Cactus, Palm and Citrus Potting Mix

[Sabal_Louisiana]

I've seen a bag of of this stuff (by Miracle-Gro) at the big box stores and been tempted to try it on young palms and even citrus.

I asked a friend of mine about it and he said he'd tried it before but didn't like it because he thought it dries out too readily.

Thoughts on this?

[ZPalms]

  On 7/10/2021 at 3:13 AM, Sabal_Louisiana said:

I've seen a bag of of this stuff (by Miracle-Gro) at the big box stores and been tempted to try it on young palms and even citrus.

I asked a friend of mine about it and he said he'd tried it before but didn't like it because he thought it dries out too readily.

Thoughts on this?

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I've used this and still do sometimes, It's not entirely my favorite since I've had bad experience with it due to gnats being inside but I use it mainly outside now and I've used it to plant my sabal into the ground and it didn't die and I have some washies planted in it in plastic nursey bags and and they seem to be loving it and the bottom looks to stay moist and I always add extra perlite but I'm not entirely sure when I'm suppose to water it cause it's hard for me to guess if its damp or dry, I'm sure their are better alternatives but when you need soil quick I think its fine if you add other things to help with draining

Edited July 10, 2021 by ZPalms

[teddytn]

@Sabal_Louisiana This was my go to potting mix for many years. I’ve had good experience with it. The main ingredient seems to be peat and then really fine wood material and perlite. I’ve amended 2 raised beds with peat, (this relates to the cactus, palm, citrus mix) if you get a big compressed bag of it, it will be bone dry. When it’s dry it does not absorb moisture easily, it just wicks moisture and stays dry, you have to pretty much soak it in a bucket and finally it will take on moisture and turn into a sponge. This is the other quality of peat. If you get it to absorb moisture it wants to stay wet. So with the bagged mix when you open it, it’s already moist. Pot a plant with it and water it, every time with that mix the soil will stay wet from that first watering for 2 weeks (if the mix was moist in the bag already) when it dries out it then seems to have that water wicking ability, but this is hit or miss and can at any time absorb a bunch of water and stay wet longer that you expected. For cactus absolutely would not use. As a general houseplant mix I would recommend. For palms I personally mix in a bag of orchid mix with big chunks of bark and perlite with the cactus, palm, citrus bag and you get a really good mix that will drain no matter what. Hope that helps.

[PalmatierMeg]

I used to use Miracle Gro soils but found they can get mucky. And I was never impressed by the added 
"fertilizer'. I found a great, loose, coarse mix - I can't remember the name ATM - at Lowe's for a short time but wouldn't you know Lowe's replaced it with more Miracle Gro and no one else carries it. Now I use another brand of garden soil that's almost as good (so far) and comes in yellow bags. I have now added coco coir I get from Amazon.com in 11lb blocks. I check the site daily looking for spot sales and recently got some for $13 per block - that reconstitutes to 18g of coir that I add to the mix along with perlite in a 1:1:1 ratio. I belong to Amazon Prime so get free shipping.The coir cuts way down on muckiness, adds drainage and looseness. I just have to be more diligent in checking pots during hot, dry spells.

For my rarer potted cacti & caudiciforms, I have gradually switched over to straight pumice. Pumice is unknown in FL and most garden centers have never heard of it. I get mine online from General Pumice in CA. Just under $30, including shipping, for 15lbs available in several grain sizes. But if you live in a humid climate like FL and want to grow rare succulents it is worth the investment and can be reused after a good hosing off.