How to mix soil for succulents
For most women, the experience related to succulents, how to mix the soil for succulents, please see the detailed introduction below.
For succulent enthusiasts, the first thing to do might be to understand how to mix the soil for succulents. The soil mixing experience in this article mainly comes from greenhouses in Central and Eastern China and the author's own practice, as well as experience from South Korea. A characteristic of the greenhouse version of succulents is to go for the cheapest option.
Sand: Various proportions, even up to 100% sand. It's definitely not suitable for balcony gardeners, as it dries too quickly and can become compacted due to rapid drying. However, inside the greenhouse, it's fine to water once a month without any compacting issues. The so-called "grounded" feeling is not just because of ground planting, but more importantly, the humidity inside the greenhouse. Whether to use sand and in what proportion is not about the region, but rather about the cost of transportation. If sand is easily accessible or transported by water nearby, it is almost a must-have, as nothing is more cost-effective than sand.
Gravel (crushed stone, small stones, coarse sand): If there is a stone factory nearby, it's a blessing, as it can be used as particle soil or as mulch, and it's easy to source.
Stone powder: Smaller stone particles with a higher powder content.
Peat (turf, humus soil, yellow clay): Rich in nutrients, loose and friable.
The terms in parentheses indicate alternatives.
Above all, we have the first very suitable soil mixture for ground planting: 20% sand, 60-80% stones, 10-20% peat. In some areas, sand, small stones, and even humus soil are readily available, with only the transportation and handling costs to consider. Isn't that a great deal? The proportions of various ingredients can be adjusted appropriately, and this formula is suitable for Sedum mature plants and cacti. If the soil layer is shallow, you can increase the proportion of peat and sand and reduce the proportion of stones.
Friends who have visited greenhouses with succulents in South Korea may notice that there is no soil in their mixture, almost only crushed stone, stone powder, and honeycomb coal. Beautiful succulents are truly "tortured" to look good.
Balcony, window sill, and rooftop gardeners can add an appropriate amount of vermiculite to the above formula to increase water retention and reduce sand usage to prevent compaction, which also works well.
Coconut brick: Compared to peat and other materials, coconut brick is more cost-effective. Since coconut brick has very little water content and expands several times in volume after soaking, the transportation cost is also more economical. And because the water absorption of coconut brick is much less than that of peat, its breathability is even better.
Perlite: Strong water absorption, lightweight. Thus, there is another suitable soil mixture for cuttings and seedlings: pure coconut brick, or mixed with 20-50% perlite. Very suitable for use in seedling trays and also in 9cm diameter双色 pots.
For sub-adult plants, most can continue to use coconut brick, or follow the first mixture mentioned above, or a combination of both. Adjust the proportion of peat-based materials according to the plant's water requirements. Various old soils can also be mixed in. Each greenhouse is different, but they all follow certain rules: soil with some fertility and water retention (suitable for fibrous roots) + relatively breathable medium-sized particles (suitable for strong main roots) + large particles (for water drainage and preventing root rot). There is actually no fixed formula, just use what you have, as long as it fits certain rules, you can mix it freely.
Sowing soil formula: 20% peat or turf, 20% coconut brick, 30% vermiculite, 30% perlite. Place in the lower layer of the seedling box, about 3-4 cm high, and sprinkle a 1 cm thick layer of a mixture of peat, sand, and vermiculite on the surface. It's fine if you don't sprinkle it.
The above is [] a method introduction about how to mix soil for succulents (greenhouse version) for everyone's reference.