There are a confusing amount of DIY 'recipes' for making your own potting mix. I used to have the patience, storage space and time to create my own. Ah the good old days. And it was fun. Although I'm not sure I got my ratios quite right (sorry plants), and I hated the clean-up afterwards.

But then life got busy(er). Plus I ran out of room to store multiple bags for all the separate ingredients just to pot up a few plants every so often. Not to mention the frustration of running out of one ingredient before the rest. These days, when I do find the time to repot, I just want a mix that's already made for me (and my plants), in the right ratios, ready to go, all in one bag. SUCH a time saver. Not to mention a space saver! And way less mess too. 

 Who is Wildvine? 

Wildvine potting mix is freshly hand-blended in small batches by owner Kate, based in Whangarei. You might know Kate from YouTube or already be one of her 15 thousand+ followers on Instagram (if you're not, you should be). I love that she created this for her own plants health and happiness first-and-foremost, and selling it came later.  

I have a soft spot for this fellow Kiwi planty business owner and count her as one of my plant besties. When I kept hearing amazing things about her custom potting mixes, I asked the lovely Kate if I could be a stockist (no spoiler here, she said yes). 

Wildvine Aroid and Hoya Blend available in:
2 litres (this size) and 6 litres  

 Which plants is this mix best for? 

This is a soil-free mix (if you want a soil-based mix for higher water retention or finer-root plants, check out the Wildvine Houseplant Blend instead). This mix is made to spoil your rainforest epiphytes including aroids, hoyas and more. This is the one that you want for Monstera, Philodendron, Pothos, Hoyas, Scindapsus, Epipremnum and similar. Also your new best friend if you're a prone to over-watering, as this blend keeps those oxygen levels up to help prevent root rot.  

What's in this mix (and why)?

Wildvine Aroid and Hoya Blend is a lovely chunky, light, free-draining, airy mix. Providing a medium to low level of water retention. And importantly - no fertiliser and no soil. Free of slow-release fertiliser so you're in control of the quality of what your plant gets fed, how often, and in the right amounts. A soil-less mix to reduce water retention and compaction that would otherwise reduce air-space for oxygen-loving epiphytes like Monstera and hoyas. 

 Orchid bark 

Not just any bark, world-famous Kiwi Orchid Bark produced right here in NZ from sustainable Pinus Radiata. A very high grade horticultural bark. Fresh, un-aged, with no added fertilisers. Sourced directly from the trees after felling then cleaned and screened, bagged and off to growers. A hard grade that resists compaction and stays pH stable for years, with a natural pH and texture that emulates where epiphytes like Monstera and hoyas grow in the wild.  

 Fern fibre 

Roots LOVE fern fibre. Fluffy and fibrous. It increases aeration, adds drainage and boy does it get roots growing. Wildvine uses sustainably-sourced NZ Fernwood fern fibre. I also love that fern fibre changes colour,  from the colour of dark chocolate to milk chocolate when it's time to water again. Dammit, now I want chocolate.

 Coconut chips 

Coco chips hit the sweet spot between moisture retention and excellent drainage. This airy, fibrous substrate maintains a perfect balance between water and oxygen for the roots. See how 'sweet' snuck in there? Yep, still craving chocolate.

 Perlite 

Perlite has no odour, is sterile and non-toxic. What does have is holes! It feels like pumice and looks like polystyrene, but is naturally sourced from volcanic rock. Perlite increases space for oxygen, helps prevent soil compaction and increases drainage.

 Storage 

I prefer to buy only what I need and use it fresh, but if you have potting mix leftover, shift it into a sealed container to extend the life and retain all that natural organic goodness for as long a possible. Best stored inside at room temperature in low'ish humidity and out of direct sun. Much the same as chocolate actually. Although I do like mine in the fridge too.