Desert rose soil: indoor and outdoor settings

Desert rose soil: indoor and outdoor settings

1. 01

   Best soil mix

   For a container in a warm climate, use a porous mix with coarse pumice, coir, sand, gravel or perlite. Indoors, a rich organic peat- or bark-based bagged potting soil also works. Pick the one that fits where the plant grows.

   Give Adenium obesum unobstructed drain holes and excellent drainage. Do not leave the pot on a saucer that holds water. Wet soil can lead to root rot, and drought tolerance does not make standing water safe.

2. 02

   Match the mix to the pot and setting

   This page covers potted Adenium obesum in temperate indoor settings and warm patio or regional outdoor conditions. Keep the indoor, patio and warm-climate branches separate. A warm outdoor recipe is not an indoor schedule.

3. 03

   When soil alone is not the problem

   An indoor organic bagged mix and a coarse warm-climate container mix differ, so no single blend is required. An indoor bag label does not tell you whether to adjust pH, how much to amend the mix, or whether the plant can go outdoors.