commercial mixes

From: "Leo A. Martin" leo at possi.org> on 2005.12.19 at 07:07:05(13626) Actually, Astrophytum and most other cacti can be grown in almost anything, including pure peat moss. Most large-scale commercial nurseries who raise seedlings use a mostly-peat mix and water (and fertilize) almost every day. The question is - what are your cultural practices? Most hobbyists don't do well with peat-based cactus mixes, since once peat dries, it is very hard to rewet. Using peat or coir, cacti usually need to be repotted every 2-3 years, since the medium breaks down. Rather than focusing on what kind of stuff, how often, and how much, it is better to think about - How wet do I want it to be most of the time? - How much plant-care time do I have, and at what intervals can I look at my plants? - How often am I willing to repot my plants? Once you can answer these questions, you are ready to experiment with potting mixes. Start with one mix. Fill a pot like the ones you wish to use with the mix. Get the pot wet. Set the pot in your typical growing area. Now poke a moisture meter into the pot every day until the moisture meter says it's dry. Remember that or, better yet, write it down. Now go on to the next mix. Select a mix and pot based on how long you want the pot to stay moist. For cacti, you want the pot and soil combination to stay moist for 7-10 days after a watering during the growing season. If this all seems too much trouble, I suggest you go watch television and eat. Leo Martin +More Phoenix Arizona USA _______________________________________________ Aroid-l mailing list Aroid-l@gizmoworks.com http://www.gizmoworks.com/mailman/listinfo/aroid-l

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