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Rahz
Alive Again



Registered: 11/10/05
Posts: 9,247
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Inorganic soil?
#17161961 - 11/04/12 08:07 PM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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I have Leucocoprinus Birnbaumii growing in a cactus soil mix. They look cool but I don't really want them or the trich that's likely to follow in my house. Is there a common inorganic soil formula for growing cactus that would prevent fungal colonies?
-------------------- rahz comfort pleasure power love truth awareness peace "You’re not looking close enough if you can only see yourself in people who look like you." —Ayishat Akanbi
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Lago Chiller
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Registered: 06/20/11
Posts: 88
Last seen: 2 years, 24 days
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Re: Inorganic soil? [Re: Rahz]
#17221482 - 11/14/12 09:20 PM (11 years, 3 months ago) |
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I'm not familiar with that species however I have several potted cacti growing in a screened mix. 1/3 part crushed granite (Grani-Grit) 1/3 part perlite or Oil absorbent (diatomaceous earth) 1/3 part pine bark mulch
The pine bark is the only organic ingredient. I take pains to remove ALL the wood pieces from the bark, PITA, I know but the woodchips will rot fairly quickly and could harbor fungal problems. The bark itself contains a substance called suberin, a lipid sometimes referred to as nature’s preservative. It contains highly varied hydrocarbon chains and the microorganisms that turn peat to soup have great difficulty breaking these chains. It can last in pots or containers for years without breaking down.
The perlite or oil dry can hold water yet dries quickly.
The crushed granite is used for root anchorage.
Important step!, sift these ingredients first with a 1/4 inch screen then an 1/8 inch screen and use all the stuff that does not fall through the 1/8 screen for my containers. This size particle insures great drainage, you have to water more but I prefer watering my plants much more than tossing dead ones onto the compost pile. A good rinse cleans things up nicely. Finally, a good 1/2 - 1 inch layer of coarse or "sharp" sand, sterilized in an oven at 300 degrees for an hour, goes on top. This helps keep fungus gnats from getting to the roots. You have to cultivate the sand after a month or two as watering will start to compact the sand and give it a skin. A teaspoon of gypsum for acidic plants or lime for alkaline plants per gallon of soil and you should be good.
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Rahz
Alive Again



Registered: 11/10/05
Posts: 9,247
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Thanks for the response. The Leucocoprinus is apparently called the houseplant mushroom because of it's frequent appearance in... houseplants. They're bright yellow. Very nice to look at. The cactus is a San Pedro I picked up at a hardware store.
Is particle size the reason you use granite instead of sand?
-------------------- rahz comfort pleasure power love truth awareness peace "You’re not looking close enough if you can only see yourself in people who look like you." —Ayishat Akanbi
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Lago Chiller
Stranger


Registered: 06/20/11
Posts: 88
Last seen: 2 years, 24 days
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Re: Inorganic soil? [Re: Rahz]
#17493527 - 01/03/13 07:29 PM (11 years, 1 month ago) |
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Sorry for the non response, been away. Particle size IS THE MAIN reason. Smaller sized particles allow water to wick upwards into a pot, in defiance of gravity. Larger particle(1/8" - 3/16" ideal) size solves that problem, though you DO have to water more often.
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