I am a chronic overwaterer and kill so many of my succulents with root rot / wet rot. 😭 I learned of Bonsai Jack and saw something about it being basically impossible to overwater succulents using it, so i was sold! I repotted all my succulents into only Bonsai Jack and felt like the world was mine...only to find about a month later that literally 80% of my collection was now dead from dry rot. 😭 I went from one extreme to the other extreme! I did my usual top watering, which was a horrible idea bc it's so amazing at draining and drying water out that the roots of all my plants had zero time to try to drink up some of the water. I tried bottom watering later on but for my succulents that didn't have deep roots (like most), I had to soak them in water over night that was basically all the way to the top of the pot for those short, shallow roots to be able to be in water long enough to soak it in. I loved not having any gnats in the house, but losing so many plants, I almost gave up all together on being a plant lady. I learned my lesson the hard way, so thank you for mentioning that Bonsai Jack is great BUT you have to be careful and bottom water. I now mix it in with maybe 30% to 40% cactus mix soil so there is more moisture retention. Thank you for your videos!
For what it’s worth, the plant roots aren’t sucking up the water when you bottom water. What’s actually happening, is that the soil is sucking the water up via capillary action (like how water will climb a paper towel if only the edge is dipped in) So leaving your plants in a tray of water for 15-20 mins will allow for the soil to totally fill with water and max out. The plant roots then soak up water from inside the soil.
I do a mix of peat, perlite and bark in different ratios depending on the plant. I tried Jack's for a Jade plant that needed repotting because it was too top heavy. It did not want to establish new roots, so I added the gritty mix to my basic mix and the plant is doing great now. I have some other succulents in gritty mix but they are much smaller and seem to love it.
Of the ones I tried in the Black Gold cacti and succulent mix, it was the ones that had thicker roots that seemed to take best to it. My thinner root succulents seemed to do a little better in the Jacks Gritty Mix.
Good advice in this video. I'll share some things I've observed; I'm pretty casual with soil mix, I keep small perlite, orchid bark, and premium mix handy and do a bunch of plants in one big session, judging by intuition or observed growth/watering behavior what they need as I go, throwing in a dash of this and a dash of that as I go. The only time it has failed is when the potting mix bag was not sealed properly and turns muddy from moisture, the bark and perlite cannot save it. I would also add that moisture-lovers like ferns and peace lillies still need a lot of oxygenation so I give them a lot of bark and just up the watering.
in the same vein, moisture haters like succulents and Zamioculcas, we can go overboard with the dryness, fearing rot, and reduce watering while also using a rocky potting mix but I find (well maybe its my climate, very humid, and yet our potting mix brands insist on major amounts of moisture-agents) using succulent/cacti mix causes me to lose them to dryness, it doesnt seem to hold water long enough for a good drink and makes the plant seem far needier than it ought to be.
Your succulent & cacti mix is similar to mine. However I use mine universally w/o any issues. 1 part succy/cacti soil to 1 part chicken grit. A LOT cheaper than captain jacks grit mix, readily available at feed stores, & its crushed granite so doesn't absorb water. 1 20 lb bag ($13) lasts me forever.
Thanks for the suggestion of using chicken grit. It is cheaper then Jacks but the feed store I went to had poultry grit with probiotics. Does the grit you use have probiotics in it?
@twinfin8571 TBH I never looked. I assume MOST of them do, since it is for chickens to ingest. So it must not matter one way or another, been using it forever, min of 7 years. Lol Sorry I couldn't help more.
@@cookienibz2578 . Thanks. The store said they have grit without probiotics……just grit in the ingredients. They were out of that so I bought the one with the probiotics. I figured the plants might like it . We’ll see. Lol
@@cookienibz2578 . Ok! I had already bought Jacks and realized it wasn’t going to go far. Then I bought the grit with the probiotics. And yesterday I found just plain chicken grit so I bought that! I think I’ll just mix all of them together and do my plants? At least now I know where to go for the grits. Thanks
Omg, such great info! I use my own mix very similarcto yours. I'm partial to philodendrons. Slowly moving my plants into this mix. I'm pretty new at this and spend a good deal of my time trying to learn more. Your videos play a big part in that. Thank you so much!❤
I just got a snake plant from a nursery (not a big box store), and the pot feels super heavy. It is my heaviest plant at 6.5lbs. You mentioned in another video repotting from the store if the medium is not right for that plant. Could my snake plant be in a basic, peaty mix? It definitely has perlite, but stays wet for days. I imagine succulent mix wouldn't be so heavy
This is the best video I’ve seen on this topic and explains how to fix some of the problems I’ve been having since switching most of my plants to a chunky aroid mix a few weeks ago. Thanks!
Hello! Thx for the video, it is the best in this topic. I have a question: which soil mix is the best for Diffenbachia and Strelitzia? Thank you for your reply!
You are by far my favourite. This video is brilliant, as are all of your videos. I really needed this one though. Thank you for helping plant parents so much 😊❤
I have a Tradescantia zebrina (who I have named Bethany) and I bought some organic potting mix that has humus, sphagnum peat moss and perlite. I was wondering if this is good for her or would this not work? I seen it mentions perlite which I saw in the basic potting mix in the video but I’m unsure about the other stuff. Any help is appreciated!!
Actually started using orchid clear pots with mix of soil and a chunky bit (i.e. depending on plant type) set over a layer of perlite at bottom of the cover pot it sits in. Have been getting crazy root growth from that, had to resize one 2" into a 3" in just a matter of weeks, and I'm thinking I need to move to a 4" by Dec. Crazy! Also, recently got into using Orchid bark, especially mixing into my more aroid-esque plants. Even for aeration and pests, I'd recomend at least a sprinkle of that mixed with perlite over charcoal.
