Perlite comes with a lot of fine, abrasive dust that is easy to inhale, and can cause problems such as silicosis. Whenever you’re handling it, use a respirator, or at least a dust mask.
I hate perlite, I have to steer people away from it all the time when finding additives for their dracenaes. It's a good source of fluoride which can cause fluoride burn in fluoride sensitive plants.
Watching this on 11/4 at 5:30 a.m. pacific time because I can't deal with reality. Thank you for taking my mind off of things for 15 minutes. And I second the comment "Bonsai Jack or go home."
And i'm watching this on 12/14/2024 at 11:40 pm Eastern Time because i'm a newbie when comes to succulents 😄 and a kill one to many, lol...Thank u for the great video!!
This is THE BEST soil mix video I've seen. And I've watched tons. I've watched this video about 3 times already just to compare what you suggest to what others suggest, and you make it so simple and affordable too. Chicken grit is super affordable! And the ratio breakdown is so easy to understand. Also, side question: what is the name of the succulent behind you, on your right, the small one that stands up straight (small cream-colored pot, right hand side in front of the large pot)? I bought a similar one at the grocery store, but it didn't have a name and I wasn't sure if it was etiolated or if that's how it's supposed to look. Thanks!
Oh thank you so much for the kind words and we're so glad the video was useful! The stemmed succulent in the cream pot is Crassula Ivory Towers: mtncr.co/towers
I don’t even know who this lady is but because of her positive vibe and love for succulents my broke self went on their website and ordered Hardy succulents. I spent 50 bucks but this lady made me do it LOL. Keep up the great work lady. I’m watching ecstatically!
This was so much fun to watch, thank you!! I live in Minnesota and have recently fallen in love with succulents. I learned a lot watching this video (dang, I have made some mistakes with my soil but intend to fix that.) and look forward to more. Thank you, Annie!
Simple Recipe: • 1 part Potting Soil • 2 parts Perlite You can mix and match using the following… Organic matter: potting soil, forest products, compost, coir Non-organic matter: course sand (no beach sand, no salt), perlite, gravel (rinse off dust first), decomposed granite, chicken grit Thank you for sharing this recipe. I'm looking forward to using this =)
Thank you so much for this upload!! Exactly what I needed to know. You’re so knowledgeable, well spoken, and you break everything down so simply and quickly. So refreshing after filtering through all the novice “experts” out there. Thank you again for this channel. I’ll def be subscribing 🥰
Hi all. I have been a cannabis grower since my wife came down with MS. Started growing with Fox Farm Happy Frog (potting soil) mixed with perlite at about 75\25 mix. Moved to Coco Coir mixed 70\30 with perlite. When I discovered MCG and began buying their plants (and now own MANY) I changed my mix to 60\40 (still coco perlite mix). Now this information here says 2 parts perlite to 1 of coco (all I use for my indoor plants now). I will give that a try. Thank you!
The most helpful and comprehensive vid on succulent soil I've seen. Love that you have a super simple specific (low budget) mix idea but advised on innumerable SPECIFIC substitutions and alternatives depending on climate, budget & involvement AND what they do/don't do. A+!
I never took care of a succulent before but I'm trying to save a dying succulent from the store. I have tons of coir from my indoor plants and my front yard is all rock and sand!( I live in the desert) I'm going to try sanitizing some of front yard and mix it with some coir and see what happens, before going store bought. 🤷🏾♀️ glad I saw this!
I was watching this to mix my own soil only to get to the end where you say you love the mix I already bought specifically for my Lithops (and love!). Good to know I picked something good!
Thank you 😊 I really enjoyed this very informative tutorial. I believe you have given my succulents a fighting chance. Just would like to add that the way you delivered the information was very professional and concise.
Darn, i wish I saw this video yesterday. My garden shop didnt have coarse sand so I ended up buying a bag of perlite for $8! I wish i knew to head to the hardware store instead. Womp womp. Well at least i know now and won’t have to cover my succs or bring indoors when it rains.
"mock planting" such a good idea. I watched several youtube about repotting cactus, but I wish I watched this before repotting my cactus, it is getting yellowish even though I was not overwatering. I used the commercial cactus soil I got in a garden centre, but I should have mixed much more grits, not just dressing on surface. Everything explained so clearly.
I've just got into succulents and have a few babies that came in 1/1/2 inch pots so I'm checking them everyday and love to see that they've grown in a few weeks. I loved your instructions about making the proper soil mixture: now I have to check the bag of pre-made cactus soil I got at a our good local nursery and hope it measures up. I'm in NH so we'll have plenty of sun for the next 5 months, then we get to a northern NE winter; evening at 3 pm. Crossing that bridge later. Thanks also to Abbas who notes the more grit, the more fertilizer.
Thank you so much for going over the part about which ingredients in ready made succulent potting mix to avoid and how to test the mix to see how long it takes to dry out. I had no idea the one I currently use is making some of my succulent propagations too wet, which is why some of them are rotting...
Hello Mountain Crest Gardening, I have recently grown interests into succulents. And watching your videos definitely gave me some ideas and I enjoy watching your contents. Greetings from Italy.
Thanks so much for this video. I have been using orchid soil mix and adding perlite to it and adding granite as a top dressing. As they are in an east facing window they are doing pretty well with watering every 2 to 3 weeks. So far no problems but will be changing my soil for future plants.
You saved my succulents!! They have been in “succulent mix” that never looked draining to me but I didn’t know what to do until I watched this vid. Thank you ♡
So glad I found this video. I've killed a few succulents in the past and that made me stay away from them. Now I know it's because of too much organic matter. I'll give it another shot!
