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Offlinejsncrs
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Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii?
    #21988543 - 07/24/15 04:57 AM (8 years, 6 months ago)

I haven't got any cacti mix, is potting soil and perlite mix okay?


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Offlineintelligentlife
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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: jsncrs]
    #21988643 - 07/24/15 06:28 AM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Trichs should be fine in potting soil and perlite. Just make good ratio of it. Feel it with your hands to get porous soil when perlite is mixed to it.

I've seen trichs grown on potting soil mixed sand to it 50/50 about.

Trichs are one I give them regular potting soil mixed to growing medium as well.


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Offlinekosmokratorshaman
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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: intelligentlife]
    #21989002 - 07/24/15 09:07 AM (8 years, 6 months ago)

my trichs are in about 50/50 perlite and miracle grow organic garden soil


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: kosmokratorshaman]
    #21989893 - 07/24/15 11:43 AM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Every grower has their own mixtures - I've never used potting soil for cactus but it seems as though potting soil mixed with well draining material such as perlite would work excellently, I beleive the potting soil has nutrients which may benefit the cactus.

I've been recently incorporating 25% red iron clay soil which is very acidic with 25% mushroom compost (coco,verm,gypsum), and 50% perlite. I want to use turface as a perlite substitution because perlite is light so it floats to the surface after a period of time.

A friend has some trichos in 100% potting soil that aren't looking to bad , anything with well drainage and aeration should work , trichos love loose soil they can breath in. They don't like organic matter from what I read online , which is why people remove the woodchips sometimes included in cactus/palm mixes.


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Offlineintelligentlife
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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: JayZ Morgan]
    #21990720 - 07/24/15 03:13 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

I've noticed btw, fabric pot for cactus makes grower to be able not to worry too damp soil as well. They seem to do well because pots breath.

Problem of them is watering. Above watering tend to cause water flow all around. So more you have plants in fabric pots, even tho they are very good ones. Harder is the work to water them properly and well when need to.

Cacti behave differently in fabric pots (usually marketed to cannabis grow) better than others, but watering isn't so easy. They should be moved to pool of water every time to give drink in fabric pots to make good soak. There's positive and negative with them but breathing and causing grow medium to "move" and be airy gonna help the plant it self better. But it's harder to human to care the plant when watering. Top watering isn't easy at all to make full soak in fabric pots, it's easier with common clay/plastic pots.

One positive as well is fabric pot is easy to "roll over" to get plant out from it with all roots.

I've kept them in deep plastic container, then given drink from below and let fabric pot sit in deep square tray. It should be rather 50% or more height of the fabric pot itself.

I mean about trichs. I haven't tested other species on them but seems, no matter of growing medium in pot, fabric pots can have those "water pockets" in them, still not causeing problems to trichocereu plants.

Reason I add fabric pot to plastic contaier is, I can full the contaier with water and let growing medium soak the water. Best way seems to be (if they are used) only by let them sit in deep water pool for a while to make proper soak.

I'm balancing between them and plastic pots. Plastic square ones is easy to make watering without causing water flood all over trough fabric without actually soak the soil. So they limit watering a bit. Bottom watering isn't the best way with them like it is with clay or plastic. Positive side of them is seems they can sit on still water longer than any clay or plastic pot since they are no solid around and makes growing medium on it's own airy and nice.

But I have only this summer first time fabric pots to cacti. Roots will get lots of air and they are easier to use, in case grower do not know what kind of growing medium to use.

Trichs isn't so bitches about growing medium compared to few other species.

Just sayin, fabric pots is solution if growing medium tends to be damp too much. So far seems they can sit in still water and full soak and still drink and use more water and air to roots will come trough fabric.

I just don't know does negative side of them comes more harder to grower if there's more plants because watering need to be done differently and invent way to get them full soak without slashing the water all around what leaks from their sides. So it may make watering more harder job, even it makes easier to plant it self to get air and tolerate longer time moist soil. It fells if all my plants were in fabric pots. I would get tired of watering them and I think they are not reasonable to small cobulars of anykind. Trichs seems to do long time in pool of water in fabric pot without base or root rot. They slowly dried from bottom to below when water starts to end.

And one positive was indeed, plant were ridicilously easy to remove from fabric pot simply by turn the fabric upside down to get root ball with cactus away.

Using them need different way of watering if grower want to do full soak, what's easier with common pots, clay and plastic. But clay and plastic pots cause growing medium behave different. Fabric pots seems they mimic easier ground than other pots common in cultivation. Just they need is diffenet way of watering, they give better and more air to roots and best of them seems to be damp soil doesn't matter so much or doesn't even be able to go damp so easy because fabric tends to move and it's not solid like other material, giving air to roots like plant in ground.

Full year round outdoor grow or greenhouses, fabric pots do well because top watering and water splash all around doesn't matter so much. But top watering is the thing with fabric pot I find out to be hard and making full soak need pots to be sink to somekind of pool of water.

They are fucking efficient with pot cultivation as well and growing medium isn't so critical to make it suitable to pot it self like plastic and clay pots. With those regular cultivation pots need more accurately done growing medium, fabric pot forgives a mistakes when doing growing medium what makes them better. Indoors I find out it's easy to move fabric pot plant under shower and let water run enough from top to soak the soil but watering otherwise is a bit messy than regular pots, even fabric pots forgive enough "bad" growing medium and it's hard to get too damp growing medium with them, and if it's too damp, trichs seems to do fine and roots will have air.

Situational but not bad choice if grower isn't sure. They give more freedom to grower to use growing medium and soil what would not work so properly in clay or plastic containers. Positives and negatives there are still, no matter of pot in that sense. Negatives and positives just change to different problems what grower need to solve.

Sand is good example, fabric pot allow more freely to use sand without problems what occur with clay or plastic pots. Making the watering and proper soak the "problem" but there's many ways to solve the problem to get full soak. Clay and plastic pots are as well harder when need to repot the plants compared to fabric pots.

I've noticed still difference and one problem in another pot can be solved with fabric pot but it creates new problem to soak the soil without causing water leak out from side of pot. I solved the problem by using wide tray below the fabric pot, about 6-8inch tall. I just pour it full of water and let plant sit in water and see when level of water decreasing when growing medium takes the water. At one point surface of water in bottom tray stop decreasing but rest of water (with trichs) can be left there and as plant drinks, more water will soak soil longer time and haven't noticed any rot with them, even one trichocereus I had in still water 1,5months and no sign of rot.

I'm not sure but seems airy grow medium (made by pot or grow medium it self) seems essential for roots and in fabric pots i's impossible to create too damp soil because pot breath trough fabric so growing with them, airy of growing medium it self won't gonna be problem.

They still need a bit improvement to done when using for cactus, good one is deep square plastic tray, deep enough I mean. So watering can be done by filling the tray wth water as long as water level won't decrease and full soak is done. And for my surprise, they didn't mind at all to have week or two still water at bottom tray, it just slowly goes to use of plant as plant drinks.

