Cactus & Succulent Soil Mix - What I use for my Plants

[@desertplantsofavalon]

This is a FANTASTIC video Daz :-D and such a FANTASTIC soil mix too

[@Cactimania]

Thank you so much Lyn 😊 This is a great mix to use and since using it everything is growing fantastically well. As you say with the climate in the UK and high humidity it’s important we have soil mixes that dry out quickly. Glad you liked the drainage test, that was a fun test to do to get an exact idea of how quickly water went through the pot and how quickly it dried out. As I said to you IG the other day the Astros and Obregonia Edith & I sent to you are potted into this mix 😊 Thank you for your amazing comment Lyn, from Edith & I to you and Hans, have a fantastic weekend filled with tons of plant power! ❤️🌵☀️🌼🌸❤️

[@desertplantsofavalon]

@@Cactimania XXXXXX

[@MoniqueHeijboer]

I just discovered your channel and I am so inspired to really get going with my cactus and succulent growing!! I have been semi successful here in the southeast of Spain but now I feel I am set up for success! Thanks for sharing!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 That's nice to hear. Good luck with your collection and welcome to the channel 🌵☀️🌸🌼🌺🏜

[@vickykent353]

Thank you, thank you!! Your video is just exactly what I have been searching high and low for. I only have one succulent, a jade plant, which I learned recently I have abused terribly. My intention, of course, is to set things straight for him. Trying to find a clear, concise DIY succulent soil mix is like trying to find chicken teeth in a hay pile! 😅 I kept seeing "sand" as an ingredient. I knew regular play sand or ground sand like we have as a soil base in North Carolina was not going to work. Well, try finding what KZbinrs mean by sand!! Finally, here you come with "grit" and now that makes sense! I've now got your recipe which I will be putting to use very soon! Now I know what I need to make this guy that I've had for about 8 years comfortable and happy. Again, thank you ever so much.

[@Cactimania]

Thank you so much 😊 That's great to hear. Your Jade will be very happy in a mix like this. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌸🌼🏜

[@НиколайШироков-ъ8у]

Спасибо за полезный ролик. Успехов в разведении растений!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@maureenswallow3054]

Hi to you,I am as green as it gets,TOTALLY, just enjoyed your vid again And have started to view your channel ,well done, I must admit it was Good to see that you are growing in England, thanks again Bill.

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🌸🏜

[@cactusextra6618]

This is incredibly useful! Its very VERY valuable to be able to compare what other expert growers are using and, by association, the results they're getting!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you my friend. If this is useful to other growers then that’s fantastic 😊 I’d like to try out some other mixes next year for different plants to see how it, and the plants, perform. Thank you for watching and commenting 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@thedesertplantdiary2382]

Dazzy boy! Firstly, thank you so much for the wonderful cacti you shared with Lynn and Hans, it was so touching to watch. You made her soooo happy bud. Loved it! Loved this video too Daz. Your reason behind why you add what you add was enlightening. I especially liked the way you timed the drainage. That very scientifically, and beautifully demonstrated the ultimate goal of your soil mix, quick drainage. Brilliant video again and I thank you for sharing it with us. From the garden city of India to you and Edith, have a fantastic weekend! Cheers and God bless.

[@Cactimania]

Hi Carlos! It was great sending plants and gifts to Lyn and Hans, seeing their joy and emotions it made Edith & I very emotional too. So happy you liked this video too Carl, it took me a while to get it done as people have been asking for it for a while haha. There might be some more soil mix experiments coming next year, I’d like to have 4 or 5 identical plants of the same age growing in different mixes to see how they perform. Thank you for watching and commenting as always my friend, from Edith & I to you as always, have an awesome weekend, God bless 😊🌵☀️🌼🌸

[@CactusCove]

Excellent nice to see a good simple straight to the point video on soil mixes. 👌 I use expanded clay pebbles - really cheap too (crush them up aswell where necessary) Lava rocks too, Perlite, I also add loads of fine flint bird grit (or granite chippings depending on my supplies! ) , and depending on plants, I have seperate bird grit with oyster shells added (calcium/limestone), sharp grit sand, Coco Coir for my soil/organic aspect now (stopped with peat a while ago) Bonemeal, activated charcoal granules! Also I add Ceylon Cinnamon powder into my mix too for added measure!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 wow your mix sounds very interesting indeed. I might do some more experimenting with different mixes next year and try some of these ingredients out, apart from the perlite though, I really don’t like that stuff haha. Cinnamon powder is great stuff to use on plants, antifungal and I also use it on cuttings to prevent infection. Thank you for watching and commenting, have a great weekend 🌵👍🏻☀️

[@49Denbo]

Enjoyed watching the video.can you tell me how often you feed your plants and what do you use.

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 I use a special cactus and succulent feed called Chempak. I feed them once a month during the growing season but at half the recommended amount. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@judithlenzin7444]

Oh I will have to get some of these substrates. The squeeze test was cool and then the proof of drying out too... beautiful video with very streamlined text. Love your channel!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you so much again Judith 😊 Really happy you’re enjoying the videos. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@learningmonk9837]

I really loved it. Very nice drainage test done.

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@morrisparkintheozarks6831]

I agree the comercial mixes fall short of being good, my mix is made of coconut coir for organic compound, decomposing dolomite lime stone for the gritty sand which I get about 2 miles away from where I live off bluffs by the river, I pick up rocks of it which are easy to crush and break down with ease, also for heavier grit I use limestone gravel which our country roads are paved with. The Ozarks sit on lime stone so the last two components are free and then a little perlite to give some air to the soil. All my chihuahua desert cacti thrive on this, ariocarpus, lophos, astrophytum and such. Gave up on peat mixes because of root burn on older plants especially. From Morris park in the Ozarks, have a great weekend!!!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you Clyde, I avoid those commercial mixes like the plague. When I first started and didn’t know any better and saw these pre-made mixes I thought, like a lot of people do, that it’s the best stuff to use, how wrong I was! Your mix sounds great too but personally I’ll never use perlite, I don’t like the way it works it’s way to the top of the pot and floats around, that and it can look like mealybug sometimes haha! Not a fan of peat either although this compost contains a very minimal amount in it. Thank you for watching and commenting, from the UK, have a fantastic weekend 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@evergreen8965]

I looked up your channel and will be watching some videos.

[@morrisparkintheozarks6831]

@@evergreen8965 Thanks!! And welcome to Morris Park!!! Peace, Love ,Plants!!!✌️💖🌵🌳🥀🌿🏵🌱🌲🌸🌴🌷🪴🌾🌹😃👍

[@risenandreturning]

Very nice video - I like how you emphasize that this works for your climate conditions and you encourage us to use our brains to figure out what works for our climate conditions. I'm in Upstate New York, USA and our summer climate is even vastly different from our own winter climate. Our heating really dries out the air and everything living in that artificial climate. It's going to be interesting trying to figure out a happy medium for my cacti as this is my first time growing them. Thanks for the great suggestions and for your experimental presentation.