Also perlite is not needed, you can use pumice, i have to use a lot because i need well draining soil its rainy season and rained for several days in a row in both morning and afternoon- night.
What a wealth of knowledge!!! Thank you, thank you. I live in SE GA and sometimes it will rain for days and I stand at the window watching my little succulents struggle to live in the saturated soil. I am determined to try the chicken grit. I do hope it works.....
Thank you so much, Pamela! Chicken grit is my favorite of the lesser known grits :) I'd add that many of our succulent friends in rainy climates have found that raised beds and mounded berms kept their succulents from drowning. Best of luck to you and your succulents!
I started using coco coir as I was curious as to if it actually made any noticeable effe ct. So I order a compacted brick and I underestimated the insane volume change! A lot of aeration, stays as an open structure when moist(not drenched), some shrinkage as all organics do but to a much lesser extent, it also made my substrate dry out more evenly. One thing i REALLY love about it is that it distributes the water evenly without me having to individually make sure all the 2 months old seedlings gets water. Now the absolutely best thing about it is how fast they germinate, it dramatically increased my
Thank you for the valuable information. I have been through lots of videos regarding succulent soil mixes and found yours's the best. With what I had learnt from you, I subscribed so as not to miss out on any new information 😄
New subscriber. I started loving succulents and beginning to be my hobby.Just planted my Ist succulents yesterday. Lots of mistakes made, starting with the soil I used ( cactus mix with no perlite) .Hoping they will survive. If not , I'll start all over again , using your mixture. Trial and error. I live in South Texas ,very hot summer and very humid. I bought my succulents at Lowe's. I will definitely order succulents from Mountain Crest, really good informations. Thank you.
This was super informative, thank you. Last year I separated out some thriving succulents, repotted them into lovely container arrangements ... and killed nearly all of them. I'd gifted my mom a lovely arrangement, in an antique glass bowl. She'd guiltily put off telling me it was near-death, thinking it was her fault. 🥺 Little did she know, I'm the botanical angel of death! I just figured I could figure it out without researching it, first. 🙄 I don't know what I was thinking. So now I know, insufficient drainage/wrong soil. Now I can hopefully save those that've hung onto dear life!
I mix compost from our garden wirh sand and fine gravel from the river and this works great for my succulents. Compost has many nutrients and microorganisms in it, so it is very good to use in your soil mix. If you do compost your kitchen scraps and have access to sand and fine gravel from a river you can get a good soil mix for free.
If you don't mind the expense, 'Grow Buddha Cactus and Succulent soil.' is one of the best. I then use a top dressing of Horticultural Lava Rock Pebbles.
Thank u for such a complete video .I wantef to grow succulent from a long time as mu farmers market sells very nice seedlings which I really wanted to buy .
Thank you! Your video has helped me to better appreciate how to water and that it's okay for the water to quickly drain. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and helping to educate me!!. I can't wait to buy Bonsai Jack!
THE best video on succulent soil, and I'veseen alot! So well organized and explained. So many others assume you know what all these terms mean. I am fairly new to gardening and also new to succulents. I had so many "ah ha" moments watching this. Although I've had success, I haven't had any luck with a Tiger Jaw inside on my only windowsill (north). I think maybe I was overwatering, as they rot from the base. Might try again using my Jacks Gritty mix (I did that right.😉). Thank you so much for your educational videos. Love them and have subscribed. Now, I'm going to watch this video again.
I love your videos they're crazy informative and they're crazy simple I'm getting ready to go out and buy a bunch of things for early spring to help my succulents take off I just began about 2 years ago loving these little green creatures and I have went forward ever since I'm very very amused at the different soils and the different ways that TH-camrs do it but you seem to be very knowledgeable thank you for sharing this with us this means a lot to me I'm going out and I'm going to listen to what you said about the soil and I will check back with you in about 90 days
I am an artist here in Louisville Kentucky and I primarily do driftwood art I also am a woodcraftsman that has been reclaiming old dilapidated barns for over 40 years and making art out of them I incorporate succulents and air plants in with about 50% of my driftwood art I would love to send you some photos if you could privately give me an email address of your company I would like some input as far as properly maintaining these live art pieces if possible I am very sure that you are a extremely busy person and that's a good thing. Hope to connect soon and share thank you have a great day.
Very helpful. I'm in zone 5 WY and only plant outside in the WY dirt, and only buy cold hardy succulents that will survive. Most of my plants have come from Mountain Crest and they love it here.
Loved this video. I’ve been making my own and your tips will help me make some slight changes to my recipe. All my succulents are outdoors until winter. Then they come into the garage. I have pots and an in ground garden. It’s been a rough summer for my in ground succulents due to the Texas heat and drought.
I'm just getting started on my succulent journey, but I'm loving it! I got some cool planters for Christmas so I'm looking to expand my collection. Your videos are awesome!
I am SO glad I found your video!! The Uni Gro Cactus Mix is the exact one I bought and I noticed it was SO soggy even though I ammended it with perlite!! Thank you for all your tips!
I live in Riverside CA -- 60 miles east of Los Angeles -- and the summer temp exceed 100 degrees F and the winter temps may drop to 20 degrees F. About 8 years ago, I drastically pruned all of the various potted plants on my patio, washed off all of the soil from their roots, pruned the roots and re-potted the shrubs in a modified "Al's Gritty Mix" [equal portions of 1/8"-1/4" redwood bark, Turface MVP and grit (#5)]. Except for applying all-purpose granular fertilizer several years ago, I have done nothing to the gritty mix. Now, the shrubs look like they need some plant nutrients. What do you recommend?