You may decide yourself what to use, but changing watering style and pot from solid material to fabric makes growing medium use more freely without need to think much what kind of grow medium to use, but not to be stupid as well and purposely use bad growing medium.

I think fabric pots allows trichs do well, even grower have only potting soil for them. Making the potting soil able to be airy and barely need to adjust grownig medium enough airy. I mean the function of fabric pots replaces problems of making airy growing medium and allows grower more freely to use grow medium what may be stupid to use in commonly used pots.

As I said still, watering will gonna change and probably takes more work than commonly used pots. I can't say does airy of fabric pots benefit so much that it's worth of effort to find out different tek to water them to have proper soak. Top watering do not give proper soak on those same way it does with other pots.

And I see it as positive that fabric pot itself moves as well making it more ground-like and airy growing medium without need to think much growing medium itself, as long as it's even somekind of proper soil or any mixture cactus plants like trichs like.

I give potting soil only for columnars and few other as one part of it to have soil bacteria for them. They grow in very rich and fertile soil in habitat anyway. So sand (in fabric pot) use is more freely and not so problematic on those so it gives a bit minerals for plant in pot.

So far I need to use them longer time to be certain are they good or not but for beginners, or those don't know what growing medium to use for trichs. Fabric pot allows many "mistakes" normal clay and plastic pots won't and those mistakes don't rot the roots or cactus because pot it self makes all kind of soil and mixtures airy enough and behaving more like earth does.

So far only trichs have been in fabric pot in my collection. Rest I have in plastic or clay pots. But growing medium should be more accurately planned with plastic/clay pot than fabric pot because with fabric pots airy of growing medium it self doesn't matter much since pot gives the effect normally mixture of porous stuff does in clay and plastic pots.

Sand may be disaster, as small grain one, compared to fabric pot sand mixed to it. Basically fabric give more freedom to use soil available and sand as well, but watering need to be different to get them soak full.

I just find out lately they do well with cacti and creates airy grow medium from pot it self, not only from growing medium. What otherwise grower should do in the mix if using common pots in cultivation to make growing medium airy enough.

Some who have grown cannabis or other similar plants may know sometimes growth of plant get stunted in plastic pot because of soil is damp, it doesn't happen with fabric pots and so far have worked in my collection with trichocereus too. Actually I just moved one cereus peruvianus monstrose to fabric pot as well.

I would exclude many small cobulars away when using fabric pot. They might work but I have no experience with those cobulars and fabric pots so I wont gonna say anything how they behave in those pots and I suggest for them normal pots as usual growers have used.

Only fast growing columns and big cactus plants seems to do well on those when pot is in the deep square plastic container and there's lots of space aroudn pot allow roots to get air.

I later will know does it really improves plant to tolerate long time sitting on still water but so far it seems so they can do it in fabric pot what most likely cause rot of roots and base in plastic/clay pots.

The pot is self I mean can be huge factor as well, if grower want to jump out from common cultivation style and try sometimes new. Still I've noticed they can be watered more than I imagined and still not rot of roots and base rot what would happen in plastic pots I use for most plants. This is just theory still because I have started to thet them for columnars at this season so it takes more time to really see difference and compare between fabric and plastic pot. I know for certain, top watering isn't gonna be so fun with fabric pots, even they allow use of soil mix without further thinking of air for roots based on growind medium.

Still I would use a bit own head to think what soil to use in fabric pots. I just know atm they allow to do "mistakes" causing damp soil in plastic/clay pot and wont rot the roots or plant. Also it was easy to remove plant from pot by turn fabric upside down. :wink:

I like and hate them with cacti atm, but I'm just testing how suitable they are to cultivate trichocereus or other similar, more water drinking columns. When fabric pot itself gives better air flow to roots and soil than other pots does, grower can use more freely (but with common sense) growing medium available to use and design and mix of grow medium isn't so critical with them because pot "breath" and it doesn't keep grow medium as packed as other containers does at all. It seems watering as well can be easier and more radical and frequent with them, but I am not sure of it yet how much water they really can take on fabric pots compared to other pots. Since air for roots in other containers is based on growin medium, not much to pot it self what fabric pot does.

I'm gonna know it later on, so I don't suggest excess watering(even it seems possible and decrease risk of rotting, but my own growing medium may have role as well so it's not so simple in that sense.

Regular dry -> soak -> dry watering periods is ok with them, and growing medium doesn't define so much air supply to roots and soil than other pots, what needs accurately done grow medium to prevent damp spots causing root rot and base rot.

What I've seen so far, fabric pot allow to use more freely growing medium what would not be suitable to plastic containers and they are more forgiving. But if grower have used to fabric pots, soil possible to use in fabric pots with cactus won't probably work to commonly used pots so well and makes watering easily causing rot. It seems fabric pots needs more packed growing medium soil to function as good growing medum in commonly used clay and plastic pots.

Big amount of plants may be problematic and more hard work with water soak tho.. It's different to get full soak soil with them, especially top watering and fabric pot won't work well without shitloads of water from garden hose or indoor shower to make water run trough soil and fabric pot enough to make is full soak like should. Water really comes away from all directions and those pots have no drainage holes, simply they don't need them.

Pot it self I've noticed causes the function of airy soil easier without much need to think soil. A bit perlite and potting soil sounds good to use in fabric pots since pot takes care of air supply for roots. Trichs will do in nomal pots as well but ratio of perlite and potting soil is more essential when fabric pot is not used and drainage/air suppy is different way created´. Function of air and drying can be created by good mixture of potting soil and perlite, or if grower isn't sure, fabric pots allow to use more damp soil with trichs and pot takes care of airy and prevent a bit soil with perlite mixed not to get damp, or if so. Damp spots in fabric pot doesn't seems to cause rot.

They ae not still fail-proof pots with watering, too much is too much, no mtter of what. Even they allow to use sand in soil where other pots may cause the problem with plastic/clay pots. Seems they need more damp soil in fabric pot so hold moisture, still able to breath from all around the pot benefits the soil and roots.

I would not use so loose grow medium I have used to plastic pots because fabric pot it self cause soil move more freely what won't happen in plastic pots.

I would say fabric pots are equal to plastic pots, if forming growing medium isn't the problem. If grow medium is hard to get airy, fabric pots does the function of perlite and rocks etc, what normally makes growing medium airy for cactus. So ratio of perlite and soil won't be so critical at all with them.

Even it sound wonderful, watering of several plants in fabric pots with good soak won't happen so easy than plastic pots or clay pots does. And I would not use same growing medium in fabric pots than plastic pots. They seems to need own kind of mix, depends do grower use fabric or plastic pot. Both needs different grow medium but function of air supply comes via different route.

