Changing To New Soil For Dragon Fruits - Gary's Best Top Pot Soil

Check Out The Previous Video! BIGGEST DRAGON FRUIT EVENT! With Eyal Givon of Moorpark Dragon Fruit Farm | Orange County 2023 • BIGGEST DRAGON FRUIT E...
In this video, I go over the reasons why I'm changing my soil from Fox Farm to Gary's Best Top Pot Soil, created by Gary Matsuoka of Laguna Hills Nursery. I'm going to start my new pots with this soil and see where things lead to as the experiment starts and move forward throughout the year. Gary's Best is one of the best mixtures out there for plants and dragon fruit has been known to thrive in it.
IV Organics Video On Gary's Best Top Pot Soil: • GARY’S BEST SOILS @ La...
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1829 N Tustin Ave, Santa Ana, CA 92705, United States
www.lagunahillsnursery.com/
714-542-5600
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[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Shoutout to @gigihenderson8567 for posting the mix info! Gary’s Top Pot mix 2/3 inert materials Peat 35% Pumice 30% Perlite 20% (3-4 size) Sand 10% Charcoal 5% (nature is 2-3%) Laguna Hills uses Osmocote as initial fertilizer AND Dr. Earth, since it takes 2-3 weeks for organic fertilizers to become available.

[@steventodd8366]

Should be good to root cuttings I like to root in inert, better to stop root rot and cleans up easy with a hose to move rooted cutting works well with plumeria as well . I would be interested in how to make and the right to reproduce in Florida or I could just reverse engineer it.

[@faltio69]

Gary Matsuoka is the best! Very knowledgeable. I use similar potting soil that I make my own without any compost for the same reason Richard mentioned. I’m glad Richard is on board!!! 😆 😊

[@gigihenderson8567]

Here is Gary’s mix percentages, for those who are not able to buy it themselves: Gary’s Top Pot mix 2/3 inert materials Peat 35% Pumice 30% Perlite 20% (3-4 size) Sand 10% Charcoal 5% (nature is 2-3%) Laguna Hills uses Osmocote as initial fertilizer AND Dr. Earth, since it takes 2-3 weeks for organic fertilizers to become available.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Thanks!

[@peetmoss3521]

Did you get this from Rare Dragon Fruit?

[@gigihenderson8567]

I got this from a combo of YT videos, including Gary’s videos, as well as Rare Dragon Fruit and some other interviews with Gary Matsuoka

[@bd673]

Hi do you happen to know what type of sand?

[@gigihenderson8567]

@@bd673 not really noted, but you don’t want a fine sand, since you are promoting drainage. Play sand, the kind you would put in a sand box works. If it’s beach sand, make sure it is washed since you don’t want all the salts

[@sandisyum8372]

Paul be like: yeaaaahhhh 👀🙄🤷 Haha but yes!! Stop the shredded bark/wood!

[@hizzlemobizzle]

I agree. bagged soil tends to have way too much wood in it.

[@papirojo4228]

Gary has a great video talking about soil and how and why he came to develop his Top Pot. I’ve been using it for almost 10 years. I always ask his daughter if she growing anything interesting in the back. She never disappoints.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

He has a lot of knowledge when it comes to it. Thanks for bringing up the video

[@minhn9118]

This soil is what I have been looking for years. Thanks Richard.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Glad to help

[@Zay_562]

I’ve been to a few of Gary’s Saturday classes at the nursery and he’s very knowledgeable when it comes to soil. I’ve been growing my dragon fruit in Gary’s top pot for 2 years and they’re thriving.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

That's so awesome bro! Good stuff with the healthy plants

[@IVOrganic]

Fantastic Demo, Richard! Gary's Best Top Pot Soil is a "permanent" soil that lasts way longer than any other potting mix! Gary does a ton of educational soil lessons at @GarysBestGardening Happy Gardening, Charles 🌱👍

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Thanks for the great interview with Gary. I learned so much from it and was so useful!

[@southtexashay777]

Thanks for sharing. Nice soil mix.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Anytime

[@davidcasillas3845]

Gary is the best and all my dragonfruits I planted them with his soil. And all my dragonfruits are very green. I believe you might remember me. You said my plants were very green

[@MRHSD]

Can't wait to pick some up. I was gonna repot my plants this winter.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Nice! Good luck with the new potting

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Hope this was helpful! Let me know if it was by hitting the 👍🏼 and leave a comment 😊

[@savagestyle124]

im in florida and i mix a close version to this. growth is amazing and even during rainy season i see no rot. and massive growth you can see daily with good fertilizer.