Nice! You might try a diluted azalea fertilizer. Like azaleas, succulents like a little bit of acidity. Look for one with a balanced NPK ratio. Other gardeners have also had luck with Miracle Gro Quick Start, diluted to half strength.
Great show! Chicken grit is usually made with crushed Oyster Shell, which is not only great for drainage, but also slow release of calcium. Hydroton, pumice stone, and volcanic stone are great substitutes for perlite as drainage material (or 'grit' as you call it). Would for sure wear a mask when mixing dry ingredients like perlite though, not something you want to be breathing in for sure.
Chicken grit and crushed oyster shell are two separate things. Grit is insoluble crushed granite used in the gizzard to help digest, and oyster shell is separate and is used to provide extra calcium for egg shell production.
Great video as always. I have to be so careful growing succulents in my type of climate. I need to add lots and lots of drainage material lol. I'm in central Florida zone 9b. My soil stay wet for so long if I don't have enough drainage material in there. Thanks Anne 😁 Your always such a pleasure to watch💗 I just couldn't help myself and ordered a ton of new plants these past few weeks lol I love Mountain Crest Gardens ❤
Thanks so much, Stacey, and so glad to hear you're loving our plants! I always say anyone who can grow succulents in Florida humidity has really figured out advanced succulent care.
@@annieschreck7938 Thank you so much Anne💗 That means the world to me coming from someone like yourself😁 I'll tell ya, it wasnt easy in the beginning.. like at all lol. But after many yrs of trial and error, lots of patience, learning and consistency and never giving up, I maintain a pretty big collection both indoors and out. I love growing and collecting all kinds of plants. It's so peaceful being one with mother nature and all she has to offer us. There are so many possibilities right at he tips of our very fingers 🌱
Thanks for the information. We received some baby succulents as presents and all we had on hand was potting mix for raising seeds and cuttings, guess that is not ideal soil on this occasion…
Maybe, but in the meantime I wrote up this quickie guide. Do you have a specific question? mountaincrestgardens.com/faqs-help/#reamaze#0#/kb/planting-and-transplanting/planting-succulents-step-by-step-guide Annie
A little bit more organic matter. In most conditions, people find that their String of Pearls needs a bit more regular water than other succulents because they have such slender stems. More organic matter will help keep them quenched. Good question!
Not as-is. Large volumes of coffee grounds in the soil will compact and become hydrophobic (water-repelling). But you could put your grounds in a compost pile to develop a loam with good texture and a good balance of nutrients.
Great question! Because watering frequency varies with your growing conditions, size of pot, type of succulent, time of year, etc., instead of one specific frequency, we recommend deeply drenching the soil only when it's completely dry and your plant's leaves start to feel flexible. Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix can be a great option for indoor jade plants, especially if you've struggled with rot and pests in the past. Just be sure to thoroughly soak the whole soil surface or bottom water in a larger container to make sure the soil mix is fully drenched. If you still find it too rapidly draining, a 50/50 mix with a regular succulent soil from a garden center will also do the trick.
All great ingredients! As long as the ratios of your mixture allow the saturated soil to dry out in your conditions in about 2-4 days, you're good. If you feel like your plants are getting over-watered, mix in more sand and perlite. Getting dry and crispy? Add more compost. Annie
Loved the video, thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm!! I too learned about Bonsai Jacks #111 Gritty mix as I began my new hobby and use it with every planting... which of course always comes from Mountain Crest Gardens! Is there any other place to get good looking, hearty and healthy succulents? Thanks again for showing us and teaching us how its done!
Thanks for all the information which is so well presented. I love your plants and have spent a fortune on them. I certainly want to keep them happy and this video helped so much.
sand, gravel, granite are all readily available, but so heavy. pumice sounded like such a good option, airflow, lightweight, nice for the roots. but. ya know. horticultural pumice is US stuff. like mountain crest gardens itself. bonsai jack too ($200 shipping LOL)
I just registered an account with you guys, and I am looking forward to buying some aloes and agaves from you! I'm using this video to help me prep before I buy and get some good soil mixes ready for potting!
I see a lot of other channels recommending using the peat moss or cocopeat usually. Also a lot of premixes that are labeled for cacti and succulents seem to have it too.
Annie I live on the ga fla Alabama line , I've tried to find chicken grit at all the ace hardware stores and the farm store , it's crazy they have everything around here' like oyster shell , but no course sand , I've turned to Amazon , to get bonsai jack, and had perlite and loggees fortified light potting mix , do I will use little of that as my addition to bonsai jack and perlite , and order from mountain crest before I go to Lowes are home Depot 60 Miles drive, it's just so refocus the all the ace hardware stores didn't have even corse sand around my area, thank you for the information you gave me , GOD bless you and your staff
Oh my goodness, you really went to the effort! Well done finding Bonsai Jack, perlite, and potting mix--those can all work perfectly for succulents. Happy growing!
New subscriber Really great video!! I wished i could of found this video before I killed my succulent 😞 I’ll try again this year and this time I’ll be making my own potting mix thanks to this video!
The bonsai mix is available here: mtncr.co/SucculentSoil You can use play sand and it's available at home improvement stores. Chicken grit you can find at feed stores.
You can! Jade plants are very flexible and resilient, so you'll find people growing them indoors with everything ranging from Bonsai Jack Gritty mix to standard potting soil. Just be sure to adjust your watering frequency and only water after the soil is completely dry. With Bonsai Jack that will be more often, while a less gritty mix will need less frequent water.
@@Mountaincrestgardens ok! I mixed in bonsai jacks gritty mix with cactus/desert soil. And I’ve heard that you should only water when the leaves are flexible like a taco.