Just need to say once, I have only this season going on with fabric pot for few trichs and monstrose cereus. So I don't know more specific differences than I said based on my experience of this season. But "breathing" can be done with fabric pots if there's enough time to figure out proper way to do soak without so much mess and water all around. Too airy grow medium may not even be good in fabric pots, even same mix seem perfect to plastic pot use. From experience I would use a bit more sand in fabric pot and maybe even more soil than now. Too damp soil problem isn't present with fabric pots causin the rot of roots.

I would say they are good option if grower don't know how to form growing medium airy enough, fabric pot solve that problem without need much think texture of soil itself. Potting soil is just fine on fabric pots imo. I just would add some sand and handful of small rocks to potting soil as source of minerals in fabric pot cultivation. They worked so well with other plants withot need to think mixture of soil so I'm testing them with cacti atm. They solved the stunted growth problem of plants withut need to think much at all what mixture to use to make plant grow happy. So far no problems with cacti, except watering from top won't work so easy to make proper soak.

Just saying, fabric pots seems to work very effective with tirchs and pot take care of air supply, dampening isn't so big deal and they allow grower more freely to use mixture of soil what otherwise may cause rotting of roots and base of column.

I think cannabis grow stores have those for sale at sizes of few liter to dozen liters, maybe bigger ones are available.

They are one kind of solution to problem grower do not need to design airy and good mixture for common clay and plastic pots. Soil behaves different in ground than plastic or clay pot, but I would rule out behavior of soil and sand in fabric pots. But I have only this season of experience with them so far, I can't know all positives and negatives may occur later but seems reasonable choice to beginners or thoe who don't know how to make good mix of soil to pots used widely among all growers. Plastic and clay pots seems to be pots grower have to think drainage and air supply for roots based on mixture of soil. Pots like that need accurate design of grow medium, compared to fabric pots what seem grower more freely to use almost anykind of potting soil.

I have tend to like fabric pots, but don't like effort of watering(meaning I would not use it to all plants because ot that) compared to plastic pot with good soil mix. Small number of plants should not cause so much more effort than usual with watering to get full soak done.

But you may decide by yourself do you want to use fabric pots to grow trichs. Round fabric in deep square plastic tray makes watering a bit easier, simply by pouring the container full of water, almost full. And I suggest to use relatively deep surrounding trays for them to make watering and full soak easier by filling the tray at bottom with water as long as fabric pot soak it to itself.

I won't say all of these are factual but it seems based on this season so far, changing to fabric pots with these columnars, it allow grower no need to make so accurately at all growing medium normally would be good to have. As long as potting soil and perlite have even some quality, fabric pot should take care of function what soil mixture and drainage holes have as function for roots in other pots commonly used.

Havent encounter much problems with grow, no matter of plant, in fabric pot. And soil mix and ratio of perlte/sand/rock/etc isn't anymore so critical if fabrc pot are used. I mean common problems what mixtue of soil typically cause in plastic and clay pots. Stunted plants or rotting cactus because of bad mix, not happen in fabric pots so accidentally so basically they seems to be good for beginners and growers who don't want to do mix or do not know when soil is good to use in platic or clay pot. Ofc fabric pots have limits as well, but ratio of perlite and soil isn't priority since pot make sure drainage and air.

They do better than I assume when I changed pot for few and I planted few columns to fabric pot as testing their effectiveness to columnar cactus. In that sense I'm surprised how good pot it self care problems usually occur with wrong ratio of mix in clay or plastic pots.

It's just replace function of good mixture and drainage holes without need to pay so much attention what potting soil is used. I would still use a bit perlite and sand with potting soil in fabric pots.

I'm gonna figure out later more is it even relevant with fabric pots and trichs do grower even need to think  much ratio of soil and perlite/sand for them. It seems to me pot itself makes most work commonly mixture of growing medium does. I don't complain based on experience from this season anything about fabric pots with cactus like trichocereus. They give so much possibilites to use soil mixtures without need to think do ratio of mix cause problems in plastic and clay pots. So far so good, I'm more than satisfied, excluding watering should be done differently to get proper soak. It's not rocket science anyway to get fabric pot soil full soak'd. And taking plant off from pot is ridicilous easy job, just roll fabric upside down to get it off and have root cake and cactus off from it. Easier with transplant as well imo.
:awehigh:


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Invisibleferrel_human
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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: jsncrs]
    #21991109 - 07/24/15 04:23 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

jsncrs said:
I haven't got any cacti mix, is potting soil and perlite mix okay?




Define normal. :hmm:

Use coco coir and perlite. Coco might be hard to find. Super simple mix.


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Offlinekosmokratorshaman
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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: ferrel_human]
    #21991571 - 07/24/15 06:01 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Coco coir can be found at almost any pet store. Look near the lizards and birds.


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Invisibleferrel_human
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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: kosmokratorshaman]
    #21991680 - 07/24/15 06:23 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

kosmokratorshaman said:
Coco coir can be found at almost any pet store. Look near the lizards and birds.




Good to know. What is it used for 8n pet applications.


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Offlineintelligentlife
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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: ferrel_human]
    #21991899 - 07/24/15 07:12 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Online store is good for normal coco coir? xD


Edited by intelligentlife (07/24/15 08:36 PM)


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: intelligentlife]
    #21992224 - 07/24/15 08:03 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

intelligentlife next time you repot a cactus from fabric pot take a picture of the roots. IDK if you just upsize the pot or break up all the roots and prune a bit. I'd like to take a look at how the roots look.

OP You can use any type of soil as long as you amend the soil with enough aggregate. I tend to use cactus soil or coco coir with 40-50% pumice and perlite. I don't have issue with trichocereus being overwatered as long as they have a strong root system and the temps are hot enough. I SOAK the soil and leave the pots sitting in water for a few days without rot. The pumice provides enough aeration to the roots to not worry much about rot.

DO NOT water heavy if this is a new cutting the roots need to be well established to handle long periods of wet soil.


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: modern.shaman]
    #21992324 - 07/24/15 08:21 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

I can take pics when I move 'em in to dormancy.


I have only this model pic I have for few columns, 4L pot. But one I transplanted had more roots then I expected there are. Don't want to go details why I need to get plant off but managed to roll off the fabric, leaving the grow medium and roots look like keeping the ball of soil and roots together well.

About pic, I would use deeper square containter to be able to add as much water as possible. I pour it to full (size in pic) and let it drink water, then add it full again and slowly when plant use water, I can see surface drops over time and new water goes there. All plants grow well on those pots so I think to try for trichs. Since I have very limited rootspace anyway. I have 11Liter fabric pots also, but at biggest ones are in 6.5L their first season in that size pot. Those seems very good pots, and no soil leaking out from bottom, so less mess when I move them to greenhouse or dormancy over winter. They just need some bottom watering, still not so big pot to small plastic square water tray so there is open air near fabric pot even 4 sides of it is agaist plastic tray. I would use deeper watering trays anyway. One pot I have trichs seems dehydrated and plump up, but when I carefully pour water from top to let it absorb, they plump and get firm, but till keeping humidity and condensation in watering tray, I can see it, they are transparent anyway. They may not have develop roots deep enough I think.(?)