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed 😊 I have amended this mix a little since this video, not drastically different but I use kyodama instead of horticultural grit and zeolite instead of lava rock. I may do a version 2 of this video at some point. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@suzannecharkas2378]

I am fascinated by this because three years ago I decided to divide up some Haworthias which were at least 40 years old and had been growing /existing in 3 very crowded plastic pots. I simply took them out of the pots and placed the plants straight into the ground / soil outside without giving them any extra care. I live in Melbourne. I had no idea how to grow them and what to do : I just dug holes and planted them. A year or so later , I divided them up again and simply replanted them again into the ground / soil outside in my garden. Fast forward three years and I now have at least 1000 very healthy looking Haworthias which have taken up my garden space so I was thinking I'd like to try and sell them. I watched this video to learn about how I should pot them correctly so I was fascinated by the care and detail of the "correct" potting soil. Mine have literally flourished in my back garden without any care whatsoever ! I shall definitely take your advice and make up the correct mixture because I want to do the right thing in order to hopefully sell them ... but seriously .. I must have well over 1000 plants now and they all came from three mother plants which were at least 40 years old. I'm looking for the most economical but appropriate potting mix and hopefully what you have described will work for me in Melbourne. Thank you

[@Cactimania]

Suzanne Charkas thank you for your awesome comment. That’s amazing you have so many Haworthia. They do fantastically well in this mix, all of mine are flourishing. In fact everything I’ve put into this mix is thriving, even a few house plants haha. Thank you so much for watching and commenting, have a wonderful day 😊☀️🌵🌺🌼🌸🏜

[@odettev8955]

I use pure Akadama and Pumice only. Fertilize with Pokon Cactus liquid fertilizer. They all do wonderfully. Thanks for the awesome video ❤

[@Cactimania]

That's great yours are doing well in that mix. My mix has changed a bit since this video. I do have to make an updated one soon. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@mysucculentcollections8751]

informative video sir DAz. salamat.....

[@Cactimania]

Thank you for watching and commenting. Magandang araw 😊👍🏻🌵

[@STMFM10]

At 4:29 you are showing un rooted plants i assuming are about to be repotted. I am going to re pot all of my cacti in a new gritty mix based on your video this weekend. My question for you is when I unpot my plants should i remove all of the old potting mis from the root system? It looks as if you have actually removed or even washed all of the dirt from yours. The reason i am repotting is i have learned that they are all potted in a mix with far too much organic material and not enough grit. Thank you in advance for any advice. Just discovered your channel and am now a new subscriber

[@Cactimania]

Yeah those plants were unpotted, roots cleaned and then repotted into my gritty mix. If I ever buy plants and they’re in a heavy peat soil, or a lot of organics, I will clean as much of that soil off their roots as possible. I used to wash the roots in the past but tend not to so much now unless the soil is heavily compacted around the roots, and again that’s usually on ones I’ve recently purchased. Using a mix like this, when it comes to repotting again it’ll just fall away from the roots easily. Thank you for subscribing, too. Much appreciated 😊 Best of luck with your plants. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@danielashford2430]

Thank you,peace…

[@Cactimania]

Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@DeepakSharma_91]

I will surely try this mixture sir 😊 in india scoria is called cinder 🤗 thanks for sharing valuable information ✌️

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 Happy growing. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@gabrielmartin3107]

Le pones deshumidificadores?

[@Cactimania]

Just fans. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@annecharm7022]

thankyou for sharing what you actually use.. great plants.. love the astro.. wow..

[@Cactimania]

Thank you Anne. The Astros are awesome plants, I hope you get some for your collection soon 😊 Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌸

[@bunnybearme]

Thank you for this informative video. I'm leaning towards a soilless cactus mix for my cacti and yours is the closest to what I had in mind.

[@Cactimania]

clarisahm thank you 😊 I’m glad this video was helpful to you and you have great success with your plants. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@ShyDog827]

This was great information. I’ve only recently had success with thriving succulents, and that’s because I learned from my mistakes of poor soil choice, and wrong sun exposure . Here in north Texas, summers are brutally hot and dry so I started mixing my own soil to hold more moisture and add in organic plant food. What a difference and a pleasure to see them loving their environment (: But I’ll use your mixture for any cactus I may purchase in the future. I can certainly see how they would thrive in your soil mix.

[@Cactimania]

Albert Parisi thank you 😊 Yeah a good percentage of plant related issues can be attributed to the soil. When I first started out I fell into that trap of thinking the pre-made C&S soils were the best to use, how wrong I was! I can imagine how hot it gets there, it can get pretty hot here in the UK in the height of summer, but it’s the high humidity that’s the challenge. I’ll be trying out some different substrates in the future and doing some experiments to see how the same plants grow in different mixes. Thank you for watching and commenting, have a great week 👍🏻☀️🌵🏜

[@ryecatcher1670]

So like the scientific approach, brilliant. Maybe a digital weight scale to determine the volume of water retained? I'm learning 😌

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, Rye. Yeah I’m planning on doing a video like that, and I need to do a soil mix 2.0 as the mix I use now is a little different to this one. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@ryecatcher1670]

@@Cactimania well I'll be doing a major rejig in late spring so I'll hold off purchasing until I've seen your revised mixes. And again, thank you Daz for such informative information 👍

[@michaelmurray214]

Will a crushed terracotta pot work as a replacement for the horticulture grit??

[@Cactimania]

I have seen people use that and it seems to work ok, I’ve personally never used it in my mixes though. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@ianpritchard5004]

Just discovered your informative and extremely helpful guide. I'm new to succulents and have been researching a good growing medium. My only observation on discovering your formulation concerns the water test towards the end: I see discolouration in the water exiting the pot, and wonder about the leeching away of organic material over time. I guess this concern is generic and applies to all free-draining mixes, but would really appreciate your thoughts on the matter. Thanks in anticipation :)

[@Cactimania]

Thank you so much 😊 My mix now is a little different to this one. But it’s still a 75% to 85% mineral mix. I’ve just swapped out the grit for Kyodama and use zeolite instead of the lava rock. There will always be a bit of discolouration after the first few waterings, and you will always lose a bit of organic material through the drainage holes with every watering. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@ian11hendri03]

thank you Sir!! regards from SG!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🌸🏜

[@alcurtis93]

I'm going to be trying it 😉 good to watch again and see how it looks

[@Cactimania]

Your plants are going to love the mix mate. I don’t think I’m going to use anything else for any of my plants now. Everything I’ve put into this mix, from cacti to Haworthia to Euphorbia are just loving it 😊👍🏻🌵☀️

[@Donald_Trump0614]

日本ではすべて安価で揃えることができます、素敵な植物達ですね

[@Cactimania]

Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@chuezo8225]

Came here from Desert Plants of Avalon and liked your content...now I am a follower!!!🤩🤩

[@Cactimania]

JC HUEZO thank you so much, I really appreciate that 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting, have a great weekend 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@droogsurgeon1440]

Washing the grit with hydrogen peroxide can be helpful depending on what you’re growing. Anything prone to root rot.But pretty much using the same, some construction sand I usually add as well…

[@Cactimania]

Yeah I know a few growers who use that. Not used any sand in my mixes yet, but is something I’ll try out in the near future. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@edithcoliagrandis]

This is by far the most informative and detail-oriented video from you, sweetheart. 😍 You’ve done research and experiment too. 🥰 I love the happy background music and the still shots you used to show us details clearly. I know your viewers will be happy with this video as I am, as well as the plants in this potting mix. Well done, my love. ❤️ So proud of your work. 🤗😘

[@Cactimania]

Thank you so much my love 🥰 It was fun putting this one together and if it helps others out then that’ll be awesome! Thank you always for your love and support and for all your encouragement babe ❤️🤗😘

[@edithcoliagrandis]

Cactimania always, my love. ♾❤️♾

[@alcurtis93]

He did a great job with this one didn't he!

[@edithcoliagrandis]

Alex definitely! 🥰 Thank you for your kind words. 😍

[@mtilford7978]

Thank you for very informative and practical video. Makes a nice change to learn from clear photography and instructions/ideas. I am very new to cacti and succulents and am trying akadama, perlite, , basic compost and some grit. Hoping for success. What do you think?

