SKU: 6090518142
menards succulent soil

menards succulent soil Molly's Gritty Mix for Cactus & Bonsai

Sale price$20.10 Regular price$22.33
Save 10%

Shipping Estimate
USA
  • USA
  • CAN

Ships within 48 hours · Estimated delivery Jul 13 - Jul 18

Promo Codes Available:

For Your Every Summer RSVP, with Code: SUMMER15

Description

menards succulent 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.

Shipping Notes
  • Free Standard Shipping on $100+ Orders to the USA.
  • Except Preorder products are shipped in 48 hours.
  • Delivery to the USA:
  1. Standard Shipping : 3-10 business days
  • If time is of the essence, please consider selecting expedited delivery for faster service.
Exchange/Return Notes
  • We offer a 30-day return/exchange service after receiving.
  • Final sale items are not eligible for returns or exchanges.
  • To process your return/exchange, please contact us at [email protected]
  • Please click here for more details>>> Return & Exchange Policy
SKU: 6090518142

Discover Niche Categories That Outsell menards succulent soil

Top-Converting Item to Boost Your Average Order

4.6 ★★★★★
Based on 1020 reviews
Sort
Highest Rating
Newest First
Oldest First
Product Reviews
A
Verified Purchase
Alex Farmer
Chelsea, US
★★★★★ 5
good quality
Size: 15ft, Style: 8 Gauge
good deal
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2026
K
Verified Purchase
keith kremer
Lake Worth, US
★★★★★ 4
Insulation and outside cover materials tough to cut and strip.
Size: 30ft, Style: 10 Gauge
Made in China. Wire works fine but the materials used for insulation and the outer cover are a pain to separate and strip for use. This isn’t like Ancor wire!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2025
D
Verified Purchase
Dennis
Battle Creek, US
★★★★★ 5
Well worth it, Cost efficient and heavy duty! don't hesitate just buy!!
Size: 100ft, Style: 14 Gauge
Very nice and durable wire. well insulated, neatly wrapped and held secure in roll with velcro straps and wire is flexible enough but at the same time sturdy for any job. Wire strippers had no problem pulling insulation coat off. all 100 foot of wire was used on a new pontoon build and will be ordering more from these guys. If you are looking at a couple options of which wire will do you the best look no further and hit BUY NOW!
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on May 26, 2025
T
Verified Purchase
TC Bhakta
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Nice strands
Size: 100ft, Style: 10 Gauge
Silky smooth marine grade wire
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 30, 2026
J
Verified Purchase
james maher
Natrona Heights, US
★★★★★ 5
My Denon ROCKS
Style: AVR-X3800H
Pros: Nine Amps power a 9.1 or 7.1.2 or 5.2.4 speaker configuration because most of us want Atmos to work in our listening room. Plenty of power available in each amp and each configuration Atmos DTS IMAX plus any other codec or audio visual enhancement is available. Yes, 4K 8K HDR all supported. Three HDMI outputs Preamp output for up to 11 channels so any combination of preamp vs. power amplifier output is available. But not both preamp AND power amp for the same channel. And you can pick and choose which channel you want for pre amp vs power amp individually. So it can function as a AV Preamp Processor at very reasonable price point. DAC (changes Digital Signal to Analog) with all the power amplifiers you could want. High quality, including DSD, is an added bonus. Setup customizable to the nth degree. Some people might say too many options but that’s the way we get this AVR to meet our individual requirements I’ve been working with the setup for the last week and have dialed in for my needs. Still playing with the HEOS but I think it’s working well for now. Various HDMI inputs need different surround settings, I like the DTS best, but the unit has a way to include default settings for each HDMI. I’ll use default settings with my BluRay. And I’ll use direct or pure or whatever the source allows for music and streaming. And most users will want a streaming stick like the Amazon one otherwise you can’t get the Atmos signal to work. Older streamers won’t pass the Atmos signal though. The only problem with a device like this is you will buy more speakers and amps and possibly even more subwoofers, the unit will support 4 subwoofers. Enjoy So I will get back to you with comments about longer term issues. BTW the 3800 was a refurbished version for $999 . Definitely an excellent value. The online reviews are quite favorable. Even the audiophiles are still learning the nuances of setup. It’s worth the extra effort to get the most out of each user’s individual existing equipment. Cons: None. I’ve been an audio video nerd for decades so I can say that the setup effort is easily justified once the user, with user manual in hand, patiently works out the desired configuration. The audio expert online information is invaluable. I have 21MBS broadband service in my region. Even with this limitation I have more than enough added capacity with the Denon that I would never return it to seller unless someone catastrophic happened. Yes I like it that much.
WAS THIS REVIEW HELPFUL?YesReportShare
Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2024

recommand products