The best cactus soils, compared.
Top pick: UK GROW peat-free cactus soil 20L Best value: UK GROW peat-free Seramis mix 30L – Lowest price per litre in this set, about £0.63, with peat-free and grit and sand named, at about £18.99. Updated October 2026.
Cactus soil, also sold as cactus compost, is a free-draining potting medium for a UK windowsill or a container. You buy it to repot desert cacti, aloes, echeveria, jade plants and similar succulents. Multi-purpose compost stays wet long enough to rot those roots. Quality shows up as named grit, sharp sand or perlite, modest fertility, a pot with drainage holes, and a peat status printed on the bag. The Royal Horticultural Society points to a ready-made peat-free cactus compost, or peat-free John Innes 2 with up to about 30 percent grit. The British Cactus and Society uses roughly equal parts John Innes and grit for most plants. What to check is in the [cactus soil buying guide](/hub/fertiliser-soil-and-bark-mulch/cactus-soil/sub/cactus-soil-buying-guide). It is not a fertiliser, and it is not multi-purpose compost. Horticultural grit, sharp sand or perlite is what you can check. A sentence that only says fast draining does not tell you the recipe. Christmas cactus and other epiphytes want more moisture than a desert mix. Aloe-labelled bags add vermiculite, which holds more water. A shop bag is a compromise in the middle of that range.
Cactus soil, also sold as cactus compost, is a free-draining potting medium for a UK windowsill or a container. You buy it to repot desert cacti, aloes, echeveria, jade plants and similar succulents.
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Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
How many pots are you filling?
This 20-litre UK GROW soil prints peat-free in the title and costs £16.99, equivalent to about £0.85 per litre. The transparent heat-sealed bag lets you see the material, but the listing does not name grit, sand, perlite or another drainage ingredient. Its perfect 5.0-star line is based on only two ratings, with one saved UK review body, so it is far too small a sample to support a top-pick claim. The unit count agrees with the 20-litre title, although no item weight, numerical pH or RSS grade is provided. Choose it for the combination of bulk price and explicit peat-free wording, not because the tiny rating sample proves quality.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a low-cost 20-litre bag with an explicit peat-free title and are willing to judge the texture yourself
Less suitable: Less suitable if named minerals or robust review evidence are priorities.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
Yes. The title prints peat-free. A peat-free line is not the same as a grit percentage.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £16.99 and 20 litres. That is about £0.85 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is not stated Unit count is 20000.0 millilitre.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
5.0 out of 5 from 2 ratings. One UK review body is saved. That sample is too small to rank the mix.
This 30-litre UK GROW bag is the lowest calculated cost in the comparison at £18.99, or about £0.63 per litre. Its title prints peat-free, while the listing names grit, sand and Seramis, giving you more composition detail than most bulk rows. The large size makes sense for a substantial collection, but 12 kg of compost is cumbersome and can become wasteful if you only have one windowsill pot. Its 4.6-star rating comes from 166 reviews shared with the 10-litre and 20-litre Seramis variants, rather than a separate 30-litre sample. No RSS grade or numerical pH appears in the saved file, so the label supports a peat-free claim but not a broader sourcing or performance claim.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You maintain a sizeable cactus or succulent collection and can store a 30-litre bag
Less suitable: Less suitable for one or two plants or anyone needing size-specific reviews.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
Yes. The title prints peat free. A peat-free line is not the same as a grit percentage.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £18.99 and 30 litres. That is about £0.63 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 12 kg. Unit count is 30000.0 millilitre.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.6 out of 5 from 166 ratings. The same star line and best-sellers rank appear on the 10 litre and 20 litre Seramis-titled files.
This 20-litre UK GROW Seramis mix combines a bulk quantity with peat-free wording in the title and named grit and sand. At £17.99, it costs about £0.90 per litre, only slightly more than the separate heat-sealed 20-litre options while giving clearer drainage information. The seller says 4 litres fills a 14 cm pot, though that should be treated as a rough listing claim because root-ball and pot dimensions change the amount used. Its 4.6-star line and 166 ratings are shared with the 10-litre and 30-litre versions, so the feedback does not isolate this pack size. The listing provides no unit count, RSS grade or numerical pH, leaving some basic specification gaps despite the useful ingredient names.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 20-litre peat-free-labelled mix with named mineral components at under £1 per litre
Less suitable: Less suitable if exact pack-specific reviews and complete specification fields matter.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
Yes. The title prints peat free. A peat-free line is not the same as a grit percentage.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £17.99 and 20 litres. That is about £0.90 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 8 kg. Unit count is not stated
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.6 out of 5 from 166 ratings. The same star line and best-sellers rank appear on the 10 litre and 30 litre Seramis-titled files.
