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karode13
Tāne Mahuta
Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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My Lophophora Soil Mix 10
#20790350 - 11/03/14 09:49 PM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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I've been meaning to do this for some time with all the "what soil mix to use" threads that we get here.
I only re pot my Lophophora every Two years, sometimes yearly, depending on growth. I generally use a pot about a third larger than the one previously used. The main requirement for pot choice is that it is deep enough to accommodate the tap root, allowing an inch or Three of soil space below the lowest root/s. Plastic or clay doesn't matter, it's the soil you use that matters.
It's very basic, only has Three ingredients that are easily sourced from anywhere. It's a semi-mineral mix.
You will need:
Commercial cactus soil- Remove all large particles of bark as best you can. In a pinch normal potting mix can be used.
Perlite- About the size of a pea is best.
Scoria- Again about the size of a pea. Can also be used as a top dressing to make things nice and neat.
I dry all ingredients out beforehand so we aren't planting into wet soil. Broken roots and wet soil can lead to pathogens entering the plant. It's rare but can happen. Being cautious is something I've found pays off in the end.
Plants to be re potted are generally up rooted a few days before re potting, excess soil washed off the roots and then they're placed in an area out of the sun to dry for a few days. This allows any broken roots to heal and callus.
So here's some plants to be re potted that I prepared earlier:
The ratios of the ingredients is roughly Half Cactus soil, a quarter Scoria and a quarter of Perlite. I just eyeball it, I aim for a mix that crumbles freely and falls apart once you squeeze a ball of it in your hand. If it's clumpy still then add more scoria or perlite.
Mix it up and it'll look something like this:
Pot your plants up. I leave about an inch or so(2.5cm) below the pot rim free of soil that I then fill with scoria. I find it finishes the plant off nicely and also provides a layer that protects the soil from pests that like getting into pots and it also doesn't hold much moisture so your lophs don't get spotty from the epidermis sitting on soil. You can also hose your plants and the soil wont explode everywhere.
Finished product:
I generally withold water for another Two weeks and then start giving them water. This again allows time for any broken roots to heal.
Happy Gardening!
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aZombie
Yugen
Registered: 03/14/13
Posts: 1,572
Loc: CactiNation
Last seen: 5 years, 5 months
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#20790458 - 11/03/14 10:17 PM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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Nice!
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kactus.brand.g
Registered: 08/22/14
Posts: 6,886
Last seen: 7 years, 15 days
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: aZombie]
#20790519 - 11/03/14 10:34 PM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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Now that's just super
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intelligentlife
Noaidi
Registered: 10/18/10
Posts: 2,627
Loc: EU
Last seen: 7 years, 6 months
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I use as well regular cactus soil, but smaller amounts, seems it doesn't mind much as long as soil is drying oke.
What comes to big peyote plants and soil. This soil would be the soil I would use as well. But I have mostly rocks in lophophora pot with minimal amount of regular soil, otherwise I do similar way my soil.
Good info, yo.
Edited by intelligentlife (11/03/14 10:51 PM)
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LSoares
Farmer
Registered: 10/09/13
Posts: 3,209
Loc: Portugal
Last seen: 4 years, 4 months
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Nice, Karode.
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta
Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: LSoares]
#20790804 - 11/04/14 12:16 AM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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You guys keep me posting. The plants help but it's the members who grow and hunt mushrooms that keep me here. So long as there's people wanting to learn, I'll be here to help as best I can.
I used to use more soil than in this mix but once I switched the fine root development that I observed made me decide to never go back. My plants also don't get pampered, this mix allows them to sit outside in the elements over the Winter. The free draining nature of it helps them to survive. The high soil mixes I found were more prone to rust spots and root growth was impeded, with less fine roots. They also stayed water logged for far too long.
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LSoares
Farmer
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Posts: 3,209
Loc: Portugal
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#20790976 - 11/04/14 01:54 AM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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I'll give a try next time I prepare a tray for growing on seedlings. I find it hard to locate scoria of the appropriate size here (my favourite ingredient). Our climates don't seem to be that different, so it's well worth a try.
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta
Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: LSoares]
#20790995 - 11/04/14 02:13 AM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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Oh great! Now I'm responsible for all your plants dying next year.
Scoria can be replaced with horticultural charcoal, grit or some other inert, porous material. I seen in the hydro stores they're selling a product made of glass. It's heat treated and expands leaving little air pockets similar to scoria. Can't remember what it's called but it looks like a good product for cactus. A little pricey from memory.