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed 😊 I personally don’t like perlite and would never use it for my plants, if you can acquire any then pumice is a much better alternative, or lava rock. Of course the most important thing with any mix for most cacti and succulents is making sure it drains and drys out fast. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@vanessanunes6522]

Passando pra ver as novidades , abraço a todos que curte os vídeos do cactimania !!!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, I appreciate that 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🌸🏜

[@naginad65]

Hi there, thank you for this brilliant video. I am so pleased to find a UK based plant expert. Please tell me where you buy your pumice? Please make a video on how to grow gardenias indoors.

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed. I used to buy my pumice from Amazon but now get it from Kaizen Bonsai, a UK based website. I have no experience with Gardenias I’m afraid, just cacti and succulents. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@nattyssucculentlife8462]

Your soil mix looks great!!! I love the way it looks! And WOW all your plants look AMAZING ❤️❤️❤️. Your collection is seriously beautiful!!!!! Thanks for sharing your soil secrets with us 😁🌵❤️

[@Cactimania]

Thank you so much Natty 😊 My plants are loving this mix, they look so much better than they did before. The indoor collection video will be coming soon and I will show everything in more detail. Thank you for watching and commenting as always Natty, have an awesome day and weekend 🌵☀️🌸🌼

[@CactusCaffeine]

One of your best videos, Daz! I like how you showed the roots grown in different kinds of soil mix. You seemed like a scientist and you did a good job proving results. As for me, you know I live in a climate opposite to yours. Very dry and arid so I need more moisture retaining ingredients. But it is enlightening to see how others do their soil mix. 🙂 Great video and very good script!👍🏼👍🏼

[@Cactimania]

Thank you so much Ana 😊 A scientist? Haha 😂 Yes I don’t think this mix would be suitable for your climate, although I highly recommend at least using the pumice in your mixes, it really is good stuff. I’ll likely try some other experiments next year with different soil types to see how the same plants do in different types of mixes. Thank you for always watching and commenting Ana, from Edith & I, have a fantastic weekend 🌵☀️🌸🌼☕️

[@Glassgord]

Amazing video, well done and excellently explained! Here in my part of Canada it can be a bit expensive for lava rock and pumice, so I substitute perlite and LECA, but use almost an identical mix ratio. Lost too many cactus to the pre-made mixes, and came to a similar solution as you, the humid winters make it tough to have more than 15-20% organics, and since switching I’ve seen similar flourishing in my cactus and euphorbia. Glad to see some reassurance from someone with more knowledge that I made the right move!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, much appreciated 😊 I’ll be making a more up to date soil mix video this year. This video is quite old now and my mix has changed a little since this one. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@KimberlyAnnMaria]

Very helpful. Thanks!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad it was helpful 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🌸🏜

[@John-yt4tb]

Amazing info daz I'm from Belfast UK and with are climate my cacti and succulents suffer big time, thanks for sharing daz I'm defo gona give this try. Take care

[@Cactimania]

John's succulent room thank you so much 😊 It’s a fantastic mix to use, especially for our climate and everything I have planted in this mix is growing very well. Thank you for watching and commenting, take care as well and have a wonderful evening 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@John-yt4tb]

@@Cactimania I can't wait to use the mix daz,I've tryed many of soils but haven't had any luck with it. Thanks again for sharing 👌🌵🌻💙

[@Cactimania]

John's succulent room let me know how you get on with it, always like to know how other growers are getting on with using this mix 👍🏻🌵☀️🏜

[@mollycher3630]

Hi Daz! First of all I would like to congratulate you on a very well presented video. It was clearly demonstrated giving us all a clear and precise understanding about the appropriate soul mix for cacti. I love your cacti collection at the end of the video. Very impressive indeed. 😍😍 All in all, a truly great informative video . Well done, Daz! 👏👏👏👏👍👍👍

[@Cactimania]

Hi Molly! Thank you so much 😊 Even though it took a little while to put it all together I enjoyed making this video. If it helps other growers out, especially people new to the hobby then that would be awesome. Thank you again for always watching and commenting and your continued support Molly, from Edith & I, have a fantastic weekend 😊🌵☀️🌸🌼

[@ShyDog827]

This was very helpful. I plan on using your soil mix. I plan on growing my succulents/cacti indoors under grow lights in either plastic or ceramic pots . I might have to add more compost because of my central air which makes my interior very dry , but I’ll see.

[@Cactimania]

That’s great you’ll be using this mix. It won’t hurt to add a little more compost to the mix if your environment is dry. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 👍🏻🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@Cactimania]

@prettieyessii a good open gritty mix is recommended for most cacti and succulents. Depending on how humid or dry the climate is is what I base the amount of organics that I use on. In the UK it’s pretty high humidity, especially during the colder months, so I use more mineral content in my mixes. If your climate is dry and less humid you may want to use more organic material in your mix to retain moisture for a bit longer. It took me a little while to get a mix I liked using and a mix the plants were happy growing in. Don’t be afraid to experiment with your plants and mixes, you will eventually find one the plants like and one that’s good for your climate 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@evergreen8965]

So-have several questions. Loam is primarily inorganic, so isn’t your organic contribution to the mix quite minimal? And when you first water, does the organic component drain out turning the water brown? Also, adding several different inorganic substrates… lava, pumice, etc-does that really provide any benefit given that they are inorganic? Can’t you just use lava rock and a nicely balanced organic fertilizer? Thank you for your time. I am new to cacti and trying to figure this all out. I come from the orchid world.

[@Cactimania]

Technically, yes. Even though this is sold as loam compost it’s not 100% loam. I’ve had no issues with the organic material draining out, although you will always lose a little bit of it after the first few waterings. You could just use pumice or lava rock with the organic, even a 50/50 split will work well for a lot of plants. My mix has changed a bit since this video and I will be making an updated version of what I primarily use now. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@evergreen8965]

Looking forward to your update. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@erlindalarbonita3883]

Thanks that i was able to watch your video because that's my problem the mixture of soil for my succulent and cactus . Pumice and lava rock we have here but grit I'm not really sure ...

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 If you can’t get any grit then using just the lava rock, pumice and compost would still make a very nice mix. Glad the video was helpful to you. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼

[@helensosa3791]

Great Video, Thank you very much. I will be using your recipe..

[@Cactimania]

Helen Sosa thank you 😊 Let me know how your plants do in this mix. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@alcurtis93]

Looks great, I may try it myself!

[@alcurtis93]

Really great put together video by the way Daz

[@alcurtis93]

Really looking forward to the indoor plant tour!

[@Cactimania]

Cheers mate. You really should try out this mix, at the very least using the pumice, my Haworthia are growing mad in this mix. I don’t know why I couldn’t get on with the kitty litter, it worked well in the beginning and as I said in the video most of my desert types did great in it, and some still are, but for whatever reason the Haworthia, Aloes and Euphorbia just didn’t seem to like it much. The indoor video will be coming next week, or at the very latest the following week. Cheers for watching and commenting mate 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@alcurtis93]

@@Cactimania yeah I get great results with the cat litter in my crassula, Echeveria, gasteraloe etc but my haworthia have never seemed to thrive so maybe time to switch things up a bit!

[@WeirdHousePlants]

THANKS. Really helpful video, especially the drainage test. I'm working on my own succulent soil formula right now, and this offers some good points to think about. I need to fine nicely crushed lava rock here in the US like that!

[@Chris-dy7wu]

Bonsaijack.com in the US carries crushed lava rock. I also buy pumice from them. Can find them on amazon also.