This 10-litre UK GROW mix gives you a peat-free statement in the title and names grit, sand and Seramis rather than leaving drainage entirely unexplained. At £11.99, its calculated cost of about £1.20 per litre is reasonable for a mid-sized bag. The seller also says 4 litres fills a 14 cm pot, but that is a seller claim and actual use depends on the root ball and pot shape. Its 4.6-star line comes from 166 ratings shared with the 20-litre and 30-litre variants, so it cannot be treated as feedback on this size alone. The mix is a stronger fit for label-conscious buyers than listings with no peat-free wording, although the file gives no RSS grade or numerical pH.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a peat-free-labelled 10-litre mix with named drainage ingredients
Less suitable: Less suitable if you require reviews attributable to this exact size or an RSS sourcing grade.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
Yes. The title prints peat free. A peat-free line is not the same as a grit percentage.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £11.99 and 10 litres. That is about £1.20 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 3.82 kg. Unit count is 10000.0108 gram.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.6 out of 5 from 166 ratings. The same star line and best-sellers rank appear on the 20 litre and 30 litre Seramis-titled files.
This 6-litre easy-carry pack is a manageable size for a few cactus, succulent or bonsai pots and costs about £1.63 per litre. The Amazon title says Miracle-Gro, but the saved brand field says VTANMS, so the listing identity deserves a careful check before you buy. Its 4.5-star score is backed by 2,231 ratings in its own block, although some saved review texts appear to discuss feed or shrubs rather than this compost. The listing does not name a drainage material and does not print peat-free, even though other retail pages may describe different Miracle-Gro cactus-compost stock that way. Treat the large rating count as a useful signal with contamination risk, not as proof of composition or performance.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a manageable 6-litre pack and will verify the listing identity and label before ordering
Less suitable: Less suitable if you need a clean product-specific review pool or explicit composition details.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
No. The saved listing does not print peat-free.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £9.79 and 6 litres. That is about £1.63 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 4.07 kg. Unit count is 6000 millilitre.
What brand does the file print?
The title and a bullet say Miracle-Gro. The Brand Name field says VTANMS.
This 10-litre UK GROW mix is a practical mid-sized option when you want perlite named on the listing rather than relying only on a vague fast-draining claim. At £14.99, it works out at about £1.50 per litre, so it sits between the bulk bags and the much dearer small Plantalaya packs. Its 4.5-star rating comes from 343 reviews in this ASIN's own block, which is more useful than a rating shared across several pack sizes. The listing calls the mix pH-balanced but gives no numerical pH, and it does not state that the compost is peat-free. The unbranded bucket shown on the listing may be convenient for storage, although it tells you less about the original packaging than a clearly labelled retail bag would.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You want a 10-litre cactus and succulent mix with perlite explicitly named and a reasonably substantial, product-specific review sample
Less suitable: Less suitable if a printed peat-free claim is essential.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
No. The saved listing does not print peat-free.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £14.99 and 10 litres. That is about £1.50 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 4 kg. Unit count is 1.0 count.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.5 out of 5 from 343 ratings on the listing. The saved UK reviews are this ASIN’s own block, not shared with the Seramis or Plantalaya rows.
This 5-litre Plantalaya bag offers enough mix for several small pots without committing to a 10- or 20-litre pack. At £15.99, however, it costs about £3.20 per litre and remains much dearer than the larger UK GROW options in this comparison. The listing calls it fast-draining and names several suitable plant groups, but it does not identify the minerals in the blend. Its 4.4-star score is based on 17 ratings shared with the 1-litre and 2.5-litre variants, so you cannot attribute that feedback solely to this pack. The saved unit count says 200 g despite a 5-litre title and 2.57 kg item weight, while peat-free is not printed.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need a medium-small pack and do not mind paying more to avoid storing a bulk bag
Less suitable: Less suitable when transparent ingredients, peat-free labelling or value per litre come first.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
No. The saved listing does not print peat-free.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £15.99 and 5 litres. That is about £3.20 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 2.57 kg. Unit count is 200.0 gram.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings. The same 17-review block appears on the 1 litre and 2.5 litre Plantalaya files.
This 2.5-litre Plantalaya pack bridges the gap between a single-pot bag and a larger quantity, but £12.99 equates to a steep £5.20 per litre. The listing presents it as a fast-draining mix for cacti, aloe, echeveria, haworthia and jade, without naming the grit, sand or perlite behind that claim. Its 4.4-star rating comes from a shared 17-rating block also used for the 1-litre and 5-litre sizes. The saved listing states UK origin, yet the 200 g unit-count field conflicts with both the 2.5-litre title and the 1.29 kg item weight. It also lacks a printed peat-free statement, so the compact size is the main clear advantage rather than composition transparency.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You have two or three small pots and want to minimise leftover mix
Less suitable: Less suitable if price per litre, a product-specific review sample or a peat-free claim matters more.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
No. The saved listing does not print peat-free.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £12.99 and 2.5 litres. That is about £5.20 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 1.29 kg. Unit count is 200.0 gram.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings. The same 17-review block appears on the 1 litre and 5 litre Plantalaya files.