That one fabric pot I opened and take off the plant, thre was nice roots anyway all around on that one. Moist from bottom, dry from above but seems they drink water from top first and slowly move root towards moisture. Haven't seen so far roots growing out trough fabric but it may happen, still roots gonna get broken at transplant so it wont be a big problem I think.

I'm planning to try pure soil in fabric to one trich I planned to remove from 2L pot to 4L fabric. Making total new soil for it, as simple as possible as well. What I'm planned to do since I noticed how they do in fabric pot. I have few of plants need transplanting, Gonna dry potting soil only. I do it soon or after winter. Dere dormant starts soon anyways.

I could check one and "open" it as season is over. Mostrosa c. peruvianus is just planted to fabric, but some of them have been in pot whole year.

I can roll one over to take pics from roots, what have been in fabric pot whole season. I have very mixed up grow mediums. Almost every pot have it's own mix of everything I've been find out to use. This year I've add reindeer horn bone powder and chips to few mexicans in the pot they grow. It may be relatively rare to use, but should do. As well as I have some egg shells, washed ones with rocks. Coco for them have very minimal amount of limestone powder etc.. But I don't know anything of ratios of perlite/rock/something. I've just done growing medium feels plant will do there as supposed and there's no waterlog spots.

I'll take pics later, remind me later, I tend to forgot things easy because benzo meds for illness I have. But I can roll open one for pic, but not break the roots for pic before I transplant it. May take a while btw. :lol:

But anyway, I can break the root ball only at point of transplant. It's their first season anyway from 2L to 4L pots. Biggest ones are in 6.5L plastics and some meter tall approx.

I'm interested myself as well how roots grow there overall. Won't gonna break 'em soon anyway.

Btw, I think about I could walk to near by grosery store to buy potting soil, then mix a bit sand in it and transplant one before winter. Just remember near by store have some N-rich dark potting soil for sale. Before online stores, most people used that soil for pot grow.

I may up pics soon, just need to get near by store and buy bag of potting soil. I need it anyway. Was thinking to try plant 2L -> 4L fabric using only cheap potting soil and a bit sand. So I'll see later how it does.. I've think about that for while, just haven't remember to buy bag of soil, lol.

Those should work in sandy potting soil and go well. I don't see reson why not. Soil breats all around anyway so why not. I'm just lazy to transplant or look after those so I've forgot the soil. I've planned to use sandy soil to test one, I never use same mix, usually I do mix as I transplant. One trich may be almost barely in rocks, another may have lots of coco nd soil with perlite. So far they have done fine even soil of them may vary alot. I don't use exact mix for them ever and don't know much what in the pot really is. I just know some trichs have almost in bare rock with some soil only, no coco at all.:lol: Some grow in pots +50% coco in mix. Those seem to do well in different growing mediums. Haven't notice difference. I just know there isn't much identical growing medium to anothers much.

I use much material to grow trichs with stuff available at the moment. So I may do mineral soil or even rocky without coco and barely soil. They all seems to do well even none of them have even near by identical grow medium. If I remember, I'm gonna get bag of soil from store near by and transplant now. I want to see how pottig soil with a bit sand does. Using fabric pot and potting soil+minerals only, probably sand a bit. I would do it soon.


Edited by intelligentlife (07/24/15 09:16 PM)


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: intelligentlife] * 1
    #21992421 - 07/24/15 08:41 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

coco coir is used as bedding for some birds, lizards and mammals. I got mine at petco


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: kosmokratorshaman]
    #21992450 - 07/24/15 08:44 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

kosmokratorshaman said:
coco coir is used as bedding for some birds, lizards and mammals. I got mine at petco




I think about that but wasn't sure, since I've seen other stuff for them in stores. I mean petting material. Just didn't cross mind they use coco as well. :smile:

Good to know, gonna check prices do they differ from cultivation stores.


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: intelligentlife]
    #21992518 - 07/24/15 08:54 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

TBH, I got my first bag of coir recently. It was powdered. I mixed it with perlite and ive got a couple plants in it. Im not sure if powdered or shredded is better. It was pricey for the little bag I got.


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: intelligentlife] * 1
    #21992547 - 07/24/15 09:01 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

I've always considered trying a fabric pot for a trichocereus. I think you can water then from above but not as quickly as a pot. You water than wait, water a bit more and wait... the entire medium should get wet with enough time.

If the cactus roots look as plentiful as they do with other plants in the fabric pot I may get one in the future. The roots of cacti tend to be much thicker than other plants so not sure if there is a huge difference.


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: modern.shaman]
    #21992872 - 07/24/15 10:03 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

modern.shaman said:
I've always considered trying a fabric pot for a trichocereus. I think you can water then from above but not as quickly as a pot. You water than wait, water a bit more and wait... the entire medium should get wet with enough time.

If the cactus roots look as plentiful as they do with other plants in the fabric pot I may get one in the future. The roots of cacti tend to be much thicker than other plants so not sure if there is a huge difference.




My point was those might be good if using potting soil only, maybe some sand as well. So no matter of possibe damp sandy soil if whole ball "breath" and before roots bound soil it's very loose and wont go damp since fabric don't hold the soil and form by it as well.

I mean; Simple and typical rich soil only mineral sand and few rocks add or sand only. Would do better in fabric than normal pot as fabric replace breathing of root cake. Was saying maybe the pot can replace most stuff need to cause airy and drying conditions in the pot.(?)

I'm sure gonna do that in day or two.. I want to see. I have already some in too small pots anyway. :awesome:

Top waterig is possible but top layer stay very dry even base if wet. So it really take time to water them without at any point water wont drop away from around. Faster it is to pour water to tray. Growing medium will absorb the water it can be seen water goes fast to pot. I just add later more water to make sure it eventually get as moist from top as possible.

I mean, dry soil won't take water so easy and top layer is most of the time dry..

I keep you updated in case you want to know. I'm just testing how it does and want to test "bad soil mix" in fabric to make sure I'm not speaking bullshit, even tho I never said I have tried it, but what I've used fabrics, Trichs should do actually in pure potting soil and sand, let the fabric do the job and make it airy all around. At first soil won't stay damp because no roots bound it, and fabric pots is bendy, so it makes always at time of transplanting soil moving anyway, no matter what there is, it won't behave similar to other pots without roots bound the soil, at time plant grow roots, fabric pot is bendy enough to make potting soil loose on it's own. Roots jut enforce and make it later on more compact.

