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greenladel

Registered: 05/27/20
Posts: 636
Last seen: 4 months, 13 days
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trichocereus and lophophora soil
#26705531 - 05/29/20 07:23 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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i have just ordered a san pedro, bridgesii and a williamsii and was planning to pot them in store bought "westland cacti/succulent potting mix". i assumed this would be perfect but i have been reading a lot since and i see a lot of people saying it is not okay. it seems to be doing okay for two other cacti i have, but they are completely different species.
what do i need to do to this soil to make it good for trichocereus and lophophora?
thank you for the help <3
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El Torcho
Time for tea?


Registered: 04/16/15
Posts: 1,365
Loc: Lone Pine Hill
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: greenladel]
#26706647 - 05/30/20 08:20 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Soil mix would be different for both.
Loph is a Mexican desert cactus. Trichos are not.
Loph should have a rock/pebble based mix.
Trichos can handle more organic matter and a heavier soil.
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"Well it sounds trivial, but the key insight is . . . . . you don't know shit" ~Dennis McKenna "There is more to human existence and to reality itself than science can ever give us access to." ~His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama
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greenladel

Registered: 05/27/20
Posts: 636
Last seen: 4 months, 13 days
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: El Torcho]
#26707387 - 05/30/20 03:54 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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thanks for the help.
i will follow this recipe for my lophophora: https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/20790350 does that look okay to you? the only problem is i cant seem to source any scoria in uk. i have asked there about suggestions for substitutes. do you have any suggestions?
i am seeing a lot of conflicting information about soil for trichocereus. will my store bought mix with about 30-40% pumice be okay?
thanks for the help <3
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El Torcho
Time for tea?


Registered: 04/16/15
Posts: 1,365
Loc: Lone Pine Hill
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: greenladel]
#26707470 - 05/30/20 04:57 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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I don't have any lophs, but if I did, I would probably use a mineral soil made of small pebbles of various rock types. You can look at this thread for ideas.
https://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Number/19284063
Soil is a bit of a contentious issue for trichos. Yes you should be fine with a store bought cactus soil.
I would recommend a soil similar to what you would use for cannabis or tomatoes, with fabric pots such as a Smartpot or something similar.
I've had great luck using the best quality compost you can find mixed with a peat/coir and perlite mix, such as Sunshine #4. Add in some organic amendments and you should be golden.
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"Well it sounds trivial, but the key insight is . . . . . you don't know shit" ~Dennis McKenna "There is more to human existence and to reality itself than science can ever give us access to." ~His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama
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greenladel

Registered: 05/27/20
Posts: 636
Last seen: 4 months, 13 days
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: El Torcho]
#26708728 - 05/31/20 08:54 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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thank you for the info. i will try to source more minerals for my lophophora and get closer to the mix in that thread.
what advantages do you find with fabric pots? better for drainage?
i have adjusted my mix for the trichocereus to:
*1 part soil (for now the westland stuff mentioned in the OP)
*2 parts pumice (this stuff: https://www.kaizenbonsai.com/coarse-pumice-bonsai-soil-cactus-soil-alpine-soil)
*1 part coir (this stuff: https://elixirgardensupplies.co.uk/product/65-70lt-coir-coco-peat-free-organic-compost-block-soil-compost-fibre-improver-2/)
what organic amendments and how much do you use? i was looking at worm castings but i read they are too high in nitrogen for cacti. i also read about coir doing the same job. is that true? (it was on reddit) and if so should i use more coir in my mix?
thank you very much for taking the time to help me <3
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El Torcho
Time for tea?


Registered: 04/16/15
Posts: 1,365
Loc: Lone Pine Hill
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: greenladel]
#26708751 - 05/31/20 09:12 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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I use fabric pots for the superior air transfer. I live in a humid and rainy place. I've never had to deal with rot issues. If it doesn't rain for a few days/a week during the growing season I will water almost every day.
Fabric pot soil will dry faster than plastic or clay pots. People who water once a month or a few times over growing season always seem to be dealing with splitting. I water very often and never have splitting issues.
I would recommend kelp meal as a must have. I use a mix of amendments that provide varied nutrients and is mineral heavy. Similar to a mix commonly called a ClackamasCoot soil mix.
Using the store bought mix, and not knowing what kind of compost/organic matter is in there, I would probably add some compost or worm castings more for the microbiology than anything. Coir should be relatively sterile, so I'm not sure why anyone would claim that's the same as castings?
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"Well it sounds trivial, but the key insight is . . . . . you don't know shit" ~Dennis McKenna "There is more to human existence and to reality itself than science can ever give us access to." ~His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama
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greenladel

Registered: 05/27/20
Posts: 636
Last seen: 4 months, 13 days
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: El Torcho]
#26708788 - 05/31/20 09:37 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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thank you. i will use a mix of at least kelp meal and worm castings for now and see what i can do as far as getting a broad, mineral heavy mix for future use.
how much would you suggest putting with my mix mentioned above? keep everything the same but add another 1 part kelp meal and worm casting mix? or is this too much? i know it is not good to over fertilise them but i dont know how much is too much :/
thanks <3
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El Torcho
Time for tea?


Registered: 04/16/15
Posts: 1,365
Loc: Lone Pine Hill
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: greenladel]
#26708804 - 05/31/20 09:52 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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Definitely don't add a whole part of kelp.
I never really measure, but a good handful or two for a two gallon pot is what I use.
Castings shouldn't have too much N for trichos. I would use anywhere up to a part, but it's not completely necessary. Depends on how much you want to spend.
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"Well it sounds trivial, but the key insight is . . . . . you don't know shit" ~Dennis McKenna "There is more to human existence and to reality itself than science can ever give us access to." ~His Holiness, The 14th Dalai Lama
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greenladel

Registered: 05/27/20
Posts: 636
Last seen: 4 months, 13 days
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Re: trichocereus and lophophora soil [Re: El Torcho]
#26708845 - 05/31/20 10:20 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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thanks. maybe i will pass on the worm castings for now, or just use a small amount. i should probably save money where possible at the moment. this is a more expensive hobby than i predicted hahah
thank you very much for the help! <3
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