[@caz4523]

Hi, I live in FL can you post what you use?

[@savagestyle124]

@@caz4523 im in cape coral. there is no pumice unless you order it online. i mix 30% peet moss, 30% sand. 30% perlite,5% worm castings and 5% biochar. it works great.

[@hizzlemobizzle]

@@caz4523 Dragon fruits are very tough. They can literally grow in air if they get enough moisture. To be honest I have them started on posts with the best compost I made myself and they did great. I also planted them alongside a 5 foot tree stump on top of native soil and they do great.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Nice! Way to be resourceful

[@zzippo81]

Florida too, lots of Florida growers here. Our crazy rain means we have to be a little creative sometimes. I start a 30-35gal pot with lots of half inch holes in the bottom and lower sides. Then put a mix fox farms OF, largest pearlite I can find, palm/cactus soil mix, and some other goodies like worm castings, all mixed thoroughly. Unfortunately my pearlite seems to float to the surface after hard rain until that soil packs down so I just mix it back in by hand until the rainy season is over. Luckily dragon fruit is crazy resilient and all of this is overkill, but I want my plants to have the best odds.

[@pitayasdudel]

Like 18 Very Nice my friend

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Thanks

That’s wonderful to have another good soil option to use for dragon fruit plants especially for the winter coming up. Great video! Thanks for sharing Richard.

[@Juicingwithjay]

Nice 🐉🐉🐉

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Hope it was helpful!

[@hizzlemobizzle]

I bought a bag of Gary's best top Pot and was very disappointed when I tried to smoke it.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Sorry to hear that 😂🤣

[@viclarock5321]

🤣

[@Zay_562]

😂

[@msmichelleeee]

😂😂😂

[@artgarcia2340]

😂

[@gigihenderson8567]

LOL. I bought a pallet of Gary’s soil here in NCal because no one had it available here. I ordered it thru my local nursery. I’ve been potting up my fruit trees into it when I move them. I then use the Ocean Forest as the topping on the Top Pot.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

That is awesome!

[@kevinkc3onohelijeepworld953]

Using Gary’s mix but made to spec,since I’m on East coast. Within a month I have a cutting which was drowning in MG soil compost. Even letting it dry out, just in bad shape I washed the roots and repotted in a new 1.5g container and added in mykos/azos and lots of hope & 🙏 it’s finally has a shoot popping ☺️I will never use any other kind of soil. Next test is trying Venus flytrap in it vs sphagnum moss. My first trellis pot is happy frog/ peat xtra perlite. I’m worried but not watering as heavy as I do Gary’s mix but will be topping the pot this March and I’ll add in big drainage holes to hopefully flush out and replace by topping with Gary’s mix. Paul released a vid on rooting in straight perlite /sand /sunshinemix4& perlite //Gary’s mix and the sand did wonderful. Sunshine mix n perlite did great aswell as Gary’s mix. I root within a month and usually shoot new growth within 2 months ☺️guess I’m doing sun thing right, but I do plan to try water rooting ☺️

[@CA_Rock]

Gary shared the breakdown of his Top Pot mix previously: 35% Peat Moss, 30% Pumice, Coarse Sand 10%, Charcoal 5%, Pearlite 20%

[@robkeller3431]

One concern I have is having to repot or replace the trellis on an already mature plant. It would be great if you can do a video.

[@grimmjowzenith910]

A new soil! Can’t wait to know how it goes in the future! :3 Sadly I don’t think it will be available in my country since the previous one was also not possible but still it’s better to know. ❤ Looking forward to the next new video knowledge about dragon fruit!

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Same here! Excited to see how it goes

[@cansarratt3407]

You can use the formula and mix it yourself.

[@MultiNyc1]

Nice video. About how heavy is a bag of Gary's Top Pot soil? I am looking for a well draining soil that is not too heavy since I bring some plants indoors for the winter.

[@joevalenzuela9443]

People who lived very close to the beach can get sand very easily will think that is a very pricey for a bag of soil but for those without access to beach sand it's properly priced. To keep in mind even if you just give a little to the Earth you will always get back plenty.

[@steventodd8366]

I'm in SW Fl I have two truck loads of fresh tree cuttings 4 - 10 gal bucket of hoarse and 2 bags of chicken working to fill 10- 25 gallom pots.I have raw materials just not a lot of $ Have you ever heard of Mirocloneing where you take just a node and start lots of the same clone on a bed of Augar in a bottle. We have lots of orchids down here done that way.

