Just like gardening outdoors, soil plays a vital role in the survival and growth of your houseplant.
The potting soil or media in which a plant grows must be of good quality. It should be porous for root aeration and drainage, but also capable of water and nutrient retention.
Plant roots must have air, food, and water, and potting soil must be porous enough to allow drainage of excess water and to admit oxygen (soil aeration) needed by the roots.