This 1-litre Plantalaya bag suits a single small pot or a buyer who does not want leftover compost, but convenience is expensive at £8.99 per litre. The listing describes a fast-draining mix for several cacti and succulents, yet it does not name the mineral ingredients that provide the drainage. Its 4.4-star line comes from only 17 ratings and is shared with the 2.5-litre and 5-litre variants, so it is not evidence for this size alone. The saved listing says the product originates in the United Kingdom, although the unit-count field of 200 g conflicts with the litre-based pack title and the stated 520 g item weight. Peat-free is not printed, making this a poor fit if that label is one of your buying requirements.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You need roughly one litre for a small repot and value a compact bag more than price per litre
Less suitable: Less suitable for bulk use or buyers who require named minerals and a peat-free statement.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
No. The saved listing does not print peat-free.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £8.99 and 1 litre. That is about £8.99 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 520 g. Unit count is 200.0 gram.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.4 out of 5 from 17 ratings. The same 17-review block appears on the 2.5 litre and 5 litre Plantalaya files.
This 2-litre UK GROW blend is primarily an aloe vera mix, not a general desert-cactus bag. It names perlite for aeration and vermiculite for moisture retention, a combination that may suit aloe better than a cactus that needs an especially dry mineral medium. At £7.49, the pack costs about £3.75 per litre, so you pay for the small quantity. Its 4.3-star score rests on ten ratings in its own block, with only one saved UK review body, which is too little evidence for a confident performance judgement. Peat-free is not printed and the unit-count field of 1 g is inconsistent with both the 2-litre title and the 800 g item weight.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are repotting aloe or another succulent that benefits from some moisture retention
Less suitable: Less suitable for a desert cactus that needs a drier, more mineral-heavy mix.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
No. The saved listing does not print peat-free.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £7.49 and 2 litres. That is about £3.75 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 800 g. Unit count is 1.0 gram.
Is this a desert-cactus bag?
The title is an aloe vera potting mix. The bullets name soil, perlite and vermiculite. Vermiculite is named for moisture retention.
This 20-litre UK GROW bag gives you a large quantity for £16.99, or about £0.85 per litre, which is attractive when several plants need repotting. The heat-sealed format should keep the mix contained in transit, but the listing does not name grit, sand, perlite or another drainage material. Its slightly acidic-to-neutral claim has no numerical pH, and peat-free is not printed. The 4.2-star rating comes from 13 ratings in this ASIN's own block, with four saved UK review bodies, so the evidence is independent of other sizes but still limited. The unit-count field says 1.0 millilitre and is plainly inconsistent with the 20-litre title, making the printed volume and received pack the details to verify.
Pros
Cons
Best for: You are repotting several cacti or succulents and prioritise a low cost per litre
Less suitable: Less suitable if you want a named mineral recipe or stronger review evidence.
Specifications
Common questions
Does this listing say the mix is peat-free?
No. The saved listing does not print peat-free.
What volume and price are printed?
The file shows £16.99 and 20 litres. That is about £0.85 per litre from those two figures. Item weight is 8 kg. Unit count is 1.0 millilitre.
Are the star ratings for this size alone?
4.2 out of 5 from 13 ratings. Four UK review bodies are saved for this ASIN.
Eleven amazon.co.uk listings were scored from the stored pages and the review notes already on file. There is no laboratory test. A star row is the listing’s figure, not an independent trial. Fast draining, pH balanced and nutrient-rich are the seller’s claim unless the listing names a mineral. A price per litre is the stored GBP price divided by the stated litres. The weights below sum to 100.
Named drainage
30%Horticultural grit, sharp sand or perlite named on the listing scores. Builders’ sand is the wrong material, and a line that only says fast draining does not name a recipe. The 10 litre perlite bucket names perlite. The Seramis titles name grit and sand. The 6 litre title, the plain 20 litre bag and the Plantalaya sizes do not.
Listing honesty
25%A brand field that matches the title, litres that match the title, and a review count that belongs to this ASIN score higher. The 10 litre perlite bucket has 4.5 from 343 on its own block. The Seramis 10, 20 and 30 litre titles share 4.6 from 166. The 6 litre title says Miracle-Gro while the brand field says VTANMS, and some saved texts read like feed reviews.