[@uzzielg.c.5932]

👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@jamesholmes1360]

I have been using Top Pot and his Acid Mix for 8 years here in Escondido and grow many varieties and 100s of tropicals. Make absolutely sure you fertilize often as there is no real nutrients and what it does have washes out through watering. If you dont you will have poor growth or no growth. Also Richard those bigger pots have a round bump in the bottom that causes that lean. Put a light gravel base to level out that lean. 1 more thing not mentioned. This soil is heavy so expect your pots to be like moving boulders :)

[@bigdaddyfruittrees]

Yea one very important point not talked about is the sterility of the soil, need to fertilize monthly at least. $60+ in soil to fill that pot is steep, another cheaper option is DG or 1.5 bags of ACID MIX and 3 bags of washed plaster sand which is actually a better option for pots. There’s only like 10% sand in TOP POT. Missing the “o” from Matsuoka!

[@faltio69]

Use fox farm as a top soil

[@geeyoupee]

I make my own mix and use a simple recipe for the main interests. I think Gary said more sand is ideal but too heavy to sell. My 25g pot is so heavy that God wouldn't be able to lift it. 1 part each of peat, pumice, sand. Few cups of granular humic acid (biochar substitute) Azomite 1-2 inches of compost Some osmocote plus for instant food Worm castings Dr earth / garden tone Mulch I buy the pumice and sand in bulk. Can't find peat in bulk except the 3cu bags.

[@RottieMomCreations]

How do you feel about those Oxy Pots? Or the Phat Sacks? I’m just wondering if something like that might work too. I need to find these mega pots!

[@user-rh8xe5gb1q]

we ha about 400 plants here in Queensland Australia but only 3 varieties, are we able to get thoes varieties sent here do you know ? great knowledge thanks 👍

[@tanjiurrahman7170]

Hello. I am indean. Your video beautiful.

[@lifeafterdeath9158]

Which hormex rooting hormone do you use to root the cuttings?

[@daureenbond]

Can you please share a link for the 25 gallons pot

[@markspivey6459]

Thanks again for an other great video. I am growing in the fox farm ocean forest soil in 25 gallon pots and am having great success this year with 22 fruits growing now with some are now turning red. I am not sure what kind dragonfruit I have as I though I might have sugar dragon but the fruits are large. I wish I could send you a picture so you could possible identify what I have. Laguna Hills Nursery used to be down the street from my house for years but moved away. I did get some rot last winter and thought that it happened because of the extreme rain we got. I tried to control it with hydrogen peroxide and never used the copper fungicide. I will definitely locate where the nursery is and go buy a couple of bags of Gary’s top soil to start the conversion. Thanks for the recommendation to use Gary’s soil as a topper until the ocean forest is overtaken. I still probably will continue to use the Ocean forest and happy frog in my vegetable container garden as I have good success with it and they are spring / summer plants. I may try and add the Gary’s top soil to my mix.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Nothing wrong with fox farm. All my current containers are fox farm. Only the new ones will have Top Soil for now

[@bettyc4345]

Great video! Can you share how you protect them in winter?

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Yes video coming on that!

[@Mochi88981]

I bought cactus mix . Inside has 1/3 pumice , 1/3 sand and 1/3 redwood shaving. Do I need to add peat moss or perlite ? Please advise . Looks like gray top soil doesn’t have redwood shavings inside. What should I do to modify my mix ?

[@desireeugarte9575]

I have my dragon fruit in a small pot and want to up pot it but it’s budding now. Is it safe to transplant now or should I wait till it finishes fruiting?

[@pppeeettteeerrr]

I mulched my top pot with ocean forest

[@busyinVegas]

I live in the desert. Should (how could) I modify Gary's Top Soil to retain moisture, use mulch on top, or just water my dragonfruit plants more often using the non- modified soil?

[@user-tc9it2no8p]

What time of year can you start growing D.F

[@davidcasillas3845]

Gary said you could also add sand to it but it will make your plant more heavy

[@montepr803]

Matsuoka

[@lisaeasterevans4164]

How do I get a wild berry skittles cutting?

[@hebnermm]

Do you not put a stone or a piece of crockery over the holes in the bottom of the pot so the soil doesn't come out?

[@Ceravesa]

I would love to get some cuttings from you!!!

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Hopefully will have some available later this winter

[@joshholschuh1847]

I'm honestly at the end of my rope for gardening. I never make it to soil breaking down , there's so many fungus and pathogens getting into it that I refuse to reuse soil anymore. And Everytime I turn around another plant I've spent so much time on dies barely ever getting anywhere.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

It’s definitely a journey full of trial and errors

[@raypangramuyen4435]

Hi, watch Gary's video on soil. The reason why plant die is that the organic material rots and the roots will get affected.