Great video, and agree with you about perlite. I'll use it in some mixtures but if I'm using it alone with soil (as she did) I never go more than 1/2 and 1/2, not two to one. A lot of taller/ heavier plants have difficulty standing up because it's too light. I also don't like my soil trying to float away every time I water.
Hei. I have seen your video and I love it. Thank you very much for this video, you have really taught me a lot. I live in Europe in Denmark so I am very interestet ind the recipe for ekstra gritty soil, because it rains a lot. How can I cet it?
This video is 3 years old now, but I'm going to take a chance and ask this nice lady a question. Is Turface a good non-organic substrate? I've made a mix of 8 parts Turface, 2 parts coco coir, 1 part worm castings, and one part 80% compost/20% biochar. I've only planted a few succulents in it and they seem to be doing OK, but I hesitate to repot all my succulents in it.
Hmm I wonder if they meant perlite? Perlite aerates the soil (which makes it more antifungal) while vermiculite keeps soil moist for longer. So perlite is definitely the way to go for succulents.
Thank you very useful information. What about the holes on the bottom of a base Many bases don’t have the hole, Are this ok to grow a succulent? What changes do we have to make? Thank you
Great question! Growing succulents in a pot without a drainage hole is more challenging, so I do not recommend it for beginners. It is possible, you just have to be more careful, observant waterer. Only water when the soil is completely dry and the leaves just start to show signs of thirst like limpness or wrinkles. When you water, give it about 1/3 the volume of the pot then leave it to dry out.
Very! Peat moss is harvested Sphagnum moss from peat bogs (an important carbon sink that's been overharvested), and it becomes hydrophobic when dry, so it is not ideal for succulents. Coco peat/coir is reclaimed coconut husks from the waste stream. It does not become hydrophobic when dry, so it can work as an organic component for succulent soil.
Perlite comes with a lot of fine, abrasive dust that is easy to inhale, and can cause problems such as silicosis. Whenever you’re handling it, use a respirator, or at least a dust mask.
Thanks so much for the advice!! I'll be more careful when I handle it
Vermiculite is even worse for dust
I hate perlite, I have to steer people away from it all the time when finding additives for their dracenaes. It's a good source of fluoride which can cause fluoride burn in fluoride sensitive plants.
@@ryansabstractart3518 I didn't know that. Thank you!
Thank you! I was having trouble breathing actually
I love how clear and thorough you are when teaching and explaining in your videos 👍🏼
Watching this on 11/4 at 5:30 a.m. pacific time because I can't deal with reality. Thank you for taking my mind off of things for 15 minutes. And I second the comment "Bonsai Jack or go home."
Happy to provide some distraction! And yay! Glad you're also a Bonsai Jack fan!
And i'm watching this on 12/14/2024 at 11:40 pm Eastern Time because i'm a newbie when comes to succulents 😄 and a kill one to many, lol...Thank u for the great video!!
I really like her. She’s an amazing teacher. I had to subscribe. ❤
Aw thank you!
This is THE BEST soil mix video I've seen. And I've watched tons. I've watched this video about 3 times already just to compare what you suggest to what others suggest, and you make it so simple and affordable too. Chicken grit is super affordable! And the ratio breakdown is so easy to understand.
Also, side question: what is the name of the succulent behind you, on your right, the small one that stands up straight (small cream-colored pot, right hand side in front of the large pot)? I bought a similar one at the grocery store, but it didn't have a name and I wasn't sure if it was etiolated or if that's how it's supposed to look. Thanks!
Oh thank you so much for the kind words and we're so glad the video was useful! The stemmed succulent in the cream pot is Crassula Ivory Towers: mtncr.co/towers
@@Mountaincrestgardens Thank you!! 🤗
I don’t even know who this lady is but because of her positive vibe and love for succulents my broke self went on their website and ordered Hardy succulents. I spent 50 bucks but this lady made me do it LOL. Keep up the great work lady. I’m watching ecstatically!
Yay! You're going to love hardy succulents! They're the resilient landscaping plant we all deserve. Enjoy!
Annie
@@Mountaincrestgardens thank you! I can’t wait to get it!!
Note that the more grit you use for your plant, the more fertilizer you generally need for it.
Just started gardening and after lot of search about succulents care, found your vdo. So we'll explained: simple but comprehensive! Great job.
I’ve been searching for these answers about soil for so long. All the best info in just one video
Hooray, glad it was useful!
This was so much fun to watch, thank you!! I live in Minnesota and have recently fallen in love with succulents. I learned a lot watching this video (dang, I have made some mistakes with my soil but intend to fix that.) and look forward to more. Thank you, Annie!
Oh thank you, Therese! Growing succulents in Minnesota is no small feat!
Simple Recipe:
• 1 part Potting Soil
• 2 parts Perlite
You can mix and match using the following…
Organic matter: potting soil, forest products, compost, coir
Non-organic matter: course sand (no beach sand, no salt), perlite, gravel (rinse off dust first), decomposed granite, chicken grit
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I'm looking forward to using this =)
Perfectly put! Wish you could summarize all our videos
Thank you so much for this upload!! Exactly what I needed to know. You’re so knowledgeable, well spoken, and you break everything down so simply and quickly. So refreshing after filtering through all the novice “experts” out there. Thank you again for this channel. I’ll def be subscribing 🥰
Oh thank you so much!
Hi all. I have been a cannabis grower since my wife came down with MS. Started growing with Fox Farm Happy Frog (potting soil) mixed with perlite at about 75\25 mix. Moved to Coco Coir mixed 70\30 with perlite. When I discovered MCG and began buying their plants (and now own MANY) I changed my mix to 60\40 (still coco perlite mix). Now this information here says 2 parts perlite to 1 of coco (all I use for my indoor plants now). I will give that a try. Thank you!