Yea, I'm gonna get few liter bag of soil and take sand from yard and plant one trich to fabric nd potting soil only. Maybe few rocks with sand but as simple as possible. To make sure can fabric pot replace most of growing medium mix with trichs. I assume so since not a single plant I used fabric pot have been suffer from damp soil. Like they do in plastic pots and go stunted. Soon I know it from experience how it goes. Could fabric pot make growing medium very simple without need much at all to form mixture for cactus. Whole point of it was that making possible to use simple soil for trichs and fabric pot seems only possible choice I could use to try most simplest soil as possible by replacing aeration with fabric pot.

I have empty pot waiting plant to transplanted, just haven't get it done.. I'm curious to see that, just hypothesis in my head trichs should do fine in potting soil by using different form of pot by using fabric. My theory was could fabric pot be solution to most simple mix as possible; pure potting soil, let the pot does the job of giving air to roots. If it works then I can say for sure, with fabric pot there's no need to make own mix of growing medium. If in theory, pot can replace the function of pumice, perlite and other compounds forming the growing medium. Plausible it seems, but fuck I'm gonna test it asap by planting trich to potting soil and use fabric pot for it. So then I know could it be done easy with one or two ingrediments in soil only to keep it as simple as possible.

IDK, in theory what I've seen how fabric pots effects, I want to test could grow medium be potting soil only if in case, pot takes care of giving air to roots. Basically there's no walls keeping air separated from soil like regular pots does. Why not to test that most simple method by using differnet pot to skip need to make own cultivation mix. I may buy bag of "cactus soil" there are in stores for sale. It's just sandy potting soil only. Imma curious to see do I write bullshit or not. :lol:

I bet works as replacement for perlite and pumice, what I actually mean in theory. To make trich cultivation simple and easy as possible. I want to test it does it work as well to know do my theory works in reality like I assume.:yesnod:


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: kosmokratorshaman]
    #21993206 - 07/24/15 11:23 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

kosmokratorshaman said:
TBH, I got my first bag of coir recently. It was powdered. I mixed it with perlite and ive got a couple plants in it. Im not sure if powdered or shredded is better. It was pricey for the little bag I got.




Blocks turn to powder.

Is it dry powder or moist with perlite?

I've seen blocks, very pressrized to compact. It will expand from small block to several liters size of moist stuff. As dry it's light and very powder like. And another product from From cultivation store moist coco with NPK fertilizer ratio on it. Normally it's fertile free stuff. Other than cactus plants tend to show lack of nutes with coco. Online can be get already fertile moist coco. It's same stuff after you water block and have pile of moist coco coir.

Those I have now, they are sold as bag and block in. Then holes at bottom. So running water trough it, coco expand to 10L growing pot. Plastic of block can be bend open and coir expands from block to more freely moving, moist stuff.

There's same stuff around in many forms. Later on coir will dry to almost dust and it's very light. I like it because it have weight and that powder stuff starts to get swollen from water, still keep on shink when water goes away and speed up the dry and actually with rocks, eventually soak after soak. It causes the gowing medium "move" and change shape. Especially in seedling trays. Commercial growers use coco and fertilizers to get those cheap plants sold in 5-10cm pots price range of 2-10€ I've seen. They are south European bulk stuff. "Cactus mix" cardboard with random plants grown on coco only and fertilized, once I found plants and when I transplanted the root bound cactus, there was a piece of rock under 3 colum seedlings. Stuff never molds as well and all commercial plants here are in coir only, those small shops sell 'em do not transplant them off from pots they are in send from south EU. Someone at middle hotglue flowers to them, or it's the commercial grower itself.(?) IDK but seems it's fastest way to get big plants in coco and fertilize it enough to just make it grow aggressively.

I sow astrophytums to pure fertilized "cannabis vegetative coco coir" with high ferts, they actually is not very plump even I've no watered the babies, still I can see they have grown to size of that with fertilizing. Theres only sand-rock layer on top near seedlings. Then cake of expanding coco underground. Eventually sandy stuff and small pieces will get between the pot and shrinken coir cake, but it was effective way. I didn't sterilized anything, just took dirty pot, fill it half with coir, sow seeds above and left it in to humid dome under lights. I didn't used heating because light source itself heated enough to +35C days, or maybe more. till under +20C night, maybe even +12C indoors at winter. They did well as well another mexican cobulars. And grew fast.

I mean if really want to grow fast and big plants, seems coco coir and high nutes are very good for it. If it's used in commerical scale, should be worth of it if want fast and big grow. Otherwise those making money from random non-labeled plants use it for reason, to make money. Obvious when looking how they have been cultivated in business to make a buck by selling plant probably dies later.

And not cactus plant are only one I've seen grown in coco coir with fertilizing. Seems all plants in business are in coco coir, except orchids or few other, but it should be good if it's used in business. Otherwise it would not be there in business all around. Palm trees I've seem as well most of them are in original pots in same growing medium.

It works well to chilipepper and many plants if mixed to soil. Making them grow very nice because it prevents soil get damp. There' probably reason commercial vendors use it. Who knows. But it's not making plants grow good without fertilizing as well.


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: intelligentlife]
    #21993650 - 07/25/15 03:34 AM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Thanks for the replies everyone

I ended up doing a heap of research last night and went to the store this morning.

Made up a mix of:

1 part Coir
2 part Cacti Potting Mix
1 part Cactus Sand
1.5 parts Perlite

Also added in some lime as recommended in most threads I saw, then put a top layer of scoria.

Does this sound like a decent enough mix?

Here's a pic :yesnod:



Edited by jsncrs (07/25/15 05:18 AM)


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: jsncrs]
    #21996325 - 07/25/15 05:19 PM (8 years, 6 months ago)

My coir is a light powder. It takes water, but doesnt expand. Its like a light brown airy dirt.


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Re: Can I use normal potting soil and perlite for my San Pedro & Bridgesii? [Re: kosmokratorshaman]
    #21998343 - 07/26/15 03:11 AM (8 years, 6 months ago)

Quote:

kosmokratorshaman said:
My coir is a light powder. It takes water, but doesnt expand. Its like a light brown airy dirt.




Have you tested to plant cake of it to pot and wait it dry and see is it smaller than pot?

Coco coir, what I always have used, seems to shrink smaller than it have been as dry. It's more easier to see with bare eye. If you have very powder-like stuff. You can't see the small piece of coco expand, outside of pot especially.

If you want to find out. Soak it, put it in round plastic pot and wait till it's dry. Cake is going to be smaller than it were full moist. IF it's not, it's not coco coir probably.

I haven't seen coco coir not expdanding from water. It's still hard to see unless you buy big block of it and moisten it till you see it really expands to big pile of stuff.

Test it simply by filling a round pot of "almost damp" coco coir only. It's smaller cake as dry. You can see it better in bigger scale. Powder expanding is harder to see. (unless it moves the growing medium top layer bases on watering and droughts.

My seedling tray with coco+perlite+pumice and pumice layer at top. I can see clearly when it' sbeen dry and after watering. Layer of 20x30cm tray will "move" based on watering.