[@WeirdHousePlants]

@@Chris-dy7wu Thanks for the tip!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you. Let us know how you get on with your new mix. As Chris said crushed lava rock is pretty easy to obtain, and I’ve heard the stuff from BonsaiJack is good stuff. Thank you for watching and commenting 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@alexb1340]

Really Interesting and informational video. Its great to find one that is actually UK oriented as many of the others are all US centric and the products mentioned all may as well be Element 120!!! However I am having issues trying to track down the Lava Rock that you mention, I have spoken with several suppliers, some of who advise that Scoria is the same as pumice! When from actual investigations online it is clearly similar BUT it is not the same! I would be very grateful if you could add a link to what you advise or at least give some more guidance as to exactly what it is you are using.

[@Cactimania]

Alex Beebee thank you so much for your awesome comment 😊 You’re right, lava rock and pumice are similar, but different in how each are formed and how porous they are. Lava rock will soak up water faster and dry out faster than pumice does, and as I said in the video the plants absolutely love growing in a mix with both lava rock and pumice. I get my lava rock from a German company on Amazon called Der-Naturstein-Garten. I’ll try and post the link to the product but with how funny KZbin can be with links it might not show. Thank you for watching and commenting, have a great day and happy growing 👍🏻🌵☀️🏜

[@Cactimania]

www.amazon.co.uk/crushed-Lava-rock-Planting-Granulate/dp/B00VP0G1DY/ref=sr_1_3?crid=RLQYBJS492RD&dchild=1&keywords=crushed+lava+rock&qid=1592816624&sprefix=Crushed+lava%2Caps%2C373&sr=8-3

[@judithlenzin7444]

I can hardly wait to see my husband’s face when I get my 25-kg bag!

[@irinacenteno1564]

Very informative and well done video. Love all the tests that you made! I'm actually trying to follow the recipe but am struggling a bit with the lava rock/pumice part where I live. Is Pozzolan a good substitute for Scoria and Pumice? Thanks a lot!

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad you liked the video and it was helpful to you. No I don't recommend using pozzolan, that wouldn't be good to use as a soil mix component. Gravel or river sand would be a good substitute or anything porous or gritty that's horticultural grade. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌸

[@krisse33]

Thank you so much. I use 1/3 Pumice, 1/3 Akadama, 1/3 Lava rocks. 🙂

[@Cactimania]

Krisse N, great mix. I’ve not used Akadama yet but will be getting some to try out, heard good things about it. Thank you for watching and commenting, have a wonderful day 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@krisse33]

@@Cactimania It's important to use good quality akadama example IBARAKI Akadama from Japan. If it's not good quality the clay will broke and crumble and it's not good for the plants.

[@Cactimania]

Krisse N thank you for the tips, I’ll make sure I get good quality Akadama 😊👍🏻🌵☀️🏜

[@maanerotte]

For my cacti and succulents I use i mix of 20% zeolite, 20% lave rocks, 20% pumice, 35% perlite and 5% leca. I don't use any organic material, to be able to control pests, and to avoid rot. For my non-succulents I will ad a lot of vermiculite, to retain water and nutrients. I worry that the perlite will degrade over time and compact the media, and I worry that the lack of organics is a problem, becaue there is to little nutrients. What is your take on that? I do add cacti and succulent fertilizer every second or third month, in the growing season. I have all my plants in terracotta pots. I live in Denmark, and all my cacti and succulents are in south facing windows, with a little grow light to help them.

[@Cactimania]

Sounds like a pretty good mix, although I’m not a fan of perlite and never use it. But you’re doing the right thing with feeding them every second or third month. If what you’re doing is working and you’re happy with how your plants are looking then I wouldn’t change anything. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@maanerotte]

@@Cactimania Thank you for your answer. And thank you for your videos, to me they are the most enjoyable videos on cacti and succulents on KZbin :) What is it about perlite, you don't like?

[@Cactimania]

@@maanerotte Thank you, glad you enjoy the videos 😊 I just don’t like the way it can work itself to the surface of pots because of how light it is. Also because of its colour you can potentially miss root mealybug issues. Depending on its source there is also evidence to show that it can contain high levels of fluoride and aluminum oxide, and aluminum can be toxic to plants 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@maanerotte]

@@Cactimania Thank you very much. I did not know about the fluoride and aluminium oxide. I will definitely replace it with more pumice then ☺

[@gymno7478]

Hi Cactimania! Absolutely loving the videos, especially the ones relating to indoor growing. May I please ask, in exactly what way did you experience a mixture of both pumice and lava rock being better than one or the other on its own? Also would you have any recommendations regarding a source of soil amendments in the UK? Currently the best I can find for pumice is £20 for 10L, lava rock is even more expensive and limestone is seemingly impossible to find at all.

[@Cactimania]

Using both together provides better drainage, so is ideal for the plants that are prone to root rot. Kaizen Bonsai is the main source I use for those materials. I got my limestone from ebay. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🌸🏜

[@TramAiKhanh]

Thank you so much for sharing your cactus and succulent soil mix. 🙏❤️ Did you wash the pumice , and why ?

[@Cactimania]

You’re welcome 😊 The pumice can be a little dusty so I like to rinse it so it doesn’t clog the drainage holes of the pot up. Rinsing it with boiling water sterilises it as well. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@TramAiKhanh]

@@Cactimania I really appreciate your quick response . I am not sure if washing the pumice would get rid off the benificial minerals, but if you want to prevent clogs then it’s better that it is washed 🙂

[@Cactimania]

@@TramAiKhanh There will still be lots of beneficial minerals left, it’s just a quick rinse with boiling water to kill anything potentially harmful and to get the majority of the dust off, it can set hard otherwise 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@adcb4134]

Mabuhay!!

[@Cactimania]

Mabuhay! Salamat po sa comment.🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@crazycactuscollector2462]

Great video, i use the John innes no2 and the horticultural grit but I might try adding some pumice 🌵🌵😊

[@Cactimania]

Thank you Lucy. Pumice is great stuff, a little on the expensive side, but mixing it with other components it goes a long way. Thank you for watching and commenting as always, have a great weekend 😊🌵☀️🌸

[@birdbrain9625]

I've heard you can use poultry grit instead of horticultural grit it's less expensive and easier to find 🤔 make sure it's not the oyster shells but the flint. I will still be trying this mix either way 😊

[@Cactimania]

Yeah the flint bird grit works nicely, I know a couple of growers who use that in their mixes. Glad you’ll be trying this mix out, let us know how your plants do. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@brianholdsworth3713]

I like this mix and have so far found my cactus seedlings are growing better than previously . But I’ve hit a brick wall here in UK in trying to replenish my lava rock supply. Can you tell me where to order some ? I am in Notts . Thanks a lot . Love your time lapse films in particular .

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, Brian 😊 Yeah I’m struggling getting hold of lava rock now as well, at least lava rock that isn’t being sold at ridiculous prices! The company I used to get it from on Amazon closed down unfortunately, they sold 25kg bags of it for £20 which was a decent price. Kaizen Bonsai sell Lapillo which is another kind of lava rock but more reddish/brown in colour, pretty sure they still stock it. Thank you for watching and commenting 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@brianholdsworth3713]

@@Cactimania Thanks Daz, I will make enquiries at our local Bonsai centre - Greenwoods.

