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 theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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 All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix 
#3370509 - 11/16/04 06:29 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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6 Parts Potting Soil
2 Parts Sand
3 Parts Perlite/Vermiculite Mix
1 Part Earth Worm Castings
1 Part Commercial Bagged Cow Manure
I got some babies (peyote) coming and was thinking about using this as a general cacti soil mix, and planned on using it for my San Pedro, Torch, and Bridgesii. What do you guys use and what do you think of this?
I plan on fertilizing once a month, and water once a week. During the winter, I will water every 2 weeks (unless I need to water more) and will not fertilize.
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix 
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biglo
Shroomery BabySitter
Registered: 11/22/02
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Loc: US of A
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 Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3370557 - 11/16/04 06:38 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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Just my opinion, but I'd substitute one of the parts potting soil with either perlite or sand, especially if your potting soil has peat in it. I just find that better draining soil is a bit better. I don't know anything about manure, so I'll let someone else comment on that part.
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recalcitrant
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Loc: Canada West
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3370561 - 11/16/04 06:39 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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cacti need nutes? what are you going to fertalize with?
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We have to answer our own prayers
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 Lifenergy
Yo Mama
Registered: 08/05/04
Posts: 766
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: recalcitrant]
#3370599 - 11/16/04 06:46 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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Don't forget to add some lime. Trust me, they'll love it.
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Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.
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theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: Lifenergy]
#3370643 - 11/16/04 06:53 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lifenergy said:
Don't forget to add some lime. Trust me, they'll love it.
Oops, I forgot to say I will add about a dixie cup full of lime and mix it in with the rest of the soil mix
Quote:
recalcitrant said:
cacti need nutes? what are you going to fertalize with?
"I plan on fertilizing once a month, and water once a week. During the winter, I will water every 2 weeks (unless I need to water more) and will not fertilize"
and that manure acts as a slow acting fertilizer
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix
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theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: biglo]
#3370649 - 11/16/04 06:54 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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No, I'm not going to have a peat based potting mix
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix
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Hooty
Reality isRelative
Registered: 02/24/03
Posts: 2,467
Last seen: 12 years, 11 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3370807 - 11/16/04 07:20 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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http://archives.thenook.org/soil.html
This site is quite helpful. Most likeley you've already seen it though.
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Without love in the dream
It will never come true
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theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: Hooty]
#3370888 - 11/16/04 07:36 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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Yeah, I have seen that link, but thank you for posting it. After reading it, I may add some bone meal to the mix, but the manure might take care of that
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix
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Stonehenge
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Loc: S.E.
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3373398 - 11/17/04 09:57 AM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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I would use perlite not perlite vermiculite mix. As biglo pointed out, it needs to be fast draining. Even more so with peyote. That would work for pedro but for peyote I'd increase the perlite a little and cut back on the castings and manure. Both of those contain ferts and you are planning to fert it every month. That's way too much for peyote. It would be kind of heavy even for pedro or other trichs. You will kill them with kindness if you aren't careful.
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“A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.” (attributed to Alexis de Tocqueville political philosopher Circa 1835)
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Aelph
Playing in thedirt again
Registered: 05/31/04
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3373739 - 11/17/04 11:16 AM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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I've tried different soil combo's for Lophophora. It seems to work for the different varieties I have grown.
Seed to 6 months: 1 part seed starter (sifted)
2 parts coarse sand
small amount of lime
I think Una posted the seedling mix and I've found great results for all seedling cactus so far with it.
Older Lophophora 1 part potting soil (sifted)
1 part coarse sand
1 part soil conditioner (Schultz)
1 part small lime stones
1/2 part lime sand
The older mix is highly basic, drains very quickly and holds moisture/nutrients. I have seen a 1.5 cm grow to 2.5 cm in 6 months on it's own roots.