[@lamt99]

You have to fertilize every time you water, because it all material that does not breakdown, fertilize a lot.

[@hory5605]

It is possible to buy from you seeds wilberry skittles? :D

[@alienvoss8789]

I need to know where can I buy I live North Florida ?? Can you give me list to mixed what kind bags I had been mixing soil with sand etc and never come out healthy dragonfruit I was kinda disappointed HELP me pls :(

[@user-tc9it2no8p]

How can I buy some cutting from you. Live in front valley.

[@In2danite]

Where can i buy the Wild berry Skittles cutting?

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Try asking in my fb group. Hopefully I’ll have some later this winter on my website

[@HermesMauricio]

Hi Richard, where do you usually buy that 25 gallons pot? Thank you.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Your local nursery, hydroponics, or garden supply shops should have them.

[@tzurtex6336]

Price of top pot ? Website doesn’t provide it

[@leasure773]

Could you please tell me that which ingredients are used in that soil mix ... Because that soil mix isn't available in my country.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Look through the comments. Some people have posted the breakdown

[@mrcurius1]

Hi nice video. But do you sell cutting???

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Not at the moment

[@cindyliu8117]

Would you do a video how we can REPLACE the old soil in the pots with new soil please?

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

I'll add that to the list!

[@Rickstop]

How much times and how much do you start dressing the top of the pot with Gary’s top potting mix?

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

There’s no one set answer for that. I would just gauge it by your pot’s soil level and keep adding when you see it receding

[@Rickstop]

Ok will do that

[@roottrackerzbyyaira]

Greetings Richard, I'm going to buy this soil. I'm in LBC. I use 15s with 4 plants and I am getting fruit. I need to upgrade. What are your thoughts of filling the bottom of pots with twigs and branches before filling it with soil mix? Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us!!

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Hmm I’ve never done it myself so I can’t say. Definitely would be an interesting experiment

[@roottrackerzbyyaira]

@@GraftingDragonFruit I have. They were from my property and not diseased. It's working out. Eventually, they become soil.

[@mrcurius1]

Ok do you have a site way u sell cutting. Im in the caribbean

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Sorry not at the moment and I don’t ship internationally

[@jusa8500]

Hi Richard do you sale dragon tree? Thank you.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Goal is to have some available on my website later this winter.

[@liem8888]

Where do you buy a pot , and how much ? Thanks

[@pstsai2211]

If you live in Southern California, Mimosa Nursery has good price on the pot. I got mine recently from Anahiem location. They have website that you can find out the price.

[@caz4523]

Can you purchase this in Florida?

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Don’t think so, but you can try and ask your local nursery to see if they can special order some for you

[@brendarush4951]

Were do you buy it

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Info is in the description of the video

[@23dannyt]

I get my trellis ready and then In a separate huge bucket i eyeball it , I throw in perlite or pummice I’d prefer pummice , then I throw in biochar, washed play sand ,and peat moss mix it all together and it looks real good I top dress with earthworm castings that’s Garry’s best top pot right there , u go to your local Home Depot and buy all the amendments also multch it up don’t over water in winter , I have to make my own because no where near me makes or sells Garry’s best in my area no one even grows dragon fruit I’m the only one within 60 mile radius who grows it no fruit yet after 2 seasons I have really huge plants huge huge it’s sad I feel I’m doing something wrong I had flowers and about 11 buds abort in total idk what to do ima jsut hit it heavy with flower girl and flora nova bloom heavy in march i have no more room for new growth I need fruit so next season will be the one I get fruit , I drag all my dragons in the garage in winter cuz it stays around 35 lows and 50 high from November till march abiut 5 months of cold and even that it snowed in march for me this season it’s so hard but I’m to invested to give up now I will show my dragons soon on my youtube I will show the world how to grow dragons in zone 8 because I don’t see anyone doing what I do everyone grows in areas where it grows if I left everything I had outside nothing would live next season has to Be the season for me my dad talks so much smack saying I invest so much but I don’t got anything to show yet I see people in flordia acting like they can grow and there good this that when there spoon fed all y’all are spoon fed y’all have the climate to help u , I will show my dragons soon I will show everyone how to grow in a harsh environment coming soon

[@23dannyt]

Hahaha I was mad 😡 hahah na I’m truly sorrta irritated by seeing everyone get there’s this season and I didn’t get any successful fruit lots of really good new vibrant green growth but no fruit buds but no fruit my goal is to be the main producer in the high desert Mojave desert I wanna do the impossible here I don’t do a good service by saying what I say and don’t have any videos proof to my madness but I will get a good in-depth video soon of snake way and like you Richard I wanna be like u but from my area I wanna be the Eyal Givon of my area I wanna have so much , I have big plans big plans , it’s my decision to try and grow the fruit in a hard area that’s my problem and my fault , everyone else growing it you guys stay blessed I wish the best for everyone of you guys and if you guys had a great year of growth but no fruit holla at me here let me know I ain’t alone 😅

[@jamesholmes1360]

2 year old plants can easily abort fruits. Too much, water, heat, cold, rain, etc.... most fruits abort from poor polenta source.