[@gymno7478]

Hi Daz, again thank you for this brilliant video! I am still currently acquiring soil amendments in readiness for spring and have referred back to it several times recently.🙂 May I please ask if you use a different compost for South American cacti; particularly Gymnocalycium, given their preferences for an acidic soil? I'm in two minds as my original intention was to use JI#2 for North Americans (even adding a little limestone gravel for some) and a good multipurpose for South Americans. Composition would be 10-30% organic for North and 25-50% for South Americans depending on genus/species. I will be monitoring water PH for the first time next year. BTW I have seen your fantastic Gymnos and they're beautiful.

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 Yeah I pretty much use JI2 for all of them, they seem to do well. For my seedlings though when they got transferred to community trays I used Jack's Magic compost, which at the time was a more peat based soil 🌵☀️🌸🌼🌺🏜

[@jacewinchester-harmon7004]

Hi, just want to say thank you for the educational video! I would like to clarify that you do use this mixture on your aloes like lace aloe in addition to your cacti? I got my first aloe plant today.

[@Cactimania]

Yeah I use the same mix for most of my plants. The only thing that’s changed since this video is I now use kyodama instead of horticultural grit and sometimes the lava rock is switched out for zeolite depending on availability. I’ll likely do an updated soil mix video soon. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌸🏜

[@indigobeauty1]

Great tips!! 🌿🍃💛

[@Cactimania]

Thank you, glad it was helpful to you 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting, be safe and well 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@danielfruh8591]

I can find everything except the fine lava rock. The lava rock i have is about 3/4 to 1 inch. Wonder if that would make much difference?

[@Cactimania]

I can’t get this fine lava rock anymore either, the seller I used to get it from on Amazon doesn’t sell it anymore unfortunately. I now use lapillo from Kaizen Bonsai, slightly bigger particle size but still a nice material. Using bigger pieces won’t make much difference and would probably benefit bigger plants with more larger root systems. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@arvinrichman3925]

helpful video. thanks

[@Cactimania]

Thank you 😊 Glad it was helpful. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@jilbertjohn2903]

I love this mix. By far simple and would avoid overwatering

[@Cactimania]

Definitely. Pretty much impossible to rot a plant with overwatering with this mix. Thanks for watching and commenting ☀️🌵🌼🌺🏜

[@senoritadennis1206]

Very interesting lecture. Where I'm living I don't have larva rocks, pumice, the grits I have is fine river stones also your compost that you used is it cow manure. What other substitute I can used Thank you. 👍

[@Cactimania]

The compost I use is a loam based compost, although in the future I’m thinking of switching to coco coir because it seems the quality control on this compost is slipping and I’m finding all sort of trash in it, plastic, glass etc. You can use lots of different materials, the most important thing is make sure your mix is well draining and doesn’t retain water for too long. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@littlebeebs1]

So you don’t have to sift anything? That’s nice . I’d read that all particles should be the same size to prevent compaction . I stopped sifting after awhile because there was a lot of wasted pumice , grit and turface . My plants seem fine without sifting . But I’ve had a few that had the roots mysteriously dry out on me . Those plants weren’t doing well and didn’t seem to be drinking the water I gave . When I unpotted them , they’d have dry , brown , thin roots . I’m thinking some of mine didn’t like the Turface . I’m gonna do lava rock in place of Turface for awhile and see how it goes . Great video. Thank you 😊

[@Cactimania]

You can sift if you want to, I personally don’t as all the particle sizes are roughly the same size. I think after a while, and if a plant has been in a pot for years, you’ll get some compaction happening, especially with very small particles. I’ve not had any compaction issues so far from using this mix, but using the molar clay I did and the Haworthia didn’t like it much. I’m not familiar with Turface, but if you’re growing Haworthia it’s normal for them to shed roots, the previous growing seasons roots tend to die away, go hollow and dry up. Thank you for watching and commenting 😊🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@rainareia4219]

Thank you so much for your video. I'd definitely try this. I've been struggling with my mix. It's 50% peat moss and 50% pumice, but it doesn't fit with my climate. I live in tropical monsoon place and it rains almost everyday this year. My plants tends to get rotten after watering them. So, I tried to reduce it to once a week. But I still got rotten plants. I might need to reduce the organic part. I think your mix is the one that I need. But can I use vermicompost instead of regular compost? And for the inorganic part, I could only find pumice, perlite, black/red scoria and Ibaraki akadama. Please let me know which one to use and also the ratio.

[@Cactimania]

It definitely sounds like you want to use less organics in your mix where you are. Vermicompost is fine to use with pumice and scoria, maybe try 10% vermicompost with 45% each of pumice and scoria. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌺🌼🌸🏜

[@darrenevans778]

Hi Daz great video and very informative. just subscribed to your channel and look forward to many more hints and tips. wondered where is the best place in the UK to source the Pumice and Lave rock, do you get yours on line? Thanks.

[@Cactimania]

Darren Evans thank you, glad you enjoyed the video and thank you for subscribing too, very much appreciated. I get the lava rock and pumice from Amazon. A German company called Der Naturstein Garten is where I get the lava rock from and the pumice I get from Bonsai2u. It’s a little pricey and they’ve since raised the prices of both products but they go a long way and last quite a while. Thank you for watching and commenting, be safe and well 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@rabemer]

Hi, nice video... interesting and technical...i have all my cactus outside in spain, in a very humid place, close to de beach... I used to use a solid mix very draining... i notice though, they tend to get yellowish during summer months due to the sun effect... I figured that might be due to the fact that the soil is more mineral than organic, just like a lack of nutrients. Does this make sense to you? Or is just i should change soil more often. Cause, i have seen here, big cactus on smaill pots, with no need of reppoting at all thru years. I never got these results on mine. Might be general conditions? Best regards

[@Cactimania]

It could be from lack of nutrients. If your mix is mostly mineral then giving them a feed during the active growing period will benefit them. I use a slow release osmocote that’s low in nitrogen as feed for my plants. You can sprinkle some on the top surface of the soil or add some into the mix when you repot the plant. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@clusty1]

Your compost seems to be washing away. Is there any left after 1 year ? What purpose does pumice, scoria, grit serve ? My mix is fairly basic: orchid bark, pumice, swimming pool sand ( large round sand ). I vary the ratios according to the species.

[@Cactimania]

Not sure I understand the first part of your comment. My compost doesn’t wash away and I’ve had no issues with it doing that. You will always lose bits of material through the drainage holes every time you water the plants. There’s plenty left after a year. The pumice and scoria help the roots breathe and receive oxygen as they’re full of holes and contain elements that are beneficial to plant health. Pumice and scoria also dramatically improve the drainage and the particles dry out fast. Grit just helps with opening up the soil structure and helps prevent compaction. As I said in the video, my ratios of the materials used changes depending on species also, for more rot prone plants I use more inorganic material. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@clusty1]

@@Cactimania i meant why did you need 3 types of grit and not just 1 :) Basically my soil uses components for their moisture retention, aeration, nutrient retention. This was the intention of the question. I try to minimize the number of ingredients cause it’s a PITA managing my ingredients stock.

[@Cactimania]

@@clusty1 I use three different types as they all have different properties. As my climate is mostly humid I also prefer using a mix that doesn’t retain moisture for too long so I like my pots to dry out quickly. I’ll be changing my mix for some of my plants soon, mainly Haworthia, and I’ll be doing another video on that very soon.

[@CactaceaeReview]

Excellent drainage! Love this video 😍 If u get a chance, keep a look out for Akadama and Kanuma 👍🏻

[@Cactimania]

Thank you my friend 😊 I’ve heard good things about Akadama, especially from Haworthia growers, it’s not the easiest to find here in the UK though and prices tend to be high. Not heard of Kanuma so that’s one I’ll have to research. Glad you enjoyed the video, thank you for watching and commenting my friend 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@sparkfishes]

I have ordered some Akadama

[@nathalieslachmuylders]

Hi Daz, I was wondering if you need to fertilize more when using such an inorganic mix, and which type you generally would use? Interesting video!