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ferrel_human
stone eater
Registered: 06/26/09
Posts: 16,397
Loc: Darkside of the moon
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#20792598 - 11/04/14 02:19 PM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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Good, quick and simple. Awesome write up k man.
-------------------- Nature is my church and walking through it is gospel. It tells no lies and reveals all to those who look, and listen, closely. -Karode
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poofterFroth
Feel Like A Stranger
Registered: 03/15/14
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#20794348 - 11/04/14 08:50 PM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
karode13 said: Scoria can be replaced with horticultural charcoal, grit or some other inert, porous material. I seen in the hydro stores they're selling a product made of glass. It's heat treated and expands leaving little air pockets similar to scoria. Can't remember what it's called but it looks like a good product for cactus. A little pricey from memory.
GrowStone. Scored two free sample bags of these my last visit to the garden store. I was hunting for a perlite substitute. They come in a couple different partical sizes and some have dolomitic lime added for gnat control. Works well so far as expected - yet I've only made one mix with them and dressed a small seedling tray.
Is scoria the same thing as lava rock...?
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Edited by poofterFroth (11/04/14 09:11 PM)
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta
Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Scoria is a type of lava rock. It's full of large and small cavities, perfect for aerating soils and keeping the moisture content balanced. Any similar lava rock with these properties could be used. Pumice is another type of lava rock that may be used. It's lighter than Scoria though, and like Perlite, it floats on water. Smaller cavities as well.
Those aren't renewable resources like the Growstone is. Growstone was the product I was thinking of too. I seen the type they use for hydroponics and it's a larger particle size than what I use. I'd use that type for Trichocereus and amending other soils. For my Lophophora and other miniatures I'd want a smaller particle size. It looks to be a great product, made from recycled materials. Win win.
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kactus.brand.g
Registered: 08/22/14
Posts: 6,886
Last seen: 7 years, 15 days
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#20795710 - 11/05/14 08:32 AM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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So karode,is coarse river sand not a good mix for cacti? It's all I've ever used,mixed with parts potting soil. I've done the research,and not many people use sand in their mixes,wonder why?
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LSoares
Farmer
Registered: 10/09/13
Posts: 3,209
Loc: Portugal
Last seen: 4 years, 4 months
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Sand is heavy and contributes nothing to air or moisture movement in the mix. Scoria (in whatever form), baked clay (in whatever form), etc., is infinitely better.
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kactus.brand.g
Registered: 08/22/14
Posts: 6,886
Last seen: 7 years, 15 days
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: LSoares]
#20795882 - 11/05/14 09:39 AM (9 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
LSoares said: Sand is heavy and contributes nothing to air or moisture movement in the mix. Scoria (in whatever form), baked clay (in whatever form), etc., is infinitely better.
Right on man,Thanks for the replyI've also noticed that it adds a shit ton of weight to the mix too,especially when saturated with water!
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Kman1898
Dr. Learn'd
Registered: 11/17/12
Posts: 1,192
Loc: A Park
Last seen: 2 years, 5 months
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#21174005 - 01/25/15 09:06 AM (9 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
karode13 said: I've been meaning to do this for some time with all the "what soil mix to use" threads that we get here.
I only re pot my Lophophora every Two years, sometimes yearly, depending on growth. I generally use a pot about a third larger than the one previously used. The main requirement for pot choice is that it is deep enough to accommodate the tap root, allowing an inch or Three of soil space below the lowest root/s. Plastic or clay doesn't matter, it's the soil you use that matters.
It's very basic, only has Three ingredients that are easily sourced from anywhere. It's a semi-mineral mix.
You will need:
Commercial cactus soil- Remove all large particles of bark as best you can. In a pinch normal potting mix can be used.
Perlite- About the size of a pea is best.
Scoria- Again about the size of a pea. Can also be used as a top dressing to make things nice and neat.
I dry all ingredients out beforehand so we aren't planting into wet soil. Broken roots and wet soil can lead to pathogens entering the plant. It's rare but can happen. Being cautious is something I've found pays off in the end.
Plants to be re potted are generally up rooted a few days before re potting, excess soil washed off the roots and then they're placed in an area out of the sun to dry for a few days. This allows any broken roots to heal and callus.
So here's some plants to be re potted that I prepared earlier:
The ratios of the ingredients is roughly Half Cactus soil, a quarter Scoria and a quarter of Perlite. I just eyeball it, I aim for a mix that crumbles freely and falls apart once you squeeze a ball of it in your hand. If it's clumpy still then add more scoria or perlite.
