant-specific guidance: Ultimate guide to growing succulents indoors, Potting soil vs potting mix.

Succulents and cacti evolved in arid, mineral-rich environments where water moves through gritty substrate in seconds. Their roots are built to drink fast and dry out fast. Standard potting soil holds moisture for days, suffocates the roots, and rots them from the bottom up. The fix is a high-mineral, low-organic, gritty mix.

Molly's Succulent Mix is engineered to mimic native desert and rocky-slope substrates. A blend of pumice, lava rock, and a small amount of organic matter that drains in seconds and forces the soak-and-dry watering rhythm succulents need.

The gritty-mix philosophy

Most "succulent soil" sold at garden centres is regular potting soil with sand mixed in. That's not what these plants want. The right mix is roughly 70% mineral aggregate (pumice and lava rock) and 30% structural organic (coir, charcoal). Water hits the surface and runs through within seconds. Roots get a brief, intense drink, then dry conditions for the next 1 to 2 weeks. That's how succulents stay alive in pots.

What's in the bag

  • Pumice (volcanic, lightweight): the mineral backbone. Holds a tiny amount of water inside its porous structure, but lets the rest drain freely.
  • Lava rock (red lava): chunky drainage and heat retention. Roots love the warmth differential it creates.
  • Coir fiber (small percentage): just enough organic to retain a little humidity and prevent the mix from drying to a brick. Not enough to compromise drainage.
  • Horticultural charcoal: filters salts from tap water (succulents are surprisingly sensitive to mineral buildup).
  • Calcitic limestone (trace): buffers pH to the slightly alkaline range (6.5 to 7.5) most desert succulents prefer.

Low peat content, no worm castings (succulents don't want a nutrient flush), no commercial fertilizer. The whole mix is intentionally lean.

Plants this is for

Designed for succulents and cacti:

  • Echeveria, Sedum, Crassula (jade), Sempervivum: the classic rosette succulents.
  • Haworthia, Gasteria: they prefer slightly more shade but want the same gritty drainage.
  • Aloe (vera and others): medicinal succulents, this mix prevents the rot they're prone to in heavier soils.
  • Most cacti: Mammillaria, Echinopsis, Opuntia, San Pedro, golden barrel.
  • Lithops (living stones): require fast drainage to stay alive year-round; this mix is well-suited.
  • Bonsai with high drainage needs: juniper, pine, and certain deciduous bonsai work well.
  • Caudex plants: Adenium, Pachypodium, and other swollen-stem species that need fast drainage at the base.

Not for: tropical "succulent-looking" plants like Hoya, Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera), or Easter cactus, which actually prefer humidity-retaining mixes. For those, use Molly's Aroid Mix.

Watering with gritty mix

The right rhythm: soak and dry. Water deeply, then wait until the mix is bone-dry before watering again.

  1. Wait until the top 2 to 3 inches feel completely dry. For most succulents in standard 4 to 6 inch pots, that's every 10 to 21 days indoors.
  2. Water until liquid runs clearly out the drainage holes. Don't dribble. Soak.
  3. Discard any water in the saucer. Do not let the pot sit in standing water.
  4. Wait. The plant will let you know when it's thirsty (slight wrinkling of leaves, lighter pot weight).

In winter, water roughly half as often. Most succulents go dormant or semi-dormant.

FAQ

Why is this so heavy compared to other succulent soil?

Because it's mostly minerals, not peat or coco coir. The weight is what makes it work. Light bag means light drainage, which is the opposite of what succulents need.

Can I use this for bonsai?

For tropical bonsai, no, they want a moisture-retentive aroid-style mix. For drought-tolerant bonsai (juniper, pine, certain deciduous species), yes, this mix or a 50/50 blend with finer organics works well.

Will the mix break down or stay porous over time?

Stays porous. The mineral components (pumice, lava rock, charcoal) don't decompose. The small organic fraction breaks down slowly. Most succulents in this mix can go 2 to 3 years before repotting.

Should I add fertilizer?

Sparingly. Succulents are slow growers and don't need much. A diluted (~1/4 strength) cactus-specific fertilizer once during the growing season (spring) is plenty for most species.

Packaged in a heat-sealed resealable bag. New formula released April 2026, see the formula release announcement for details on what changed.

Related care guide

Watering, light, and repotting fundamentals for succulents and cacti.

→ Read the Succulent & Cactus Care guide

Have questions? Read the Molly's Succulent Mix FAQ for detailed information on watering, repotting, and which succulents this mix works best for.

New: the complete soil guide

Not sure if you need cactus soil or succulent soil? They are the same thing. Read: Best Soil for Succulents and Cactus →

Not sure which mix your plant needs?

Take our free 60-second Soil Finder quiz → Diagnose the problem and get the exact Molly's mix and amount for your plant, plus 10% off.