I mean powder as it is may be hard to see. It change color from dark brown to light brown. Some coco coir have different fibres than powder as well (from block swollen with water example).

Easier way to test it is how I said. It doesn't expand so much, so the function of coco coir is easier to see if you make a full soaked cake to pot, it's smaller as dry, even it was bigger when moist.

I mean it's easy to see the holes between round plastic pot and shrink and dried coco coir. And it does't need to be made as cake to pot to make it expand. You may have so small powder of it it's hard to see without actually doing it the way you see the function and how it shrink and swollen when it absorbs to water. Just increase scale from powder to cake in pot to see the effect if you want.

Anyhow, it will expands and move around underground etc, just not so much than you may have assume. I mean it's not possible and likely to see when you soak powder. Full pot with it and see how it does.

I haven't seen coco coir what doesn't go in round pot to smaller "pellet" as dry (fragile pellet) compared to it' size and weight as soaked. I mean plastic round pot to use to make cake of coco coir simply because it's easier to see in that form, the function of it.

Just add it enough, no need to make pressurize it so damp. But it won't touch the round pot wall and leave clearly cap between the pot and coir cake when it's dry. In square pot and otherwise bigger pots that function is harder to see, or if you just moisten the powder coco.

In case you buy those almost "rock-hard" blocks. You can see like 2-3L dry block will swollen to 9-10Liter and fast. But it's not same to dry powder. I mean in scale those dry chip and stuff everyone of them swollen a bit but you barely see it on your eye. You need to make block to usable coco coir, or full the round (about 10cm diam) pot almst full of moiten coco coir you have. It should be smaller cake as dry. Also the weight between dry an moist is very noticeable without scale if there's enough coco coir in pot.

The dry powder work in potted plant like it should and make expanding and shinking and function like it should. I just mean, it's pointless to try see it by moisten the powder with so small piece what makes the coco coir. In small microscopic scale you may see powder does it, but just in case you are not sure. Do like I've done and full pot with coco coir, full moist coir. The moist block is going to turn over the days to smaller block than round pot have been. Bigger the scale, easier it's see the expansion and shrinking based on water it' absorbed.

Reverse best way to see it is simply buy the coco coir -block product. Adding water to it it will expand very fast and big to dark and powder, soil-like coco coir. And blocks are otherwise hard to break, but water makes very pressured block to expand very much.

Stuff from block you have is similar to powder and light color brown, but you need to dry it first. Only water can make block coco coir products to swollen and it wont get back to so small block, it's after drying powde, fibre like stuff.

IDK the exact way how they do those hard, very packed blocks, but they can be only get swollen to growing medium with watering the blocks, otherwise hard and solid. But block expansion is most easiest way to see and it's really ~300-500% more space as moist than it were as small and dry block. Even drops of water make a bumb to block.

Block simply breaks down and can be pressured to block simply because of when those packed powder coco and fibres have water, they expand and break the cake since they can't be attached together in that size as block. Block breaks to soil-like stuff, eventually dries to powder and change color as well. Without the function of coco coir, block would not do that.

I just mean in scale as powder only, it's not so easy to see (even it happens) just saying, trick to see it is round plastic pot and just wait till it dry slowly. Use scale if want. It's very light as dry, heavy when moist. Even without scale small amount of coco coir can be felt with hand it's weight increases as the size of small pieces behave.

Depends the form of it if you want to see it "in action" with you eyes. Just get round pot and fill it with moist coco. Forget it somewhere to dry. Cake wont gonna be same size in pot as it dries. It keeps as round "pellet" but very fragile. I assume they do those blocks by pressuring moist coco with heavy machinery and let the water get out and dry it as shape of blocks.

Those block really get from few liter size to dozens of liter of growing medium as you let water get enough there to make it expand. There's no other way to use blocks than expand it with water in order to use it as growing medium.

The form of it depends much how dry/moist it is and as well as color does. It's almost black lik soil when full moist, still very light weight stuff and brown powder when it's dry. Also it takes a lots of water. I mean by the weight. I've not seen any similar growing medium what is so light weight as dry, and then very heavy when watered, the water will swollen even microscopical level those pieces form the powder, expanding of powder as it is without using it in pot seems it do not expand or goes smaller. But just for sake of own fun, add pot full of coco and wait long enough it's dry. There's block of dry coco, smaller than it was. After watering it swollen up again to full the pot. I round pot you can see it (imo) if you haven't seen how much block coco coir will swollen to actual growing medium.  Block themselves isn't growing mediu till you water it to make it swollen to soil-like stuff.

In case if that wont happen (coco only in pot) ..I assume it's not coco coir or something is wrong with product.(?) That should be good test to see the fuction of drying. Simply filling the pot and make a cake in. Leave it alone to dry, and you should see pot is "bigger" than dry cake etc.

If you suspect it's not coco coir you have, test that. :wink:

Always when I start making grow medium from cake, I first water it to make it possible to use. then let it dry a bit to make it ok to use for cactus. But however. Hard block need first of all the water to expand, then drying to make it powder.

And different product have different ratio of that powder, fiber etc. In ratio. I've not seen pure dry powder have sold from cultivation stores, but even block will turn to dry powder with time. Dry powder coco coir behave differently than moist and feels different.

Without forming the moist coco block to pot, it's hard to see the powder to a "anything" ..There' still reason why those blocks expand from small size hard block to moist airy growing medium and get's very dark with color as it takes water. block it just hard pressurized to form of that and it needs the water in order to make it expand, in order as well to have even possible to use it as growing medium. It's just so damp pressured and dried to block so it stays as blocks. (those you can buy from store)

Freely moving powder coco coir needs something like round pot to make it possible to see the function of it. OR anotherway, buy "coco coir block" products. They need water and soak first to make it "grow" and "expand" ..only water coco coir takes on it self cause those block seems they grow really 3-5x size of block as pile of coco coir possible to use as growing medium.

Stuff gonna turn up as dry from block as you described, very light weight and powder. There's still fibre and powder ratio on certain products. You can't simply see the function without buying blocks to turn it to grown medium with water, or full pot with small pressure almost full of coco coir, full moist and wait it dries to see effects if you want.

As block is once watered and turned to grow medium, it won't be easy to get as dry in that size without good pressure. And it swollen up in few seconds(visible to see) and fast when block have water enough. Coco in pot you can't see the behavior of it till it's full dry. So forget the wet coco in pot. See it later as full dry to be able to compare.

Thing is, it behaves in small scale by taking water to get weight and swollen, and reverse it shrink and gets to light weight powder as full dry. With powder the scale is just too small without technology to see so close, bare eye don't see powder "swollen" because it happens in very small scale after the block is broken by water only. Blocks will eventually get to dry powder as well when it's been dried but water is only way to turn it to usable growing medium since water get's in coco coir and force the block get "open" from inside out basically. Reverse it works when you just throw it in to pot and let it dry. In case you wanna test it, you need to form a pellet-like loose moist cake to pot and let it dry. It will dry to cake-form, if you don't disturb it. But there's small dry "pellet" in round pot, smaller than pot even as moist it's size of pot.

