I have several questions concerning a good soil mix for cactus.
I'm new at this so please bear with me.
I'm made a mixture of peat moss, coarse sand, perlite, pea gravel and a small amount of top soil. This was recommended to me by a person that has been raising cacti for many years.
I have planted about 40 small cacti in this mixture recently. Most of these are from WallyWorld, HD, Lowes.
I'm using small clay pots, 2', 3.25".
After discovering this forum, as well as others, it seems the conscious is that peat moss isn't that good.
I have noticed that the water seems to set on the top of the mixture for awhile before it absorbs it. With the wet, rainy days we are having here, (southeast Kansas), I haven't been able to see how quickly the mix is going to dry out.
I read a post some where about using NAPA oil absorbent in place of the peat moss.
If so, what else should I mix with it?
Another question I have is, after reading the forums, is I don't think I can provide enough light inside for my plants. I live in a mobile home, and I don't believe I will be able to put them where they will be as cool as recommended to go dormant. Dark yes, cool, no.
The person that recommended the plant soil mix said if I put them in a south or west facing window that they would probably be alright.
Also, when do I stop watering them for winter?
Sorry for such a long post, but I really need help with this.
Leon
Questions, questions, questions
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Sbradford89
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:38 pm
- Location: Gap, Pennsylvania USA(Zone6-7)
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im in the same issue as you with the mobile home. if u can pick a room to shut off the vent it should stay cool enough in there for them. im still experimenting with the soil thing myself. and as for light, if you can keep them outside during the spring and summer its not an issue, as they dont need light (from what i am told) during the winter dormancy.
So new... So much to discover...Sincerely Shala
Welcome to the forum Leon. Good to see another Jayhawk growing cacti.
I grow all my cacti in the ground so I'm not real good on offering potted cacti advice. For the few potted cacti I do have I use potting soil, chicken grit (crushed cherry granite) and some perlite. When I water the water usually runs out the bottom in about 15 seconds
Others will offer some sound advice for your other questions.
We have been getting alot of rain this year haven't we.
I grow all my cacti in the ground so I'm not real good on offering potted cacti advice. For the few potted cacti I do have I use potting soil, chicken grit (crushed cherry granite) and some perlite. When I water the water usually runs out the bottom in about 15 seconds
Others will offer some sound advice for your other questions.
We have been getting alot of rain this year haven't we.
Bill
If it sticks ya or pokes ya, I like it
If it sticks ya or pokes ya, I like it
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Sbradford89
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Tue Aug 12, 2008 2:38 pm
- Location: Gap, Pennsylvania USA(Zone6-7)
- Contact:
Welcome to the forums!
As for soil, I am not the best person to ask cause I have just started experimenting with soil. But what I recently used was cactus soil mixed with lots of perlite and some gravel. I have only started using it for a short time so I don't know how well it works.
Wow! 40 cacti! That's more than I have.
As for soil, I am not the best person to ask cause I have just started experimenting with soil. But what I recently used was cactus soil mixed with lots of perlite and some gravel. I have only started using it for a short time so I don't know how well it works.
Wow! 40 cacti! That's more than I have.
John In Fort Worth, Texas
"Where the West begins"
"Where the West begins"
A sunny window in winter will be OK for many cacti. You should still keep them mostly dry so they don't grow too much. Winter light is often insufficient and cacti will grow etiolated, so no growth is better. Keeping them cool is ideal because then they won't grow.
You can grow in almost anything, pure peat, a pile of rocks, anything that holds the plant upright and gives it a little water from time to time. Still, some types of soil are easier to manage than others. Peat has a number of problems, including getting more soggy than is healthy for a desert cactus, becoming impossible to rewet when it has been baked dry, and deterioration after a year or two of cactus growing conditions. It is fairly usable when fresh, especially if mixed as you describe, but there are some plants that really don't like it. I happen to grow those sorts of plants: Lithops; Copiapoas; Ariocarpus; etc. Poor soil mixes require more skill to get the plant enough water and nutrients without risking root loss and rot.
It is generally a bad sign if the water sits on top, not necessarily but almost certainly meaning the soil is too dense and will become saturated if you ever get water into it. Possibly too much sand in your case. Sometimes it is just a crust on top of OK soil, but still a sign of the wrong things in the soil Too much sand is always a good one, sand is too dense for a pot and should always be generously combined with coarser material.
The absorbant products like NAPA are baked clays used for coarse material, but perlite, grit, and pumice are alternatives. You may already understand the good properties of perlite, it is light and retains plenty of air within the soil, but it is very dry and so light that it floats or blows around. I use a cat litter which is one of the baked clays, actually a moler clay which includes diatomaceous earth. I like it a lot, but you should make sure that your product stays solid even after soaking in water for several days. It should also be strong enough that you can't crush it between your fingers, and if you do crush it when wet it should become dust rather than mud.