Plant fit and peat label
25%Desert cacti want the grittier end. Leafy succulents tolerate a dual-purpose bag. Christmas cactus and other epiphytes want more moisture than a desert mix. Aloe bags in this set add vermiculite, which holds more water. Peat-free is a printed label, not a drainage promise. The Seramis titles and one 20 litre bag print it. The perlite bucket does not.
Price per litre
20%Stored GBP price against the stated litres. The 30 litre peat-free bag is about £18.99, about £0.63 a litre. The 10 litre perlite bucket is about £1.50 a litre. The 1 litre Plantalaya bag is about £8.99 a litre. A large bag is only the better buy if you will use it.
Match the minerals and the litres to the plant before you match the star line. Prices below are the stored amazon.co.uk figures for these eleven listings. This is not a laboratory test.
Cactus soil is a free-draining potting medium for desert cacti, aloes, echeveria, jade plants and similar succulents on a UK windowsill or in a container. It is also sold as cactus compost or a cacti and succulent potting mix. It is not a fertiliser, and it is not multi-purpose compost. Multi-purpose compost stays wet long enough to rot the roots. BBC Gardeners’ World says multi-purpose compost fails these plants, and that you may still need extra grit with a dual-purpose bag.
Multi-purpose compost stays wet long enough to rot the roots. BBC Gardeners’ World says it fails these plants. A pot still needs drainage holes, and it should not stand in water.
Desert cacti want modest fertility and a gritty mix. A nutrient-rich claim is not a reason to choose the bag. Christmas cactus and other epiphytes want more moisture than a desert mix.
The Seramis 10, 20 and 30 litre titles share 4.6 from 166 reviews. The three Plantalaya sizes share 4.4 from 17. That count is not a sample for one litre size alone. Peat-free does not mean the mix drains.
The first check is a mineral you can name. Horticultural grit, sharp sand or perlite tells you something about drainage. Builders’ sand is the wrong material. A sentence that only says fast draining does not give the recipe. In this set the 10 litre UK GROW bucket names perlite. The Seramis titles name grit and sand. The Plantalaya sizes, the plain 20 litre bag and the 6 litre title do not name a drainage mineral. The plant changes the bag. Desert cacti want the grittier end.
Match the pack to the number of pots. A 1 litre bag limits leftover compost and costs several pounds a litre. A 10 litre bag covers several small pots. A 20 or 30 litre bag is cheap per litre and heavy. The 30 litre peat-free mix is about £18.99, about £0.63 a litre. One seller line says 4 litres fills a 14 cm pot. That is a UK GROW listing claim, not an RHS measurement. Buy the large bag only if you will use it. Peat-free is a label, not proof that the mix drains.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
A windowsill of desert cacti or echeverias needs a small or mid bag and a mineral you can name. The UK GROW 10 litre mix names perlite, costs about £14.99, and has 4.5 from 343 reviews on this ASIN’s own block. Peat-free is not printed. It is the top pick when that review sample matters more than a peat-free line.
A larger succulent shelf can use 10–30 litres, and peat-free only counts when the bag prints it. The UK GROW 30 litre mix prints peat-free, names grit and sand, and costs about £18.99, about £0.63 a litre. The 4.6 from 166 reviews is shared with the 10 and 20 litre Seramis titles. It is the best value if you will use the sack.
An aloe pot is not the same job as a desert cactus. The UK GROW 2 litre aloe mix names perlite and vermiculite, and vermiculite is there to hold moisture. It is about £7.49, about £3.75 a litre, with 4.3 from 10 reviews on its own block. Peat-free is not printed. Leave it if the plant wants a drier, grittier mix.
The top pick in this set is the UK GROW 10 litre cactus mix with perlite at about £14.99. Perlite is named, and amazon.co.uk shows 4.5 from 343 reviews on this ASIN’s own block. Peat-free is not printed, and there is no numerical pH. The best value is the UK GROW 30 litre peat-free bag at about £18.99, about £0.63 a litre, with grit and sand named and a review count shared across three sizes. The 6 litre title has the largest star count, but the brand field says VTANMS and some saved texts read like feed reviews. None of these scores is a laboratory test.
UK GROW peat-free Seramis mix 30L
Lowest price per litre in this set, about £0.63, with peat-free and grit and sand named, at about £18.99.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources from the research digest, used for this page in October 2026. Prices, stars and review counts are the figures stored from the eleven amazon.co.uk listings on 19 October 2026. A drainage line and a peat-free line are listing claims. This is not a laboratory test. Selling peat compost was not shown as an offence in force in January 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Lee Burkhill (Garden Ninja) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links to amazon.co.uk (tag pcuk26-21). If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Prices, stars and review counts are from the listings. This is not a laboratory test.