Otherwise if that wont happen, you don't have proper coco coir to serve the fuction you want. Powder is impossible to see as it expands, it happen in so miniature scale when you soak powder beause it's loose and there are very small pieces as well. Color is clearly different from black-brown(wet/moist) to very light brown(full dry)

I have only bought blocks and bag of moist coco coir. But they gonna be same powder dry stuff if block is watered to make it expand and let dry. Already moisten coir from bag goes as well same you have from blocks of it eventually. I've not seen other difference on thoe products than mostly fertilized coco coir is sold in bags as moist. Blocks turn to same moist stuff than bags have anyway. As moist it behaves like soil and feels like soil when you touch it.

There is still different ratio of powder and fibre like stuff, depends the brand. Some blocks have text on them about ratio of what kind of ooco coir type have used to mix. Some doesn't. I have never bought full dry powder coco but all products will turn to brown light weight powder what is very very light weight stuff and loose, compared to moist stuff. But it wont form to damp blocks. I've not seen that behavior in coco coir, no matter of form I buy it. Dry powder can be pressured to tight block as strong as it's hard to break. In cultivation pot behavior is more essential and relevant. So far I haven't find out it stick together at all. Underground in pot where cactus is, it will function as should and enough of it you can see it over the time(if your grow mix is certain type) how it cause surface layer "move" and so on.

My seedling tray with coco, rocks and perlite I can see it it's been constantly moved even it can't be seen because it happens in slow motion in that sense. But it works as underground substrate well and preventing any material in mixture to form damp spots. Simply because it's size changes as moisture get off and expands when watered.

Powder "chips" is just too small you can't see it(only from scale as weight of water in them) sill you can form a cake to have "big chip" enough in order to see it's function properly as dry and moist. It's not same size if it's coco coir as it should be. Depends persentage of water in small scale that powder absorbs to itself, and therefor expanding. Scale is just too small to even notice it. In pot behavior of it it's most easier to see, or in seedling trays, over period of time you notice surface as well as seedlings shrink and swollen so seedling tray surface keep on "living" based on water they have absorbed defines in smaller scale the size and weight of it. (what's the function to break the hard block with water since stuff swollen and break up the block by effect of water)

Blocks is same stuff than powder, just pressurized to block so hard it needs water to get broken and turned to growing medium possible to use. Blocks are full dry(still stick together) but pressure of making them is so big and they likely have pressured as moist and dried under pressure to stay solid block. And only way o get block to growing medium is water it wich cause effect of expand. Block swollen most fastest because there's so much of small powder coco pressured to block so effect of water is most easier to see with them. Without water blocks can't be used as growing medium, they need water to expand and break the block. Since the stuff is so packed in block. There's shitloads of powder-like stuff in pressure and expands only with watering the block as long as it have turned to dark pile of grow medium.

Behavior or powder and block is different just because block is packed so tight and dried so effect of water make it swollen to even be able to break the blocks.

Anotherwords, effect of it can be seen and it works like should in pot. Without pot change of size of coco is hard to see as size, only with scale as weight. But it doen't mean it wont expand. Powder is too small it expands only those "grains" forming the powder what may be very small so in scale, you can't see it without making "bigger pellet" in pot (wet coir to round pot, and let it dry).

You can't see miniature grains of powder coco coir expanding by water since scale is just too small to see. If behavior in pot wont work like I write, it may not be proper coco coir or not coco coir at all. But since you said it's light weight powder, it's probably coco coir, just without water in tissue of small pieces forming the powder.

Expand the scale to make it visible to your eye. Let the cake take it's own time to shrink in round pot. Then you see it clearly when moisture is gone.:sun:

Where did you obtain dry powder? I have't seen (from cultivation stores) other than blocks, since they fit to smaller area as dry and transformed to grow medium with soak it in water. And plastic bag with holes at bottom, let water run trough it to make it expand and get rid of excess water to have the grow medium. And like I said another products I've seen only moist coco in bag.

Never seen those stores sell here only than blocks or fertilized bags with moist coco... Blocks have reason to use since it's possible to fit big amount of grow medium to hard and light weight block and grower itself can turn the block to pile of grow medium. As moist it's very heavy, compred to dry weight.

Just curious about I've not seen any dry powder coco coir sold in plant cultivation stores. Even stuff goes do powder and dry when I dry it.

Or it's cheaper and easier to online shops to sell blocks since they are just pressured and dried to small size, still having weight of dry coco. With them it's most easier to see how much it really swollen. Block is like one dry "grain" ..formed under pressure and probably dried under pressure as well so they stay as hard blocks as long as they don't get water.

Water cause it expand fast and rapidly it can be seen easy how it expands and how small powder in the block increases size because water it only way to break these blocks properly to use as grow medium "out of pressurized packed form". It expands hell of a lot, but scale and density f it make difference can you see it or not. But behavior of it won't change, no matter is it powder or not. Small amount just expands less but in ratio same persentage than bigger amount etc.

Underground in pot coco coir effects work best, but you barely see it, depends what mixture of grow medium you mix it with. But it moves everything a bit around it and other substrate behaves as it expand and shrink in limited space in pot. It gives a bit airy "movement" and less coco you have, less it expand and shrink in scale. Anyhow, it works for potted plants to make roots airy.

I use it for mexicans underground around tap root. Obviously I can't see underground the behavior of it, but I just know how product I use working.

So in packed space like clay pot, for example, it effects does best in pot among other stuff, compared to space with nothing to limit or keep it in packed. It will expand and shrink, in pot it's most effective even in small scale.

Some grow tap root plants in pure coco with ferts, they grow fast and turn to big balloons and makes watering easy by observation of coco coir in pot to see is it dry or not. It tend to go in round pot to smaller round cake and expand with every watering again to full cap between cake and pot there are when coco coir goes totally dry.

:tee:

Basically, only moist coco coir shrink to smaller size, but it's not the whole purpose of making it good as part of growing medium. Basically you can do any soil or sandy rocks with it impossible to damp.

Reason it won't mold is because it decompose so slow and wont host mold in seedling tray. Unless dead seedlings only host mold.

And it's just a byproduct of bigger industry so depends what brand you use basically what ratio of fiber and other stuff from coconut have used etc. Bad quality blocks of coco may have shitloads of woodchip-like stuff you don't need basically.

For cultivation and agriculture coco coir products are sterilized before sale and I assume they are all sterilized because it's been find out byproduct from industry sold as coco coir have been find out do spred weed and fungi. New Zealand is good example since there's several new weed plants find from wild after coco coir starte to be imported. Afterall, it's byproduct of bigger industry of coconuts, still good substrate to prevent dampening and hold water and can take water more frequently. With sandy-rock mixes, it help to keep moisture.