The most helpful and comprehensive vid on succulent soil I've seen. Love that you have a super simple specific (low budget) mix idea but advised on innumerable SPECIFIC substitutions and alternatives depending on climate, budget & involvement AND what they do/don't do. A+!
Oh thank you so much! And so glad it was helpful!
Very clear, concise and thorough. Very informative and pleasant voice.
Thank you kindly!
I never took care of a succulent before but I'm trying to save a dying succulent from the store. I have tons of coir from my indoor plants and my front yard is all rock and sand!( I live in the desert) I'm going to try sanitizing some of front yard and mix it with some coir and see what happens, before going store bought. 🤷🏾♀️ glad I saw this!
Thank you, I took lots of notes. No need to watch another video on this topic.
Ah that's so nice of you to say. Glad it was helpful!
I absolutely love your well organized presentation and your knowledge of the various products is really impressive. Thanks so much for sharing.
You are so welcome and glad it was helpful!
I was watching this to mix my own soil only to get to the end where you say you love the mix I already bought specifically for my Lithops (and love!). Good to know I picked something good!
You did! Bonsai Jack's is the best for cacti and mesembs like Lithops!
Thank you 😊 I really enjoyed this very informative tutorial. I believe you have given my succulents a fighting chance. Just would like to add that the way you delivered the information was very professional and concise.
Thank you so much and we're so glad it was useful!
Darn, i wish I saw this video yesterday. My garden shop didnt have coarse sand so I ended up buying a bag of perlite for $8! I wish i knew to head to the hardware store instead. Womp womp. Well at least i know now and won’t have to cover my succs or bring indoors when it rains.
I'd go for a pumice over a coarse sand any day. But either or will work, so if you done gine the coarse sand, go for the pumice!
"mock planting" such a good idea. I watched several youtube about repotting cactus, but I wish I watched this before repotting my cactus, it is getting yellowish even though I was not overwatering. I used the commercial cactus soil I got in a garden centre, but I should have mixed much more grits, not just dressing on surface. Everything explained so clearly.
Thank you and glad it was helpful!
I've just got into succulents and have a few babies that came in 1/1/2 inch pots so I'm checking them everyday and love to see that they've grown in a few weeks. I loved your instructions about making the proper soil mixture: now I have to check the bag of pre-made cactus soil I got at a our good local nursery and hope it measures up. I'm in NH so we'll have plenty of sun for the next 5 months, then we get to a northern NE winter; evening at 3 pm. Crossing that bridge later.
Thanks also to Abbas who notes the more grit, the more fertilizer.
Thank you. Ive been trying to get clarity on this through many videos. This is by far the best video. So very well done !!!
Thank you and so glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for going over the part about which ingredients in ready made succulent potting mix to avoid and how to test the mix to see how long it takes to dry out. I had no idea the one I currently use is making some of my succulent propagations too wet, which is why some of them are rotting...
So glad it was helpful!
Hello Mountain Crest Gardening, I have recently grown interests into succulents. And watching your videos definitely gave me some ideas and I enjoy watching your contents. Greetings from Italy.
Grazie!
Prego! 😍😁
Now i easily Understand what was more important to create my soilmix what succulent need
Thanks so much for this video. I have been using orchid soil mix and adding perlite to it and adding granite as a top dressing. As they are in an east facing window they are doing pretty well with watering every 2 to 3 weeks. So far no problems but will be changing my soil for future plants.
You are rocking it Anne! Great voice!!!
This is your aunt!
Theresa Croft
Aww thanks, Theresa!
You saved my succulents!! They have been in “succulent mix” that never looked draining to me but I didn’t know what to do until I watched this vid. Thank you ♡
You are so welcome!
Thank you I live on beach and was I got this ! Went to landscaping to get right sand. And other ingredients
So glad I found this video. I've killed a few succulents in the past and that made me stay away from them. Now I know it's because of too much organic matter. I'll give it another shot!
Oh I'm so glad it was useful! Rooting for you on the next ones!
Also perlite is not needed, you can use pumice, i have to use a lot because i need well draining soil its rainy season and rained for several days in a row in both morning and afternoon- night.
What a wealth of knowledge!!! Thank you, thank you. I live in SE GA and sometimes it will rain for days and I stand at the window watching my little succulents struggle to live in the saturated soil. I am determined to try the chicken grit. I do hope it works.....
Thank you so much, Pamela! Chicken grit is my favorite of the lesser known grits :) I'd add that many of our succulent friends in rainy climates have found that raised beds and mounded berms kept their succulents from drowning. Best of luck to you and your succulents!
I started using coco coir as I was curious as to if it actually made any noticeable effe ct. So I order a compacted brick and I underestimated the insane volume change! A lot of aeration, stays as an open structure when moist(not drenched), some shrinkage as all organics do but to a much lesser extent, it also made my substrate dry out more evenly. One thing i REALLY love about it is that it distributes the water evenly without me having to individually make sure all the 2 months old seedlings gets water. Now the absolutely best thing about it is how fast they germinate, it dramatically increased my
That's wonderful! And way to use scientific observation and really pay attention to your soil's characteristics! Happy growing!
Thank you for the valuable information. I have been through lots of videos regarding succulent soil mixes and found yours's the best. With what I had learnt from you, I subscribed so as not to miss out on any new information 😄
So nice of you and glad it was helpful!
