When it comes to desert loving plants and arid growing zones, the plants prefer a special type of soil. The basic potting mix holds on to too much water and will cause issues with root development and plant health.
VIDEO: DIY Potting Mix for Cactus Citrus Avocado & Succulents!
When it comes to desert loving plants and arid growing zones, the plants prefer a special type of soil. The basic potting mix holds on to too much water and will cause issues with root development and plant health.
Thanks for another great video!!
Thank you, anxious to try my new seeds from Migardener!
I see that you have pebbly sand. If someone can't find sand like that, they can use some pea gravel for part of that.
I have a bedraggled pot of cacti babies that my cat knocked over a couple months ago, which I told them I would get to them after Christmas. They're all doing fine, but there are too many in the pot, and they are every which way. This inspires me to get to them sooner than later.
Avocado don't necessarily need good draining soil. Avocado's need to be planting on hill sides so water doesn't pool.
Nice video. I always stay away from cactus for the same reason Luke mentioned, fear of being pricked. I learned something new with the bag handling technique. I got my trifecta plus and I’m ready to use it for the spring!
I was taught to use a page of newspaper folded over and over to create a 2" to 3" band or larger for larger cactus and then wrapping it around the cactus and using the excess as a handle to hold the cactus tight. Works well and I've done some big ones.
Do you know anything about air plants? I can't ever seem to keep mine alive.
Thank you for a very informative presentation. I learned a lot about caring for desert loving plants.
MIgardner-I'm having problems finding the right soil for starting seedlings for Maximilian sunflower, Black-Eyed Susan, and Spotted Bee Balm. Whenever the sprouts are a few days old they wilt and rot away. I think there are no nutrition in the starting mix at box stores. What are your suggestions soils I can buy and other ideas on keeping these seedlings alive?
Awesome helpful.
We need a video on ROSEMARY!
I got a tip to use Chicken Grit. Basically any porous rock/gravel making up at least half the soil + regular potting soil is better than buying the "Cactus mix" at the store.
Thank u. I need to make potting soil for my succulents. You could use an oven mitt to hold the cactus.
I REALLY needed this video! Thank you so much!
Thank you
Helpful
I use kitchen prongs when replanting cactus or pulling one out of the ground rather succulent or others I mostly grow succulent I live in Arizona we have plenty of cactus
Don't, don't, don't, DO NOT, plant a desert plant in a pot with no drainage holes. You can get small diamond drills and drill them yourself if you have an undrained planter.
Read the ingredients before using any potting soil. If it contains peat, make sure it also has a wetting agent. Better yet, use coir. When peat dries out, it will not absorb water unless it is boiling hot. Coir is sold bone dry, and it absorbs water instantly
Run your sand through a tea strainer or a sieve made from window screen. The particles that go through the screen are waste. They do not contribute to the drainage in the soil.
When you water your plants, make sure that the entire soil mass is moistened, this is why you need well drained pots and soil, so that the excess can drain out. Then wait until the top inch of soil is dry and water again. If any part of the pot is continuously dry, the roots of the plant will not penetrate into it.
Do not rely on a schedule to water your plants. Different pots dry out at different rates. A desert plant in a ten-inch pot may only need to be watered once every six weeks. The same species in a two-inch pot will need to be watered daily if it sits in a sunny window. Check your plants often, but water only when the pot is dry.
Desert plants do not go without water for months or years. They have evolved to collect water every time the dew falls, and the dew falls heavily every night in the desert. They have evolved to collect that water very fast and hold on to it tightly. Google CAM (Crassulaceae Active Metabolism).
Do not water cacti in winter. This is their dormant time and they need a dry, cold period to set buds for next year. Some other succulents (From the Southern Hemisphere) grow in winter. Make sure that they have very bright light to prevent etiolation.
Your crested cactus is reverting to type. You may want to cut off those cylindrical branches and root them. They will make a perfectly normal cactus.
I have been growing cacti and succulents for fifty years and these are some of the lessons I have learned.
PS. Here is my favorite recipe for desert plant soil.
One brick of fine coir
two scoops of Coarse vermiculite, my scoop is the kind Walmart sells for scooping out pet food, it holds about a liter.
One scoop of earthworm castings. the brand I am using has live earthworms still in it, and is kind of clumpy, so I run it gently through a 1/4-inch sieve and return the worms to the bin. If they're still alive, they're still pooping.
Two scoops of coarse sand. I run my sand through a 1/32-inch sieve. I discard the fine and use the coarse grains. You can get this already screened online, but it's very expensive.
One scoop of 1/4-inch screened pumice. I get mine from Bonsai Jack
One scoop of 14-inch lava rock. Also, from Bonsai Jack . Lava rock and pumice are interchangeable. you could also use pea gravel or natural aquarium gravel
one tablespoon greensand. an organic mineral adds potassium and trace elements.
one tablespoon gypsum adds calcium and sulfur without changing the PH.
This is a very well-draining soil and works well for most desert plants. If you are used to other soils, you may need to water more often.
This was so great! Aren’t cacti such interesting plants???
Best advice for growing succulents I’ve ever heard: Default to ignoring them. They’re not fussy and thrive in harsh environments.
I love cacti. I have alot of rare ones. Thank u for teaching me how to make a really good soil. I did ur recipe to the soil and added lava rocks on top. My Hoodia loves it! Thanks again!