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theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: Stonehenge]
#3374405 - 11/17/04 02:00 PM (19 years, 5 months ago) |
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Thank you Stonehenge and Aelph for your reply. I have decided to change it around a little bit:
4 Parts Potting Soil
3 Parts Sand
3 Parts Perlite
1 Part Earth Worm Castings
1 Part Commercial Bagged Cow Manure
1 Part Dolomite Lime
Now, this may seem like a lot of parts, and I know it may seem odd that I have decided to keep both the earth worm castings and bagged bow manure, but I have seen on three different sites where these have been recommended for trichocereus species of cacti. Also, I have seen where the site recommends roughly the same number of parts that I have for this mix. For the peyote, I just figured that it would be alright for them too. I mean, if it can live in shitty dry desert soil, it would be fine in this type. Though, for them I may cut back to fertilizing every 2 months, and for the trichocereus (san pedro, etc.) I will keep it at every month.
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix
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faslimy
Dead Man
Registered: 04/04/04
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3374902 - 11/17/04 03:31 PM (19 years, 4 months ago) |
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If you water every 2 weeks in winter your cactus will try to grow which will result in thinner weak growth which will look out of proportion with the rest of the cactus.
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theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: faslimy]
#3375045 - 11/17/04 03:58 PM (19 years, 4 months ago) |
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Really...That’s Interesting...
I have read where some people don't water their cacti at all during the winter, but unfortunately I am getting them in winter so I may have to do a few waterings. What do you suggest when it comes to watering, every month?
Do you think a sand/vermiculite mix would be suitable for a cactus cutting, and then once it gets roots, transport it over the a soil mix? I have heard that if a cutting is put into the soil, there is a lot bacteria that could damage the cutting, unlike with a rooted plant.
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix
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Gr0wer
always improving
Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX 
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3375952 - 11/17/04 06:44 PM (19 years, 4 months ago) |
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I dont like sand much, here on LI its rather fine and it tends to clog up the airpockets between the coir or peat and just makes the soil more heavy.
If you want a better mix use coir insead of peat based potting soil. If your determined on potting soil get pro mix so your not paying for sticks and uncompoted mulch that only hinders growth.
Edited by Gr0wer (11/17/04 06:45 PM)
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theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: Gr0wer]
#3375980 - 11/17/04 06:50 PM (19 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
Gr0wer said:
I dont like sand much, here on LI its rather fine and it tends to clog up the airpockets between the coir or peat and just makes the soil more heavy.
If you want a better mix use coir insead of peat based potting soil. If your determined on potting soil get pro mix so your not paying for sticks and uncompoted mulch that only hinders growth.
I'll take that sand part into consideration. So you also suggest not using potting soil, but rather coco coir. Doesn't that come in rock hard bricks? and so how could that substitute potting soil?
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix
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Gr0wer
always improving
Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3376036 - 11/17/04 07:05 PM (19 years, 4 months ago) |
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yep use coir bricks, they expand in hot water in case your not familliar. Just subsitute it with potting soil. Here is what i would feel is a good mix
4 coir
3 pearlite
1 castings
1 manure
1/2 lime
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theocean06
Yeah, I've donefour already...
Registered: 07/10/04
Posts: 1,458
Last seen: 12 years, 8 months
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: Gr0wer]
#3376063 - 11/17/04 07:12 PM (19 years, 4 months ago) |
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That does look good, would you suggest that for the San Pedro, Peyote, or both? For some reason though, I feel funny not growing something in soil. Why would you suggest this over soil, when I have seen many sites that use potting soil in their mix.
For the coir blocks, do you suggest thoroughly crushing them up, or does it being so crushed up (as in you can see the coco strands - destranded I guess) too much?
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The story of life is quicker then the blink of an eye, the story of love is hello, goodbye. - Hendrix
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Gr0wer
always improving
Registered: 09/16/03
Posts: 6,056
Loc: El Paso, TX
Last seen: 6 years, 1 month
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Re: All Purpose Cacti Soil-Mix [Re: theocean06]
#3379393 - 11/18/04 12:30 PM (19 years, 4 months ago) |
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You dont crush blocks, i just throw em in a heavy duty garbage bag and pour in 2 gal of hot water per brick and allow tehm to expand and cool overnight. Theres no reason to pull out the strands, they are good for guiding exploring roots.
Potting soil is just peat, forrest scraps ie sticks, bark, mulch, and pearlite and mabey some verm. Coir drains much better then peat leading to more air in the soil for less chance of rot. Coir also has a better ph to start off with compared to peat. You can use that mix for pedro or peyote. You can put in 1 part more pearlite for better drainage and less chance of rot and more frequent wet/dry cycles for faster growth.
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