Best potting soil mixes

[beliz1985]

Hi,

There are not that many potting soils to choose from in this city, even store bought very well draining soil for succulents and cactus seems to cause some problems.

The soil I buy contains pine bark chips, some coco fiber and peat moss. I add perlite to that mix. It seems the water drains quite fast but the main concern is that the mix absorbs a lot of water which is squeezable. I've just recently repotted Arch. Alexandrea I had bought 2weeks ago and 2 of its leaves lost the green, withered with pale green. Could it be due to the soil or something else?

What would be your best well draining potting soil mix?

Stuff I could get here: vermiculite, perlite, lava rock, rock, pine mulch and I guess that's it lol

[kinzyjr]

I use 50/50 perlite and standard potting soil.  My pots are only used to get plants to a size where they can grow outside, though.

[beliz1985]

45 minutes ago, kinzyjr said:

I use 50/50 perlite and standard potting soil.  My pots are only used to get plants to a size where they can grow outside, though.

And no probs? :)

[kinzyjr]

No, not at all.  I have ~25 sabal palmetto, 2 sabal minor bluestem, 30 phoenix theophrasti, and 3 phoenix roebelenii in the same style of mix with no issues.

[Hamal]

11 hours ago, beliz1985 said:

The soil I buy contains pine bark chips, some coco fiber and peat moss. [...]

What would be your best well draining potting soil mix?

Stuff I could get here: vermiculite, perlite, lava rock, rock, pine mulch and I guess that's it lol

Actually, you have everything you need. My mix is 70-80% crushed burned clay (but you can also use lava rock) and 20-30% pine bark (I am pretty sure you can use the soil you already bought). I have all my 500 palms in this kind of mix, from Trachycarpus species to Cyrtostachys renda. Drains perfectly, and the palms develop lots of roots due to lots of oxygen.

With such a well-draining soil, you have to keep in mind though that you need to water daily during the summer.

[beliz1985]

11 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

No, not at all.  I have ~25 sabal palmetto, 2 sabal minor bluestem, 30 phoenix theophrasti, and 3 phoenix roebelenii in the same style of mix with no issues.

Do you have any pictures by any chance? How often do you have to water them? :) 

2 hours ago, Hamal said:

Actually, you have everything you need. My mix is 70-80% crushed burned clay (but you can also use lava rock) and 20-30% pine bark (I am pretty sure you can use the soil you already bought). I have all my 500 palms in this kind of mix, from Trachycarpus species to Cyrtostachys renda. Drains perfectly, and the palms develop lots of roots due to lots of oxygen.

With such a well-draining soil, you have to keep in mind though that you need to water daily during the summer.

I'm trying to aim to water every other or third day, just to make my irrigation system usable for all plants when I go on holiday otherwise I'd have to repot the rest as well. Maybe use 50% crushed clay (lava) and my soil, would hold a little bit of water only?

Have you got any pics of your soil mix? 

 

11 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

 

[kinzyjr]

2 hours ago, beliz1985 said:

Do you have any pictures by any chance? How often do you have to water them? :)

Pictures: http://www.palmtalk.org/forum/index.php?/topic/53287-new-arrivals/

I typically water them once per week during hot weather, and once every 2 weeks during cool weather.

[mdsonofthesouth]

14 hours ago, kinzyjr said:

I use 50/50 perlite and standard potting soil.  My pots are only used to get plants to a size where they can grow outside, though.

 

Aside from my elegans and ornamental pineapple my grandma gave me, this is my mentality as well.  As for potting soil I usually mix a potting and garden soil together seeing as they are temporary. 

[Laaz]

I would stay away from "potting mix" and go with a garden soil for better drainage.Personally I use Miracle-Gro garden soil & add Turface MVP.

[Hamal]

4 hours ago, beliz1985 said:

Have you got any pics of your soil mix? 

 

This is what is looks like after mixing it:

The more organic material you add, the more water it holds, but the more it rots. Watering daily does not bother me, because I can water (and fertilize) as much as I want. Excess water and fertilizer just drain from the pots, which is especially nice when someone else needs to do the watering for you while on vacation.

[mdsonofthesouth]

2 hours ago, Laaz said:

I would stay away from "potting mix" and go with a garden soil for better drainage.Personally I use Miracle-Gro garden soil & add Turface MVP.

I have had decent results with a pure garden soil. I just mix potting and garden soils together for the perlite at a 1:2 ratio so its mostly garden in the blend. But also my pots are temporary to a degree. 

[Laaz]

[beliz1985]

1 hour ago, mdsonofthesouth said:

I have had decent results with a pure garden soil. I just mix potting and garden soils together for the perlite at a 1:2 ratio so its mostly garden in the blend. But also my pots are temporary to a degree. 

potting:garden:perlite 1:1:1 ? or ? :)

[mdsonofthesouth]

7 hours ago, beliz1985 said:

potting:garden:perlite 1:1:1 ? or ?

2 parts garden soil, 1 part potting soil that has perlite in it. Sorry should have been more clear. Pure potting soil damn near killed my big cerifera....

Edited May 4, 2018 by mdsonofthesouth