Soil for Epipremnum aureum

Golden pothos soil needs to stay open while holding some water. RHS gives three parts peat-free ericaceous compost, one part grit and one part medium orchid bark.

Plant coveredEpipremnum aureumGolden pothos · Devil's ivy · indoor container

Check how the mix holds water and air

Best soil mix

RHS recommends three parts peat-free ericaceous compost, one part grit and one part medium-sized orchid bark. A peat-free houseplant compost can work, but the tailored mix keeps the medium open. No branded product is required.

The mix should hold some water while remaining open and well drained, and the container should release excess water. Overpotting can leave the compost wet for too long and raise root-rot risk. This is not a direction to keep the plant permanently dry.

Separate indoor and outdoor advice

Match the mix to the pot and setting

The recipe is for a warm indoor climbing or trailing houseplant grown in a container, with repotting into a slightly larger pot when roots crowd the current one. The evidence is indoor and under-glass, not a garden-soil recipe.

Use an exact target only when one is known

Soil pH

Epipremnum is described as preferring a slightly acidic compost. RHS pairs the mix with ericaceous compost and advises avoiding regular hard tap water that can alter acidity. No numeric pH range is established.

Check the pot, watering and roots too

When soil alone is not the problem

Sources