[@wenenda32]

How can I get this soil if I’m from houston

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Ask your local nursery to see if they can special order from Laguna Hill’s Nursery. If not, the mixture is pinned in the comments

[@Carl-kd7pq]

I would like to buy one of your Cut Cutting how can I

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Hopefully will have some later this winter on my website

[@kazisalahuddin8296]

Please tell me, the height of the trellis.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Check out my recent trellis video

[@FullmoonEffects89]

With this soil do you still plan to use chicken manure as fertilizer or are you sticking to liquid fertilizer?

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

I'm going to experiment with liquid first and experiment as I go

[@gregorioruelos6752]

Hello Richard! I’m one of your subscribers and I just to ask if you want to sell cuttings with roots of your dragon plant because I wanted to try and have few on our backyard! Can I ask your address so that if I have the chance I will dropby! Thanks Richard 😊

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

No, sorry. I don't have any available at the moment. They will be on my website when I do,

[@FullmoonEffects89]

Seems like it would be better to use fox farm for the bottom so it doesnt dry up too fast on hot days

[@gilligan788]

Some of the complaints with long-term usage of organic-based potting soils is that they will eventually start breaking down and cause anaerobic conditions which will take away oxygen from your plant roots.

[@user-ed8sh9hc3g]

they don't ship to Florida. Stuck with Fox Farm

[@frankenfoamy]

Larger pots are more stable ( blow over)

[@mikequirogarealtor]

Hey Richard my dragon is starting to show this orange stain on it

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Possible cactus rust

[@technoraptor7778]

And how about us who don't live in California?

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Someone said There’s a video somewhere on his channel that breaks down the percentages. You can find ingredients to mix yourselves or something similar

[@gigihenderson8567]

My suggestion is go to your local nursery, (not big box store nursery), and ask if they could get it for you. Also ask them if the they have any “mineral-based” potting mixes. Thats what Gary’s is.

[@ryanr.719]

Far too expensive. Sure it’s great soil, but I just make it myself using the same ingredients for roughly 1/4 of the price.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Whatever works for everyone is good. I rather save the time and spend it with my little ones

[@ryanr.719]

@@GraftingDragonFruit that’s cool. There’s people that are growing quite successfully in nothing but paver sand and that isn’t even $20 per cubic foot. Save that money for your kid’s college.

[@ivangreenhut]

Seems to be great money in making soil, lol! Ocean forest costs 26 bucks a bag, but United Wholesale in Van Nuys sells it for 11 bucks a bag. And they are making a profit so what's the mfg cost? 3 or 4 bucks! I smell a money hussle. Why don't you actually start growing in the stuff before you promote it? Personally I grow everything in Ocean Forrest and it's the bomb and at 11 bucks a bag, happy to add more when needed. Ocean forrest is 2 cu. ft. so its $5.50 for a cu of orgranic soil vs. 20 bucks for a bag of sand and pearlite? Rather just ammend my ocean forrest.

[@GraftingDragonFruit]

Not promoting anything. This is documenting and sharing my journey to help anyone that finds it useful. I don’t get anything from sharing what I use other than the Amazon affiliate links

[@simplysimple7628]

Everything today is a money hustle. Pretty sad. I make my own mix. Luckily here we have volcanic black cinder. It’s pretty much pumice. Lots of drainage and aeration. My mix contains my own compost, black cinders, sand, peat moss and some coco coir chunks. Been using that for years and very successful. But boy do these bagged soils/potting mixes have some ridiculous prices attached to them 🤦🏽‍♂️😬🥴

[@23dannyt]

Garry’s best top pot is better than fox farm that’s a fact , however you can make it yourself it’s real easy to make your own Garry’s best top pot

[@ivangreenhut]

your plants look fantastic growing in Ocean Forrest, so are you experimenting with this Gary stuff? Why do you think it better?@@GraftingDragonFruit

[@OfeliaRivera-zk4bb]

Hello wondering if you can share or sell any cuttings from different types ? send me email I am been watching and ready to start growing more