Annie
New subscriber. I started loving succulents and beginning to be my hobby.Just planted my Ist succulents yesterday. Lots of mistakes made, starting with the soil I used ( cactus mix with no perlite) .Hoping they will survive. If not , I'll start all over again , using your mixture. Trial and error. I live in South Texas ,very hot summer and very humid. I bought my succulents at Lowe's. I will definitely order succulents from Mountain Crest, really good informations. Thank you.
Welcome to the world of succulents! And I love your attitude!
This was super informative, thank you.
Last year I separated out some thriving succulents, repotted them into lovely container arrangements ... and killed nearly all of them.
I'd gifted my mom a lovely arrangement, in an antique glass bowl. She'd guiltily put off telling me it was near-death, thinking it was her fault. 🥺 Little did she know, I'm the botanical angel of death!
I just figured I could figure it out without researching it, first. 🙄 I don't know what I was thinking. So now I know, insufficient drainage/wrong soil. Now I can hopefully save those that've hung onto dear life!
Oh I'm glad it was helpful! I probably learn the most from the plants that I've killed. It makes better plant parents for the next one!
EXCELLENT EDUCATIONAL VIDEO!!!!
Thank you so much!
I mix compost from our garden wirh sand and fine gravel from the river and this works great for my succulents. Compost has many nutrients and microorganisms in it, so it is very good to use in your soil mix. If you do compost your kitchen scraps and have access to sand and fine gravel from a river you can get a good soil mix for free.
Sounds like a gorgeous, effective succulent mix!
If you don't mind the expense, 'Grow Buddha Cactus and Succulent soil.' is one of the best. I then use a top dressing of Horticultural Lava Rock Pebbles.
Thank u for such a complete video .I wantef to grow succulent from a long time as mu farmers market sells very nice seedlings which I really wanted to buy .
Thank you! Your video has helped me to better appreciate how to water and that it's okay for the water to quickly drain. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and helping to educate me!!. I can't wait to buy Bonsai Jack!
So glad it was helpful! And enjoy that Bonsai Jack--it is SUPER well-draining :)
THE best video on succulent soil, and I'veseen alot! So well organized and explained. So many others assume you know what all these terms mean. I am fairly new to gardening and also new to succulents. I had so many "ah ha" moments watching this. Although I've had success, I haven't had any luck with a Tiger Jaw inside on my only windowsill (north). I think maybe I was overwatering, as they rot from the base. Might try again using my Jacks Gritty mix (I did that right.😉). Thank you so much for your educational videos. Love them and have subscribed. Now, I'm going to watch this video again.
Ah thank you so much for your kind words, Lisa! And we're so glad the video was helpful. All the best to you and your Tiger Jaws!
I love your videos they're crazy informative and they're crazy simple I'm getting ready to go out and buy a bunch of things for early spring to help my succulents take off I just began about 2 years ago loving these little green creatures and I have went forward ever since I'm very very amused at the different soils and the different ways that TH-camrs do it but you seem to be very knowledgeable thank you for sharing this with us this means a lot to me I'm going out and I'm going to listen to what you said about the soil and I will check back with you in about 90 days
Thank you so much and glad the videos are useful! Happy growing this spring!
I am an artist here in Louisville Kentucky and I primarily do driftwood art I also am a woodcraftsman that has been reclaiming old dilapidated barns for over 40 years and making art out of them I incorporate succulents and air plants in with about 50% of my driftwood art I would love to send you some photos if you could privately give me an email address of your company I would like some input as far as properly maintaining these live art pieces if possible I am very sure that you are a extremely busy person and that's a good thing. Hope to connect soon and share thank you have a great day.
Very helpful. I'm in zone 5 WY and only plant outside in the WY dirt, and only buy cold hardy succulents that will survive. Most of my plants have come from Mountain Crest and they love it here.
Love it! When you find what works, stick with it!
Tha k yoh Mojntain Crast Gardens for this fine explanatip
Well done! I'm on my way, just purchased 20 little succulents
Loved this video. I’ve been making my own and your tips will help me make some slight changes to my recipe. All my succulents are outdoors until winter. Then they come into the garage. I have pots and an in ground garden. It’s been a rough summer for my in ground succulents due to the Texas heat and drought.
So glad it was helpful and all the best to you and your plants in the hot, dry summer!
Sphagnum moss is only hydrophobic when dry, once when it becomes hydrophilic and retains water well.
Excellent video. Thank you so much for making it!
Glad you liked it!
Comprehensive educational review. 👌
Thanks so much!
I'm just getting started on my succulent journey, but I'm loving it! I got some cool planters for Christmas so I'm looking to expand my collection. Your videos are awesome!
Thank you so much! And what fantastic gifts to receive ;)
How is it going?
Very helpful information. Thank You.
Glad it was helpful!
I am SO glad I found your video!! The Uni Gro Cactus Mix is the exact one I bought and I noticed it was SO soggy even though I ammended it with perlite!! Thank you for all your tips!
So glad we could help! It is so frustrating to us too that these rich, moisture-holding soil are being marketed as succulent and cactus mixes.
I'm using soil made of coir and perlite 😃
That was really educational. Thank you so much
Glad it was helpful!
I live in Riverside CA -- 60 miles east of Los Angeles -- and the summer temp exceed 100 degrees F and the winter temps may drop to 20 degrees F.
About 8 years ago, I drastically pruned all of the various potted plants on my patio, washed off all of the soil from their roots, pruned the roots and re-potted the shrubs in a modified "Al's Gritty Mix" [equal portions of 1/8"-1/4" redwood bark, Turface MVP and grit (#5)].
Except for applying all-purpose granular fertilizer several years ago, I have done nothing to the gritty mix.