Basically it only expand a bit, depends of quality of coco coir brand. Shrinking of it occur and it's most easiest to see when growing in 100% coco and let substrate get dry, full dry. Actual shrinkin of it won't happen unless it doesn't have absorbed water and start drying etc.

It's been used widely among agriculture and plant cultivation as one part of substrate of soil. It seems to be best to make any kind of potting soil impossible to cause damp areas inside growing containers. It just wont stick together, except those blocks pressed for sale. They are light weight and about 1kilo of block yield ~10-15Liter of coco coir possible to make growing medium to hold water well, still air as well with water.. And best effect of it is no sand or soil can be dampen when mixed to coco coir.

There's 3 kind of different form mixed to one and I've seen different ratios of it. Some have wood-like chips a bit with fibre and dust/powder. They are all from coconut anyways. Brands have still variation between the quality but seems, no matter of brand. Using it prevents dampening and increase air get in to roots as well as it suck water fast and hold it. But different way because it holds water and air, what potting soil wont do so easy and dampen soil basically prevents air get to roots and seems that creates more likely roots not to tolerate water like otherwise they would without rotting, if they have properly air in roots as well.

In commonly, and in cultivation of collector (not vendors) coco coir is just one part of growers mixture of soil for cacti. basically ratio 1:2 coco:soil works well to prevent potting soil not to get damp.. but ratio 1:1 is relatively similar and good as well as long as it's mixed well to soil to cause it airy and soil won't form damp, non-airy areas inside the pot eventually causing root rot.

It's still risk to cause root rot with coco coir by watering plant too much, obviously. Anyway, even you don't see powder do not swollen with water. It doesn't mean it wont work in use. I was just thinking you may test it by make it wet and wait as long as it dries, cake should be smaller than it was, and watering it makes it size of pot again.

It's not the whole idea of use of coco coir with cacti and I use it only as substrate amont other substrate I use to grow cactus plants. For trichs I mix potting soil to coco because soil have bacteria on it benefit plants.

Coco coir pH may vary as well, good products have label on them abut ratio of pieces and stuff used from coconut as well as pH and electric conductivity of substrate etc.. It's still approx around 7pH. Still brand matters a bit but not critically as long as it's coco coir only. But there's some block s of coco coir not so good for cactus, those blocks have lot of wood-chip like coconut pieces and less powder and fibres. Expanding and shrinking of it is just positive side-effect in cultivation of cactus plants. Usually thoe chips will not be used and some moist coco sold in bags and already fertilized, they usually have been screened already so there's only moist powder and miniature chips(what's the powder as well) and fibres.

Main purpose of it is to use it in cultivation and agriculture so dampening of soil goes impossible. And even coco coir soak water very fast to itself, it's still airy for roots as moist. Making it excellet substrate if mixed to growing medium, otherwise damp off too much and cause root rot. I am not sure of this but: it seems cactus roots tolerates more moiture longer time, but in order to make it happen they need constant and proper air supply. But I'm not sure of it, seems the airy and capable to hold water long time makes possible to cactus roots not to rot so easy.

Just my theory about root rot may be reason of moisture without good air supply. But I am not sure of it. Just feels with columnars and few other species I can water them more often if coco coir is mixed to growing medium to keep air and still holding water.

Afterall it's complex to say anything for sure since there's lots of coco coir products of coco coir and quality of them. They are still all from coconut but like I said about ratio of different coconut parts used may have as well role with cactus cultivation.

I usually discard those big wood-like chips of coconut. Using only other stuff. Some growers like to screen their coco coir, some doesn't. But it depends much quality of brand you have.

They are not all same in that sense, even they are all just coconut industry "trash" Still blocks have certain ratios of fibers and more powder-like product as well as big chips.

I still would not excess water because of coco coir. Even coco coir can take new water asap it's dried, but plant growing on coir, may not like constant watering. For seeds: it's good as pure coco only. Adults I would use it as just one substrate among other, based on species of cactus how much and so on.

Just crossed my mind there's variation between brands of coco coir, but they are all from same industry as non-wanted product, used in agriculture and cultivation of plants widely. First of all, priority purpose i cultivation and agriculture of coco coir is to use it to prevent soil get damp, makes it hold water and nutes, still able to have air for roots, other effects it creates may be considered as secondary but not negative ones.

It's simple to use as long as brand of coco coir you buy is good for cactus (like most of them are) ..It's not even actually purposed to grow cactus plants but lately it's been started to used for them as well more widely in plant industry and cultivation. It's so cheap compared to positive effects you get to make soil benefit the plant better.

Negative is, it needs fertilizing without mixed to soil, but with cactus it may not relevant because lack of fertilizers is negative for example: cannabis-like plants cultivation where soil gives and hold nutrients. 100% Coco coir needs fertilizing in cultivation. Some brands have different "minor fertilizing" but most of them do not have fertilizers, but only other type of plant growers think it's negative.

I don't see it's negative when used as one substrate among others with cactus.. Ofc amount of coco coir should be different, depends what species and what climte cactus you want grow. So it's more reasonable to grow cacti and use coco coir as differnt ration, only based by species you grow.. Example: Trichs would love to have soil and coco mixed. Lophophora and ariocarpus barely need it more than a bit around tap root in pot. Even it's possible to grow them in 100% coco, I don't do it myself to adult plants, using non-fertile coco coir depends of species hw much I use it. At first it wasn't even think to use for cactus cultivation, even today commecial vendors here-or-there have started to use it instead of peat.

Rule of thumb I would say: use it as one part of your mixture of growing medium, so no need to worry damp soil. Or in rocks, it holds water in pot long enough to benefit plant as well as air for roots. I have only used fertilized 100% coco for sowing seeds. Never kept adult plant in 100% coco in pot. It's just a one of many ingrediments I use for bigger cactus plants, making dampening of grow medium basically impossible.

I may speak bullshit about air and increased tolerance to water of cactus roots. I don't know it for sure so I declare it as bullshit reader should think it critically. Like everything around internet. Air for roots is still relevent with any kind of plant cultivation and agriculture, and ground is most of time moist anyway and cactus do not rot in ground so easy than pot. I assume aeration for roots help them not to rot. But it's still plausible to cause rot by excess waternig.

Roots is very importnt part of cactus, section above ground need them to be ok. Especially healthy roots havin water and air. I think root rot may be result of end of air but water stay present without aeration of roots.. But I said, it may be bullshit. I always think how roots like, not much about what plant look like above ground level.. Since roots is as essential or more important part of cactus plant than cactus columns or cobulars themselves. In order to make them grow. It's with all plants. I tend to think as priority how I grow roots, not cactus itself and it comes as secondary.


Edited by intelligentlife (07/26/15 06:28 AM)


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