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Rachel
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 4
Mostly easy recipes that taste great!
Format: Spiral-bound
This cookbook has some easy recipes and some that are a bit more involved. She has video links tho to help you along if you need it. I’ve probably made about 1/2 of the recipes in here(not the desserts) and most have been great. The miso chicken, the fried chicken, the mollzballs, the cauliflower salad, and many more were big hits with my family. Got the spiral bound which is really nice to have!
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Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2025
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Kelly
Dallas, US
★★★★★ 5
One of the greatest cookbooks I’ve ever bought
Format: Hardcover
I love cookbooks—like really really love them. I have a collection. I just finished reading this through on the night I received it via preorder—I tracked it all day because I was so excited. I just intuitively felt like after looking at the images and preview that there was really something special about this one. Being a cookbook lover, you can just smell it. This one seemed dense with intention and value, and so colorful, accessible and of-the-moment. And boy was I right!! While there literally hasn’t been enough time to cook anything from this yet (it arrived on my door step three hours ago), I can already tell you that this thing has more soul and voice than 99% of the cookbooks out there. She had me LAUGHING out loud like 12 times no exaggeration (Maldon in the purse?! F yeah ur my girl!), misty eyed (last meal convo), IMPRESSED (QR code for real time audio instructions w classical music?! and vids?! #INNOVATION), thrilled at the ingenuity (salt scoville unit rating omfg), and just overall really knocked back by the joy of seeing someone really live their dreams and GIVE IT to the world. It is so palpable that Molly is living her dreams, and you can tell she works for it. Her writing seems more like her true or embodied self than her spoken words in old YouTube vids I recall. This book is aspirational from a lifestyle perspective but it has nothing to do with the very cool graphic design, great photography and food styling (all wonderful) or her ultra hip house or LA social life or whatever… which is all fun to peek in on, but—it’s because this is a person who has found her calling and is LIVING IT 👏👏 … COMMITTING… and generously sharing herself in the most authentic way with us. It’s just so HER, so specific, which is what we wanna see in ARTISTS. And while I’ve followed Molly with appreciation for years (I never got around to buying her first book but live for her gochujang chx and other Bon Appetit recipes), I’m realizing I have either been sleeping on the true depths of her talent OR she has recently bloomed into just like, her fullest self and I am so so happy for her. I came for the ingredient lists organized by grocery store layout (F-ING FINALLY FINALLY THANK YOU THANK YOU) and the fun vintage typography/nostalgia and umami bombs and gorgeous meatballs, but the inspiration that this book vibrates with (GO FOR IT! Life the life you are meant to live!) will stay with me for quite some time. As a former cooking instructor I know the critical importance of building confidence in order to be a good cook but she just took that concept and blew it to its heights/made it REAL. Can’t wait to make cauliflower salad w vegan ranch, leek za, coconut cornbread, fish n shingled potatoes and orange creamsicle poppy cake. THANK YOU MOLLY!
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Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2023
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Verified Purchase
Colleen Rollins
Los Angeles, US
★★★★★ 5
Molly Snapped. AGAIN
Format: Hardcover
I’ve made a few recipes from this book already and dear god, they’re so good. The hot sauce-braised short ribs and chile-basted half chicken in particular were jaw-droppingly delicious!! One thing I keep seeing is that she reused recipes from her subscription The Club, so maybe don’t get this book if you already have that. I’m not a member of The Club, so these were all new and exciting for me. Another thing - this is not a dry, straightforward cookbook. It’s focuses on fun graphic design and has her signature lingo in it. Yes, the font is kooky, and I’m here for all of it. It’s not illegible, but know what you’re signing up for. And finally, this is not a health cookbook. She has never claimed it is, so I don’t know why some reviews are up in arms about the health aspect. It’s literally called More is More, guys. Some recipes are indulgent, and that’s okay! I try to eat somewhat healthy, and there’s still a lot in it that I could make without modifications. Basically, if you want a very fun, eye-catching cookbook with DELICIOUS recipes, this is for you!
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Reviewed in the United States on October 31, 2023
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Verified Purchase
Claudio
Waukegan, US
★★★★★ 5
Amazing recipes, but a visually exhausting thing to read
Format: Hardcover
The recipes in this book are amazing. Reading through them and flipping back and forth through the pages you can tell Molly put a lot of time and attention into making powerful recipes packed with flavor, with all of them being incredibly approachable in actual technique. There are too many good things to call out with this collection of recipes. But existing as an easily digestible and referenced cookbook, it kind of sucks. The editing in this book is supposed to be *fun*. There are random font styles in every page and sometimes there are weird lines that become wavy. There are points in the book where there’s suddenly a cocktail recipe thrown into a chapter about salads or sandwiches. Great sounding cocktails, but ones you’ll need to scan the recipe list for since how would you be able to know which chapter it was thrown into? At the end of the day I feel like a cookbook should be an easy tool for someone to use in the kitchen when there’s already so much going on. The book is visually exhausting to read, but looks very very delicious to make from.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 11, 2023
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Verified Purchase
Liz K.
Alexandria, US
★★★★★ 3
Nice recipes, AWFUL font
Format: Hardcover, Format: Hardcover
I loved Cook This Book. Mine has a permanent crease on the Caesar salad page and the other recipes I have tried have all been winners, so I was excited to get Molly’s next book. My initial browse through the recipes has me excited to try them out, I just cannot understand the choice of this awful font. It is so difficult to read and make out the letters. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for someone with visual or reading impairments. There is even a fully black page with dark blue font that is basically unreadable (the picture I included is very kind, in real life the contrast is extremely minimal). It’s such a huge distraction from what otherwise appears to be a nice collection.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2023

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