[@Cactimania]

Nathalie Slachmuylders, I’ve not had to fertilise any more than usual with this mix, the compost I use has added fertiliser which will sustain them for a good few months. As far as using fertilisers I will use a brand called Chempak specifically made for cacti and succulents, although the NPK is quite high on that so I only use it once a month. I will also sometimes use a slow release low nitrogen Osmocote. A liquid tomato feed is also very good and other growers have great results using that, lots of blooms, although I’ve not used any on my plants yet but will in the future. Thank you for watching and commenting, have a wonderful day and happy growing 😊☀️🌵🌼🌺🏜

[@nathalieslachmuylders]

@@Cactimania Thanks so much Daz, that's very helpful. I use a half strength tomato fertilizer and for my adeniums I bought a specific Adenium fertilizer from a German website, because I've been raising them from seed in a 100% inorganic soil. I'll check out the brands you suggest and try them.

[@fredflintstone8209]

Hi, IKEA have started to sell pumice! I've used the same pumice brand I ur video with akadama n other stuff had some great results... Just started to try the sanicat pink so too early to tell but if I can save money on the pumice then I could then use the akadama... Hope this helps

[@Cactimania]

Hi there. That’s great IKEA are selling the pumice, I’ll be trying the akadama soon as I’ve found an online supplier where I can get it pretty cheap. Right now this mix is working well for my plants so I don’t think I’ll be changing it anytime soon, but I’d like to try growing some Haworthia in pure akadama. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@bevtooth]

Hello, I have all components apart from horticultural grit. I do have natural fish tank gravel. Would this be ok?

[@Cactimania]

Hi there. If it’s natural fish tank gravel it should be ok to use, I’ve personally never used it and always stick to horticultural grade materials. Leaving the gravel out and just using the lava rock, pumice and compost will still make a very nice mix for cactus and succulents. Thank you for watching and commenting, be safe and well 🌵☀️🌼🌺🌸🏜

[@dusk4377]

Has anyone used expanded clay pebbles and what is your experience with them?

[@Cactimania]

Not had any experience with using those before for plants. As I said in the video the cat litter I used in the past was 100% molar clay and I found it held onto too much moisture for my liking. The expanded clay pebbles are much larger in size so they might be better to use. Hopefully somebody who uses them can tell you if they’re good to use or not. Thank you for watching and commenting 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@CactusCove]

I use expanded clay pebbles all the time for my cactus... I really like them. They are very cost effective too! They are very lightweight and easy to work with. They can be crushed up and broken down into smaller chunks VERY easily using a regular DIY hammer/pestle mortar etc or similar. They are porous and allow air to circulate around the roots area aswell and can be re-used . I really rate them especially if for example Lava Rocks are not available they make a good alternative and look good as the inner colour is a dark charcoal colour which when the pebbles are broken into smaller pieces (if you so wish) gives a nice look especially as a finer grade top dressing depending on your plant.

[@brittanyforest2646]

What size is your sifter

[@Cactimania]

I use a different one now with interchangeable mesh sizes, from 0.5mm up to 4mm. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@bevtooth]

Hello. Instead of horticultural potting grit could I use like a natural type fish tank gravel?

[@Cactimania]

I’ve personally never used it, I can’t see why that wouldn’t be ok to use though as long as it is natural gravel and not the dyed or synthetic stuff. Thanks for watching and commenting, have a great day and week 😊🌵☀️🌼🌺🌸🏜

[@michaelbourke5437]

Thanks very much for the video, very informative. I have just started out some six weeks ago to begin building a cacti collection, and intend to have a go with this mix as a start to work my way in. But my interest has got going at a time when we are entering the winter period and I want to repot all my cacti into the same mix. They are all indoors, on south facing windows with a radiator in the rooms which will be on for a period of time during the evening. The literature says beginning of the growing season is best giving very strong reasons why, but my natural impatience and new enthusiasm wants to go for it now! I would value any advice you can give me, many thanks.

[@Cactimania]

Great to know you’ll be using this mix for your plants. Personally I wouldn’t do any repotting of cacti this time of year unless it’s absolutely necessary. Repotting them now when they’re entering their winter rest period is never a good idea, it’s always best to do it during the active growing season in spring and summer. Good luck with your plants and your new collection, happy growing and thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@michaelbourke5437]

@@Cactimania Yes, wise advise, needed my reins pulling! Really like the videos, keep up the good work. 🌵🌵🌵

[@christmassnow3465]

I've just recently purchased a small bag of Lechuza Pon (100% mineral/rock) which I am going to attempt using on Haworthias on a small and experimental scale. What is your experience with it? Few Haworthia growers advised me to avoid Scoria because it is usually crushed rock, so it has very sharp edges which can damage the Haworthia roots. Larger particles are most problematic, but my other succulents like cacti and crassulas seemed to do well with it. Maybe somewhere I can find weathered scoria with smoother grain, but I have not seen it yet.

[@Cactimania]

I’ve not had any experience using that. Recently I’ve changed up my Haworthia mix which contains half a part coco coir, half a part of worm castings, 1 part pumice, 1 part lapillo and 1 part kyodama. I’ll have to make another soil mix video at some point as I tend not to use the horticultural grit in my plants anymore. As for the scoria cutting plant roots, that’s a bit of a myth in my opinion. Plant roots grow slowly and certainly wouldn’t get damaged growing through it. A lot of growers here swear by the stuff, even more than pumice in some cases. But it’s all about experimenting and trying out new things and ultimately what works best for you and your growing conditions. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@christmassnow3465]

@@Cactimania Yes, I too think that most of the damage with the "sharp edges" happens while repotting. Aloes and Gasterias are less sensitive and seem to grow well in coarse scoria sand (after washing the dust)

[@pauldavenport6466]

Would this mix work well for Crassula Ovata or would you add slightly more organic substrate to something like that? Btw I'm new to the channel but I love it already, looking forward to future videos 🙂

[@Cactimania]

Hi Paul. Yeah this mix will work nicely with Crassula, my ovatas are in a similar type of mix to this. The only difference to the mix now compared to the one in this video is that I’ve replaced the horticultural grit with kyodama, it’s a nice lightweight alternative and has better properties. I’m also using zeolite instead of lava rock as the place I used to get it from no longer sells it. Glad you’re enjoying the videos, much appreciated 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting. Happy growing 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@pauldavenport6466]

@@Cactimania well I ordered some of the Lapillo after watching this video and I already have Pumice, I also have some of the Melcourt Horticultural Coarse Grit which I'm pretty sure is a granite grit and also some fine ish grade granite grit on the way. The fine stuff looks like it ranges from 5 to 1mm pieces, some of it looks like very chunky sand, I thought I'd use this as it would fill the spaces between the other substrates and stop the compost moving down through the pot and compacting. Is this a potential issue or would it be as much of an issue the grit itself with it being finer grade doing the same thing and causing compaction problems?