Mix it up and it'll look something like this:
Pot your plants up. I leave about an inch or so(2.5cm) below the pot rim free of soil that I then fill with scoria. I find it finishes the plant off nicely and also provides a layer that protects the soil from pests that like getting into pots and it also doesn't hold much moisture so your lophs don't get spotty from the epidermis sitting on soil. You can also hose your plants and the soil wont explode everywhere.
Finished product:
I generally withold water for another Two weeks and then start giving them water. This again allows time for any broken roots to heal.
Happy Gardening!
Just got three 2 year and smaller pups so will be trying this for my mix! Excited to see these babies grow!
-------------------- Difficulty has more to do with reading abillity and ability to precisely follow directions. You need no knowledge of chemistry whatsoever, you just need to understand some basic principles as simple in concept as: water boils at 100C and freezes at 0C. Otherwise all published syntheses of organic and inorganic compounds can be reproduced successfully by pretty nearly anyone with at least average intelligence. Problems always have to do with availability of materials, not esoteric knowledge.
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BattyKoda
WCA President
Registered: 09/11/17
Posts: 8,021
Loc: Boof Hard Or Go Home
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#25303444 - 07/01/18 09:23 PM (5 years, 8 months ago) |
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Sweet!
Thanks Dude!
-------------------- A Man Must Learn To Sail In All Winds. RIP ModestMouse & Big Worm
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta
Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: BattyKoda] 1
#25303861 - 07/02/18 05:38 AM (5 years, 8 months ago) |
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No worries. I'd forgot that I'd made this into a thread.
I just thought I made a comment in a thread somewhere.
Update tip: Use less soil and replace with another soil-less medium for a true mineral mix.
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Solipsis
m̶a̶d̶ disappointed scientist
Registered: 12/28/09
Posts: 3,398
Loc: the Neitherlands
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: karode13]
#25303915 - 07/02/18 06:49 AM (5 years, 8 months ago) |
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Thanks, very interesting!
Does anyone have experience with using zeolite in their mix? is it very good like pumice? I have some zeolite that is meant for either aquarium filtering or chemistry, i forgot which one.. Would be good to know if it doesn't have bad vermiculite like effects..
By the way, i saw a suggestion for vermiculite to use pure wet verm to root cacti (after they have properly dried and scabbed) - seems like a pretty interesting idea!
Sand i only use a little bit of too and I agree it's not good to use more of it for adult cacti (though a little bit helps to loosen up any soil present even more), however a high ratio of sand does seem to make sense in a seed germinating mix if there enough fine perlite and soil present to keep it from locking up? But maybe what could be great too is if you really pulverize perlite and mix it with some soil (for seedlings), maybe that eliminates a need for any sand.
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Mateo
High on LIFE!
Registered: 06/24/11
Posts: 2,689
Loc: North Europe
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: Solipsis] 1
#25304834 - 07/02/18 04:09 PM (5 years, 8 months ago) |
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I would be worried to use wet vermiculite to root cacti, but ive read the same suggestion about rooting cacti with verm. Vermiculite suck up and contain moisture and im worried rot could be the result when the cacti is placed on top of it for longer periods. I rather use perlite or a perlite/dry soil mix that dries faster. Then lift the cacti and mist the perlite/soil and put it back. Then wait until very dry again until try mist again.
But maybe vermiculite works good, i havent tried it.
-------------------- A wise rat has many holes
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Solipsis
m̶a̶d̶ disappointed scientist
Registered: 12/28/09
Posts: 3,398
Loc: the Neitherlands
Last seen: 7 months, 16 days
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Re: My Lophophora Soil Mix [Re: Mateo]
#25304889 - 07/02/18 04:36 PM (5 years, 8 months ago) |
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I just posted in the other thread about this:
Perlite dries faster but also evaporates quicker so there is more water in the air. Either way you shouldn't put the cactus in direct contact with a moist substrate and best place a dry material in between as a spacer.
If the verm is properly clean of organic matter it should not rot. And also I think we'd be talking about just spraying the verm a little bit to elevate air humidity underground, not to get some crazy humid party going on down there. In that sense it should be a controlled method to elevate underground air humidity partially, like halfway to 100%RH not to actually near 100.
Different substrates can work but you have different things to worry about.
What is true is that if you get confused about what perlite and vermiculite do and don't do, things might go wrong fast.
I'm interested in experimenting with it myself and also in hearing what people have to say who have tried all of this stuff.
For fun I am trying to root selenicereus on straight perlite, but I guess I made a mistake and it would be better if it were verm. Not that it doesn't work a little bit but it dries too fast. (Note that selenicereus isn't a good comparison with most other cacti!)
Edited by Solipsis (07/02/18 04:37 PM)
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