Now, the shrubs look like they need some plant nutrients. What do you recommend?
Nice! You might try a diluted azalea fertilizer. Like azaleas, succulents like a little bit of acidity. Look for one with a balanced NPK ratio. Other gardeners have also had luck with Miracle Gro Quick Start, diluted to half strength.
Great show!
Chicken grit is usually made with crushed Oyster Shell, which is not only great for drainage, but also slow release of calcium. Hydroton, pumice stone, and volcanic stone are great substitutes for perlite as drainage material (or 'grit' as you call it).
Would for sure wear a mask when mixing dry ingredients like perlite though, not something you want to be breathing in for sure.
Chicken grit and crushed oyster shell are two separate things. Grit is insoluble crushed granite used in the gizzard to help digest, and oyster shell is separate and is used to provide extra calcium for egg shell production.
@@birbandgames7566 Very true about the differences; however both are labeled as chicken 'grit'. Oyster shell grit and flint grit. Both grits.
Great video as always. I have to be so careful growing succulents in my type of climate. I need to add lots and lots of drainage material lol. I'm in central Florida zone 9b. My soil stay wet for so long if I don't have enough drainage material in there. Thanks Anne 😁 Your always such a pleasure to watch💗 I just couldn't help myself and ordered a ton of new plants these past few weeks lol I love Mountain Crest Gardens ❤
Thanks so much, Stacey, and so glad to hear you're loving our plants! I always say anyone who can grow succulents in Florida humidity has really figured out advanced succulent care.
@@annieschreck7938 Thank you so much Anne💗 That means the world to me coming from someone like yourself😁 I'll tell ya, it wasnt easy in the beginning.. like at all lol. But after many yrs of trial and error, lots of patience, learning and consistency and never giving up, I maintain a pretty big collection both indoors and out. I love growing and collecting all kinds of plants. It's so peaceful being one with mother nature and all she has to offer us. There are so many possibilities right at he tips of our very fingers 🌱
Thanks for the information. We received some baby succulents as presents and all we had on hand was potting mix for raising seeds and cuttings, guess that is not ideal soil on this occasion…
Works in a pinch, but yes, ultimately you'll want something with more mineral grit to prevent rot.
Do you think you'll be doing a video on how to properly re-pot a succulent?
Maybe, but in the meantime I wrote up this quickie guide. Do you have a specific question?
mountaincrestgardens.com/faqs-help/#reamaze#0#/kb/planting-and-transplanting/planting-succulents-step-by-step-guide
Annie
That was a great educational video. Very logical presentation. Thanks.
You are so welcome!
What do you suggest for string of pearls? More grit or more organic matter?
A little bit more organic matter. In most conditions, people find that their String of Pearls needs a bit more regular water than other succulents because they have such slender stems. More organic matter will help keep them quenched. Good question!
What a great video! Thanks!
Can used coffee grounds be used for the organic matter?
Not as-is. Large volumes of coffee grounds in the soil will compact and become hydrophobic (water-repelling). But you could put your grounds in a compost pile to develop a loam with good texture and a good balance of nutrients.
What an informative video!! I learned so much. For gravel, can you use pea pebbles or does that retain to much moisture?
If possible, looks for grit a little smaller than pea gravel
Thank you for this video! I'm new to plants, so this really helps
Glad it was helpful!
4:50 rinse the gravel -many good tips 🌎 lover ❤
With the bonsai mix, how often should you water ?
And do you recommend with Jade ?
Great question! Because watering frequency varies with your growing conditions, size of pot, type of succulent, time of year, etc., instead of one specific frequency, we recommend deeply drenching the soil only when it's completely dry and your plant's leaves start to feel flexible. Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix can be a great option for indoor jade plants, especially if you've struggled with rot and pests in the past. Just be sure to thoroughly soak the whole soil surface or bottom water in a larger container to make sure the soil mix is fully drenched. If you still find it too rapidly draining, a 50/50 mix with a regular succulent soil from a garden center will also do the trick.
Thank you for this info my succulents Def need more grit. I will take care of it in the morning.
How do you protect your succulents from mealybugs? Would you suggest potassium permanganate? Thank you!
Spray your plant thoroughly with 30-70% isopropyl alcohol solution everyday until the mealybugs are gone.
I keep my haworthia out side . Soil mix is lots of compost , construction sand,perlite,charcol is that good
All great ingredients! As long as the ratios of your mixture allow the saturated soil to dry out in your conditions in about 2-4 days, you're good. If you feel like your plants are getting over-watered, mix in more sand and perlite. Getting dry and crispy? Add more compost.
Annie
Wow good to see such a good reply thanks 😊
Loved the video, thank you for sharing your knowledge and enthusiasm!! I too learned about Bonsai Jacks #111 Gritty mix as I began my new hobby and use it with every planting... which of course always comes from Mountain Crest Gardens! Is there any other place to get good looking, hearty and healthy succulents? Thanks again for showing us and teaching us how its done!
Thanks, Monte, glad you liked it! I'm a big fan of sharing/trading cuttings with friends and neighbors, since succulents propagate and so easily.
Thank you !
Excellent presentation
Now I know why my agave is struuglong
You're so welcome and glad it was useful!
Thanks for all the information which is so well presented. I love your plants and have spent a fortune on them. I certainly want to keep them happy and this video helped so much.
Glad it was helpful!
Fantastic video
Thanks! 😃
sand, gravel, granite are all readily available, but so heavy. pumice sounded like such a good option, airflow, lightweight, nice for the roots.
but. ya know. horticultural pumice is US stuff. like mountain crest gardens itself. bonsai jack too ($200 shipping LOL)
Is perlite more accessible? It's also lightweight
Awesome, thank you
I just registered an account with you guys, and I am looking forward to buying some aloes and agaves from you! I'm using this video to help me prep before I buy and get some good soil mixes ready for potting!