[@Cactimania]

@@pauldavenport6466 that’s the main reason I stopped using the grit, over time as the organic material was being depleted the grit was causing compaction issues and impeding root growth on some plants, especially ones with finer roots. Course grit is better than the smoother grit I was using in some pots, that’s the type I was having issues with. I like using the kyodama now as it makes the mix lighter and so far the mix of that, pumice, zeolite and some compost is working out nicely. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different mixes and ratios and see which one is working best for you 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@pauldavenport6466]

@@Cactimania I will try Kyodama and see what differences it might make, especially with my fine rooted Echeveria. I really like the aesthetics of it to as I do the Lapillo, it will be nice to see them growing in something more natural looking. Thanks very much for the info 👍

[@pauldavenport6466]

@@Cactimania sorry to keep pestering you but can you tell me how you washed your Lapillo? It's the dustiest stuff I've ever tried to clean and it feels like it's braking up as I'm washing it, that silt just doesn't seem like it's going away.

[@godisgreat8462]

Hello again from Ken in Japan. I always love watching your videos about cactus. If you sell cactus plants and seeds I would love to get some from you. I have many cactus here and seeing what you have makes me want to get more. I would even be happy to trade. Ok thanks God Bless from Ken in Japan

[@Cactimania]

Thank you Ken. Maybe we could sort something out for next year as winter is approaching here now and the temperatures are dropping rapidly. I will be giving seeds away in the future for sure so stay tuned for that. Thank you for watching and commenting 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@godisgreat8462]

Yes that would be nice. I hope we can work something out in spring. I have many nice Japanese hybrids and Japanese famous hybrid astrophytum you would love pure white and astrophytum that have mixed colors

[@godisgreat8462]

Variegated astrophytum

[@Cactimania]

That sounds great Ken, I do love Astrophytums, especially the Japanese hybrids, they’re stunning. We’ll definitely sort something out for next year 😊👍🏻🌵☀️

[@kaktus_cactus]

hi, where did you get lava rock from please?

[@Cactimania]

Hi there, I get the lava rock from a German company on Amazon. Thank you for watching and commenting, be safe and well 🌵☀️🌼🌸🏜

[@karabuccs7043]

Thanks learnt a lot

[@Cactimania]

Kara Buccs thank you 😊 Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@raquelmicabalo4213]

is it possible for the succulents to survive when the soil mixture is mixed with sand?

[@Cactimania]

Yes you can add sand to the mix, as long as it’s horticultural grade. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@raquelmicabalo4213]

@@Cactimania Thank you so much for this informative video and for the reply.

[@genderdystopia019]

When I look up horticultural grit, it takes me to pumice and coarse sand. 😅 So can I use like... my leftover perlite or granite?

[@Cactimania]

Yeah different places have their own interpretations of what horticultural grit is lol. I personally don’t use grit anymore in my mixes, I use kyodama instead. You can use perlite and granite although those are two things I don’t use myself either. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@genderdystopia019]

@@Cactimania Oh yeah! I did see the kyodama in another video you made! I'll be searching for that! Thank you for responding! 💚

[@dusk4377]

If I don't have scoria can I use another part pumice or what would you recommend?

[@Cactimania]

A mix with just compost, grit and pumice would be a nice mix also. I use the scoria as I find it works really well in combination with the pumice but it would still be a great mix leaving the scoria out. Depending on your climate and how fast you want your pots to dry out you can always add more grit/pumice to the ratios. Thank you for watching and commenting and for your question 👍🏻🌵☀️

[@ccc919]

Do you add any insecticide/ pest control product to the mix?

[@Cactimania]

I use a systemic pesticide that makes the plants toxic to anything that feeds on them, unfortunately it doesn’t kill spider mites so I use a contact spray to deal with those. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@gelaechterimdunkel]

May I ask, do you measure your parts in weight or in volume? Just embarked on resurrecting an old lace aloe, which has been in the family for over 40 years. I knew it was unhappy, but didn't know what it needed (I'm a total novice). Thanks to your great repotting video I now know it's meant have ROOTS. Have just ordered all the soil mix ingredients.... Thanks for sharing

[@Cactimania]

I measure in volume. Your lace aloe will love being in this type of mix, since repotting mine its growth has just exploded, will be time to repot it again soon! Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@gelaechterimdunkel]

@@Cactimania good stuff, thanks for speedy reply

[@kallelplayz5734]

Good for farm that. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@Cactimania]

Thank you for watching and commenting 👍🏻☀️🌵🌼🏜

[@hemanthasenapathi]

NICE IDEA

[@Cactimania]

Hemantha Senapathi, thank you. Thanks for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@sweetsoulrevue4547]

Hi.. thanks so much for your video.. i just wanna ask,is this soil mix is still the one you use? Is still good?.. is john innes no.2 you made is similar to soil mix?, like composition of organic materials, coconut fiber, pine barks, etc. And how do you measure the mixes each to 25%? Im in madrid.. and now its really cold here so maybe this mix is fit for my suculents.. seen your speaking also tagalog. Because im a filipino.. :) Thank you.. new to suculents.

[@Cactimania]

I use a slightly different mix now. I’ll have another video coming soon on my new soil mix, but it’s equal parts of coco coir, pumice, kyodama and zeolite now. To get your 25% of each you just use whatever container you like to measure each material out with. Maraming salamat po sa comment at sa panonood 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@sweetsoulrevue4547]

@@Cactimania ive heard that coco coir is good..and not using lava rock now? please release a video soon..coz im now really confused whats thr best soil mix to use... walang anuman

[@sweetsoulrevue4547]

And one more thing.. it is good to use terracota pots than plastic ones? Thank you

[@Cactimania]

@@sweetsoulrevue4547 I mostly use plastic pots now. They both have their pros and cons but it mostly comes down to personal preference 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@emmitstewart1921]

We don't have John Innes compost in the US, but you can look up the recipe online and make your own if you want to. What you call loam in Ireland, we call topsoil in the US. My recipe is very similar to yours except that, in place of the John Innes, I use a mixture of one part coarse vermiculite and two parts coconut coir. This makes a potting that is good for most non-desert plants. Be sure you get coarse vermiculite. Fine or medium vermiculite might as well be clay for all it's drainage value. Try the people who sell bonsai soil as a source of pumice. They also sell scoria, but I haven't tried it yet. Like pumice, it is expensive. I also add about a half cup of charcoal per peck of potting medium. I have found a source of coconut charcoal that is sold for air filters. The particles are about one millimeter , with little or no dust. The idea behind the charcoal is that it absorbs nutrients that would normally leach out of the soil and slowly releases them over time. (Google biochar) I've only been using charcoal for about ten months, but my plants seem to like it and it does add a little to the drainage qualities of the soil. My potting medium has almost no nutrients, so I do add some fertilizer as I pot the plants. I have been thinking of adding worm castings to the mix. What do you think?

[@Cactimania]

Emmit Stewart thank you for your comment. So far my plants are loving this mix and I don’t think I’ll be changing it anytime soon. Overall though I think cactus and succulents will grow in pretty much anything as long as it’s well draining. I tend to only use vermiculite for starting off seedlings, but know a few people who use it in their mixes for mature plants with great results also, charcoal as well. Heard that worm castings are great as well. Thank you for watching and commenting, be safe and well and happy growing 👍🏻☀️🌵🌼🏜

[@terilittle9354]

Why do you wash the pumice and lava rock? Is it necessary?

[@Cactimania]

You don’t have to wash it, the pumice I get is pretty clean but the lava rock is quite dusty and I’d rather not have all that silty material come out of the pots when I water the plants. Thank you for watching and commenting 😊🌵☀️🌺🌼🌸🏜

[@terilittle9354]

Thank you for getting back to me. I’m a plant newbie who decided to go with succulents. I live in hot humid Florida and decided to imitate your mix after doing some research about soil.

[@Cactimania]

That’s great 😊 Do let me know how you get on using this mix and how your plants are doing in it. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜

[@terilittle9354]

One more question. How long does this mix usually last before the plants need to be repotted?