I use a soil mix which is based on a sandy loam with about 25% peat (John Innes soil). I remove any large lumps of peat and I'm still looking for a good source of soil which doesn't include any peat at all. I mix with a roughly equal quantity of the cat litter and some alpine grit. I use limestone grit for those plants which like limestone soil.
You can grow in almost anything, pure peat, a pile of rocks, anything that holds the plant upright and gives it a little water from time to time. Still, some types of soil are easier to manage than others. Peat has a number of problems, including getting more soggy than is healthy for a desert cactus, becoming impossible to rewet when it has been baked dry, and deterioration after a year or two of cactus growing conditions. It is fairly usable when fresh, especially if mixed as you describe, but there are some plants that really don't like it. I happen to grow those sorts of plants: Lithops; Copiapoas; Ariocarpus; etc. Poor soil mixes require more skill to get the plant enough water and nutrients without risking root loss and rot.
It is generally a bad sign if the water sits on top, not necessarily but almost certainly meaning the soil is too dense and will become saturated if you ever get water into it. Possibly too much sand in your case. Sometimes it is just a crust on top of OK soil, but still a sign of the wrong things in the soil Too much sand is always a good one, sand is too dense for a pot and should always be generously combined with coarser material.
The absorbant products like NAPA are baked clays used for coarse material, but perlite, grit, and pumice are alternatives. You may already understand the good properties of perlite, it is light and retains plenty of air within the soil, but it is very dry and so light that it floats or blows around. I use a cat litter which is one of the baked clays, actually a moler clay which includes diatomaceous earth. I like it a lot, but you should make sure that your product stays solid even after soaking in water for several days. It should also be strong enough that you can't crush it between your fingers, and if you do crush it when wet it should become dust rather than mud.
I use a soil mix which is based on a sandy loam with about 25% peat (John Innes soil). I remove any large lumps of peat and I'm still looking for a good source of soil which doesn't include any peat at all. I mix with a roughly equal quantity of the cat litter and some alpine grit. I use limestone grit for those plants which like limestone soil.
--ian
In case you haven't read yet, this is a general indtroduction to cacti growing: http://www.cactiguide.com/growcacti/
Like Ian said - there are a lot of ways to grow them. You will eventually figure what works best for you. Trial and error is a big factor. You also have to work with what you can get. I think pummice is the best thing in the world, but Ian can't get it where he is (at least not at a prices that make it sensible to use) so the cat litter works for him. Bill in SC uses aquatic plant soil (which is more or less the same as cat litter) as Bill in KS already said, he uses DG.
The good thing is, WalMart/HD plants are usually the hardiest and easiest to grow and learn with. After you get better at it using them, then you can start ordering from Darryl some of the more difficult plants.
Like Ian said - there are a lot of ways to grow them. You will eventually figure what works best for you. Trial and error is a big factor. You also have to work with what you can get. I think pummice is the best thing in the world, but Ian can't get it where he is (at least not at a prices that make it sensible to use) so the cat litter works for him. Bill in SC uses aquatic plant soil (which is more or less the same as cat litter) as Bill in KS already said, he uses DG.
The good thing is, WalMart/HD plants are usually the hardiest and easiest to grow and learn with. After you get better at it using them, then you can start ordering from Darryl some of the more difficult plants.
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
More questions??????
Thanks to all the replies to my question.
Well, I re-potted about 20 of my small cactus today. I'm trying a mix of washed NAPA absorbant, sifted top soil, perlite and some coarse gravel. About 70% clay,20% soil and 10% perlite with a very small amount of sand & gravel.
After making up this new mix I tested it and the water goes through about like I think it should.
I think a lot of my problem was that I was just packing the small pots to tight. This time I refrained from really packing it down. We'll see.
Sorry, but I have more questions.
What are your thoughts on when I should stop watering for the winter??? I'm in Zone 6.
I'm going to water this week, if it will stop raining for a day or so. Should this be the last time?
I don't have a place where I can store them over the winter where they will be in 45-50 degree range. I can put them in the dark, but unable to get temp down that low.
Any Ideas?
Thanks,
Leon
Well, I re-potted about 20 of my small cactus today. I'm trying a mix of washed NAPA absorbant, sifted top soil, perlite and some coarse gravel. About 70% clay,20% soil and 10% perlite with a very small amount of sand & gravel.
After making up this new mix I tested it and the water goes through about like I think it should.
I think a lot of my problem was that I was just packing the small pots to tight. This time I refrained from really packing it down. We'll see.
Sorry, but I have more questions.
What are your thoughts on when I should stop watering for the winter??? I'm in Zone 6.
I'm going to water this week, if it will stop raining for a day or so. Should this be the last time?
I don't have a place where I can store them over the winter where they will be in 45-50 degree range. I can put them in the dark, but unable to get temp down that low.
Any Ideas?
Thanks,
Leon