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Cacti soil

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 3:17 pm
by dave123791
Before i joined this site i thought cacti can live in any garden soil or in the soil they come in from the shop, but now i see how many mistakes i made, i saw a great article on how to make a cacti soil mix, but i don't have the requirements to do it. So does anyone have a soil similar to this one http://www.cactiguide.com/article/?article=article8.php" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;, needs to be homemade i could buy? I want to buy 1kg of it or approx 1kg, will need to ship. I have no idea how much that would cost so please suggest a price. I will obviously cover all the shipping costs. Can buy from the 6th of July due to payment reasons.

Re: Cacti soil

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 5:25 pm
by adetheproducer
While these soil mixes you see are good its better to taylor you soil to your circumstances. I live in wales so we will get quite similar cold wet and dark weather with intermittent heat and sun during the summer. So I collect my ingredients from nature for free. Streams are good for grit and sands and silts. Stones are easily come by just break the up with a hammer for smaller chippings. I use almist 100% mineral soil most of my plants don't even have dirt just stones, grit, chippings. This type of rock based soil drains very quickly so the damp weather is not so damaging. Also there is a very good article about cacti soil called stone eaters. Go to http://www.xerophylia.ro" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and have a look at the magazines they got its one of the earlier ones, very good reading. But in the article it gives a big list of soil ingredients which are surprisingly easly to come by in uk.

Re: Cacti soil

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 6:19 pm
by dave123791
adetheproducer wrote:While these soil mixes you see are good its better to taylor you soil to your circumstances. I live in wales so we will get quite similar cold wet and dark weather with intermittent heat and sun during the summer. So I collect my ingredients from nature for free. Streams are good for grit and sands and silts. Stones are easily come by just break the up with a hammer for smaller chippings. I use almist 100% mineral soil most of my plants don't even have dirt just stones, grit, chippings. This type of rock based soil drains very quickly so the damp weather is not so damaging. Also there is a very good article about cacti soil called stone eaters. Go to http://www.xerophylia.ro" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; and have a look at the magazines they got its one of the earlier ones, very good reading. But in the article it gives a big list of soil ingredients which are surprisingly easly to come by in uk.
So basically to make a soil mix i need sand, grit and stones?

Re: Cacti soil

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 7:43 pm
by adetheproducer
Read that magazine on xerophylia. Ro it will explain but the basics is that cacti are unlike most plants in that they don't need the organics found in most dirt, there are some exceptions as always but most will grow like moss on rock and be healthy while eliminating issues like drainage, bacteria and fungi inbalances that can cause rot and other diseases harbored in rich soils with organics.

Re: Cacti soil

Posted: Sat Jun 28, 2014 10:16 pm
by dave123791
adetheproducer wrote:Read that magazine on xerophylia. Ro it will explain but the basics is that cacti are unlike most plants in that they don't need the organics found in most dirt, there are some exceptions as always but most will grow like moss on rock and be healthy while eliminating issues like drainage, bacteria and fungi inbalances that can cause rot and other diseases harbored in rich soils with organics.
I read the article, very helpful. Thanks

Re: Cacti soil

Posted: Tue Jul 01, 2014 8:09 pm
by JimHSoars
dave123791:

Which of the issues is the article in?

- Jim

Re: Cacti soil

Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 3:54 pm
by adetheproducer
Its in the one called the stone eaters.

Re: Cacti soil

Posted: Wed Jul 02, 2014 10:50 pm
by JimHSoars
Duh. :oops:

I found it. Thanks, Jim