[@Cactimania]

Indefinitely until all of the organic matter is spent. Then you can either repot, or if the plant has outgrown the pot, or supplement the plant with some fertiliser 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@headbangingzuluuk5058]

Fanatastic vid thiis is the mix i have been looking for. Where do you get your pummice and Lava rock from . Just wondered.

[@Cactimania]

Headbanging Zulu UK, I get my lava rock and pumice on Amazon. The lava rock is from a German company called Der-Naturstein-Garten and the pumice is from Zac’s Bonsai Ltd. A little pricey but it goes a long way and can be sterilised and re-used. Thank you for watching and commenting, have a wonderful day 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@jean-philippeehret8434]

The video I was looking for, thanks! Quick question, I live in New Zealand and I have a green roof to setup for sedums, creeping thyme etc... I can easily get scoria and pumice but for the rest I'm not sure how to supply. In addition, I will collect the water from the roof for drinkable water so I need the water to be as clear as possible. Do you think I could grow the plants on half pumice and half scoria?

[@Cactimania]

Hi there. You could grow plants in half scoria and pumice, some people grow plants in 100% scoria/pumice but you’d need to water more often and supply fertiliser to the plants regularly. I’d recommend some type of organics to the mix, in fact any type of compost will be fine. The loam based compost I use is just personal preference. The grit can be left out of the mix, I’m currently experimenting with some grit alternatives for my plants. Hope this has been helpful. Thank you for watching and commenting, have a wonderful day 😊👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🏜

[@carolinemuller7787]

Hi Daz lovely potting mix😀 where do you purchase the lava rock? Caroline

[@Cactimania]

Thank you Caroline 😊 I order my lava rock through Amazon, there’s a company on there that sells all different sizes etc, I also get my pumice from there as well as it’s not easy to find in nurseries and with this virus going around all the nurseries are closed here unfortunately. Thank you for watching and commenting, stay safe and well 🌵☀️🌼🌸🌺🏜

[@carolinemuller7787]

@@Cactimania thanks so much Daz really appreciate that. Keep well and safe too. Our plants are such a comfort at this time. Keep well and safe too - Caroline

[@ScaryFear]

I really enjoyed this video. I ordered some cactus mix on Amazon and found out to my disapointment that the mixes are different in parts of the US and I don't trust what I got. I live in Florida and finding these ingredients seems difficult. I'm not sure what I can use to make this as I'd like to grow some of the cactus you mentioned that need very dry soil mix. I think I can get pumice and lava rock but not specifically scoria. That's the confusing part. Grit seems very general and may not be a word we use here. I keep getting results for sand. Lots of sand in Florida. And loam is basically non exist from what I have seen. Any advice?

[@Cactimania]

Hi there, glad you enjoyed the video. I’m not sure what the pre-made mixes are like in other parts of the world, but here the majority of them are bad and I don’t recommend using them. If you can get pumice that’s great, you can make a mix leaving the lava rock out and just add more pumice. Grit is basically small bits of sharp rocks, or gravel. Sand is ok as long as it’s horticultural grade. If you can’t get a loam based compost then others will do, just make sure it drys and drains fast. Many growers use peat based composts with great success, just for me personally I don’t like using it. I hope this has been helpful. Thank you for watching and commenting 🌵☀️🌼🌸

[@ScaryFear]

@@Cactimania Thank you for the response. This is good to know. I don't like peat because it retains moisture too well. This is why it is so good for Sarracenia and Venus flytraps that need to stay wet. There is a specialty plant shop I will go and ask. They may have some kind of soil they can recommend. As for gravel I can get that at a pet store so that's great too.

[@nancyayers8322]

@Scary Fear I'm in the Rocky Mtns USA and I have discovered that for the grit part we can sub chicken grit, which is available at feed supply stores. It is literally decomposed granite that chickens eat to help with digestion. Works like a charm in my gritty soil mix which is quite similar to Daz's. Hope this helps.

[@ScaryFear]

@@nancyayers8322 Hi. Thank you. I have a bag of that. I have started using it since I had pet chickens. Good to know.

[@nancyayers8322]

@@ScaryFear awesome! I hope you have great success with it as I have. It will also continue to decompose and provide nutrients so it is a win win for our plants! Good luck 👍

[@ChrisvineGamz]

Mabuhay? Omg! 😍

[@Cactimania]

Maraming salamat po sa comment at sa panonood 😊🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@succulentland4045]

Haha I use a mix of sand, grit and loam soil. I found this on lyn's channel haha

[@Cactimania]

UK Plant Grower that’s great, whatever works for you and your plants is the ideal mix 😊 I’ll be trying out some horticultural sand for my seedling mixes next year. Thank you for watching and commenting, happy growing 🌵☀️🌺🌼🌸🏜

[@succulentland4045]

@@Cactimania yeah I have had no problem with mine so far but I don't water my cacti very frequently, the only issue is that they grow quite slow but I avoid rot mostly

[@iPheek]

How often do you water when you have a gritty mix?

[@Cactimania]

It’s very much weather dependent. If it’s hot and sunny and dry like it has been recently where I live then most will get a weekly watering, but others like my Copiapoa and Lophophora and the more rot prone cacti, will get a watering about every two weeks. The most important thing is to water when the mix is dry, then don’t water again until it’s completely dried out again. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 🌵☀️🏜🌺🌼

[@andrewbee82]

Hi man need help here. South of Italy so temperate climate. Indoor/outdoor little cactus and succulent. I have only pumice, Perlite, coco coir, expanded clay pebbles (building grade) and a mix of 75-% compost + 25% cow/horse manure, I’ve also a peat moss based soil (biobizz light mix). What of these ingredients could I use to make my mix? Which percentage? For example: 20 compost+10 coco coir+40 pumice+20 Perlite+10 clay pebbles ? Thanx

[@Cactimania]

Hi there, those ratios sound good, but personally I would leave out the perlite, I’m not a fan of it and wouldn’t use it for my plants as it actually retains more moisture than people realise, there’s also evidence to suggest that over time it could potentially poison your plants. I think it’s always good to have a slightly more inorganic mix for cactus and succulents rather than more organics. I’d go for 20% to 25% for the compost/coir and the rest pumice and clay pebbles, but if you can get some scoria (lava rock) I’d replace the clay pebbles with that. Thank you for watching and commenting. Happy growing 👍🏻🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@andrewbee82]

Cactimania I have finally found lapillo (red lava rock). So now I have pumice, lava and compost. Should I go for 20% organic, 40 pumice 40 lava for all plants or can you tell me a couple of different percentage btw cactus and succulent? And btw indoor and outdoor (always in pots)? Thnx Last question: when the first feed after transplant? And what fertilizer do you suggest? Thank you

[@Cactimania]

Yes that mix sounds good. For more rot prone plants, which is mostly cacti with taproots, I will add 5% to 10% more lava rock/pumice to the mix. That’s the same for indoor and outdoor plants and ones that are in plastic or terracotta pots. As for feeding I usually feed 3 times a year during the growing season, anytime from April til August. Using a high potassium tomato fertiliser is good, but with feeding cacti and succulents you want to use a low nitrogen feed. Hope this has been helpful. Happy growing 🌵☀️🌼🌺🏜

[@andrewbee82]

Cactimania and 30-40% organic for leaf succulent (crassula echeveria aeonium aworthia etc) is too much? Better to remain under 25% Thank you 🙏🏻 !!!

[@Cactimania]

Yes I use pretty much the same mix and ratios for both my cactus and succulents 🌵☀️🌺🌼🏜