Way to do your research! Your plants-to-be are lucky to have you.
Annie
I see a lot of other channels recommending using the peat moss or cocopeat usually. Also a lot of premixes that are labeled for cacti and succulents seem to have it too.
Annie I live on the ga fla Alabama line , I've tried to find chicken grit at all the ace hardware stores and the farm store , it's crazy they have everything around here' like oyster shell , but no course sand , I've turned to Amazon , to get bonsai jack, and had perlite and loggees fortified light potting mix , do I will use little of that as my addition to bonsai jack and perlite , and order from mountain crest before I go to Lowes are home Depot 60 Miles drive, it's just so refocus the all the ace hardware stores didn't have even corse sand around my area, thank you for the information you gave me , GOD bless you and your staff
Oh my goodness, you really went to the effort! Well done finding Bonsai Jack, perlite, and potting mix--those can all work perfectly for succulents. Happy growing!
New subscriber
Really great video!! I wished i could of found this video before I killed my succulent 😞 I’ll try again this year and this time I’ll be making my own potting mix thanks to this video!
Oh I'm so glad to hear that! Yes, jump right back on that horse with your great drainage, bright light, and your infrequent watering. You got this!
Where to buy coarse sand ( can you use play sand ) , where to buy bonsai mix and chicken mix . Enjoyed your presentation very informative .
The bonsai mix is available here: mtncr.co/SucculentSoil
You can use play sand and it's available at home improvement stores. Chicken grit you can find at feed stores.
Thank you for a great, well explained video. I loved it - have subscribed.
Can pumice and/or lava rick also be used as mineral grit?
Absolutely! Wish I'd mentioned it here.
Annie
What do jade plants need? Can I just use bonsai jacks gritty mix alone or would you mix in organic matter?
You can! Jade plants are very flexible and resilient, so you'll find people growing them indoors with everything ranging from Bonsai Jack Gritty mix to standard potting soil. Just be sure to adjust your watering frequency and only water after the soil is completely dry. With Bonsai Jack that will be more often, while a less gritty mix will need less frequent water.
@@Mountaincrestgardens ok! I mixed in bonsai jacks gritty mix with cactus/desert soil. And I’ve heard that you should only water when the leaves are flexible like a taco.
@@kyletourville7147 precisely!
Great presentation! 👏👍 Also, where did u get that hanging light behind you? Love it! MJ💜
Thank you! That's from Soltech Solutions--they really make the classiest looking grow lights ;) soltechsolutions.com/
@@Mountaincrestgardens Ty!💜
Hi I really enjoyed your video not keen on your perlite it’s to light and very dusty apart from that a great video 😀👍
Great video, and agree with you about perlite. I'll use it in some mixtures but if I'm using it alone with soil (as she did) I never go more than 1/2 and 1/2, not two to one. A lot of taller/ heavier plants have difficulty standing up because it's too light. I also don't like my soil trying to float away every time I water.
Hei. I have seen your video and I love it. Thank you very much for this video, you have really taught me a lot. I live in Europe in Denmark so I am very interestet ind the recipe for ekstra gritty soil,
because it rains a lot. How can I cet it?
This video is 3 years old now, but I'm going to take a chance and ask this nice lady a question. Is Turface a good non-organic substrate? I've made a mix of 8 parts Turface, 2 parts coco coir, 1 part worm castings, and one part 80% compost/20% biochar. I've only planted a few succulents in it and they seem to be doing OK, but I hesitate to repot all my succulents in it.
LOVE Bonsaiiiiii Jack for my lil succies❣️ I do a 1:1ratio with BJGM & organic
Great video! I was told that a small amount of vermiculite in a succulent mix is antifungal?
Hmm I wonder if they meant perlite? Perlite aerates the soil (which makes it more antifungal) while vermiculite keeps soil moist for longer. So perlite is definitely the way to go for succulents.
Excellent video! Thank you!
Glad you liked it!
Thank you very useful information. What about the holes on the bottom of a base Many bases don’t have the hole, Are this ok to grow a succulent? What changes do we have to make? Thank you
Great question! Growing succulents in a pot without a drainage hole is more challenging, so I do not recommend it for beginners. It is possible, you just have to be more careful, observant waterer. Only water when the soil is completely dry and the leaves just start to show signs of thirst like limpness or wrinkles. When you water, give it about 1/3 the volume of the pot then leave it to dry out.
Great video. Very informative!
What about charcoal, though?
Thanks! We've never planted with charcoal, but some succulent growers do use it in place of perlite.
is peat moss different from coconut peat?
Very! Peat moss is harvested Sphagnum moss from peat bogs (an important carbon sink that's been overharvested), and it becomes hydrophobic when dry, so it is not ideal for succulents.
Coco peat/coir is reclaimed coconut husks from the waste stream. It does not become hydrophobic when dry, so it can work as an organic component for succulent soil.
Hello, Thanks for this helpful video. Do I have to sterilize Bonsai Jack for pests before use?
Nope! It's already been sterilized with a Bifenthrin drench and 200F steam
This is amazing info, thanks for sharing! 💜
You are so welcome!
Could I use sand from a nearby river and gravel from my driveway thats been crushed? And is there something I could use instead of perlite?
You could, just make sure the gravel is about 1/8" to 1/4" in diameter. And pumice is a great alternative to perlite!
@@Mountaincrestgardens ok thank you so much!