Thank you for this fantastic info!!! So informative 💚 could you please tell me what mix suggestion you would use for a money tree plant?! Thank you again!!
I am so confused right now. Let me start at the beginning. Late last summer I got a Peace Lily and a St. Joseph's Coat Purple Prince. Both of them wanted well draining soil. I googled it and, based on what I read, mixed 3 parts of good potting soil with 1 part of perlite. I am having to water both plants about every 3 days because they are drying out so fast even though neither one is showing signs of needing to be repotted. Did I screw up my mixture? On another note, when you stated that horticultural charcoal filters out soil impurities, does that mean that it will filter out calcium and magnesium salts from hard well water? I don't think I'm ever going to get it figured out how to take care of my plants. On the up side, however, your mix for ferns sounds really good! Thank you! On another note, why did this video not show up in your videos listed on TH-cam? How many other videos are not showing up?
It’s showing up on my channel, you just have to go 6 months back. There’s 111 videos on there. Both of the plants you’re talking about have pretty high water demands so not surprised if you’re having to water them frequently. What size pot they are in will also effect how quickly they dry out. My Joseph’s Coat is in a 4” pot and I have to water it every approximately every 4 days.
@@AlohaPlantLife Ok. Both my Peace Lily and my St. Joseph's Coat are in 6" pots. I'm now up to having to water the St. Joseph's Coat every other day. When I repot them, I'm going to try your Forest Floor custom mix. At the very least, I will add 1 part of vermiculite to the mix I've been using. I have pumice on the way, and I can also get horticultural charcoal at my local nursery. I never even knew horticultural charcoal was a thing until I saw your video! I did some research, and it's amazing stuff!
Speaking of "Jungle floor" mix. When we moved from Ohio to dry and cold Utah I had been thinking a lot about my Calatheas and other Marantaceae family members. Inspired by Sean Onlyplants I spent a fortune to get all of "his" ingredients like specific dry leaves, ashes from rice straw, etc. After one year I noticed that plants in "my" ( almost the same as yours) mix are bigger than plants in "his". After 18 months the difference was gigantic. Yes, "my" plants had had some ups and downs like brown edges. "His" plants were remaining as beautiful as of a day one. But dwarf, if compared to mine. I wanted to bring this story to you just for the entertainment, to show how some people waisted their time and money.
Guys, please, do not use charcoal. Yes, it can absorb stuff, even bad things, but the charcoal itself cannot differentiate between good and bad for the plant, so it will also take away nutrients. So whatever is around the charcoal will turn out to be completely useless for the roots. The next thing, it cannot release whatever bad it captured. So you would need to swap it out like every two to four weeks. Also, the pH ranges from 4 to 10+, based on the supplier. You can easily lock your plant out of nutrients simply because the pH is either too high or too low.
Scientifically the threshold for that to be a problem is way higher than the amount I personally use in my mixes. Also, a reminder this is not activated charcoal which is more harmful to plants. It’s important to note too, that scientific studies show that the effects you’re describing can wear off in as little as two weeks, at which point it’s just serving its primary purpose of adding extra drainage. As for the pH, it’s always important to test the pH of all your soil and your water and adjust if needed (recently did a video all about pH).
You did it again ❤😊 gave us another amazing, great, informative video 📷. Thanks for sharing your valuable plant knowledge with us once again, and again, and again 💗 love it🌱💖🌿😉
I have been a long-time subscriber, but this is the first time I have watched this video! I'll say it again, you are one of the best researchers I have ever seen, thank you for being so informative, as always. My soil mixes are very similar, for the most part, but I do add earthworm castings, as I have a tendency to go a little long in between feeds. Are there any negative to the addition, in your opinion? Also, are you selling any of your warscewiczii props, to ship? I need one of those.
Because it’s not enough perlite ratio wise to everything else and as I explain in the video the pine bark is much chunkier and provides even better drainage than just the bark in the orchid bark mix which is much smaller and flatter💚
Hi, I am from India which is tropical so, I don't have pine barks here. What would your suggestion be? When I say tropical India is very diverse with all types of climates, my climate is dry mostly.
Which mix would you use for a Birds Nest? I just ordered all these products and some clear pots. I’m hoping not to kill so many of my plants from poor care. I’m pretty sure I over water so the clear pots will help with that. And planting in the correct soil. Thanks for this wonderful video. I’ve watched it 4 times and I took a ton of notes. Lol.
Bird’s Nest Fern is a slightly tricky one. In the wild they can grow as epiphytes, lithophytes, or terrestrial. So I would say either my epiphyte mix or my forest floor mix. It sounds like you’re saying you’re prone to overwatering so I would recommend trying the epiphyte mix for it first. Anyone else reading this who might be prone to underwatering, I would recommend trying the forest floor mix first. Hope this helps💚
@@AlohaPlantLife . Thanks so much. I’m feeling more confident cuz I actually thought I’d use the Epiphyte mix if I didn’t hear from you. I will say the plant is doing extremely well in the nursery pot I got it in so I’m leaving it alone till it needs repotting. I think the watering issue I suffer from will be much improved with the clear pots. Lol. I’m so grateful for all your information. It has helped me a lot. My plants appreciate you as well!
there is a coconut husk with chunks that's being sold in those bricks and they expand . great option to avoid buying additional barks as it has fine husk and the chunky bark husk mixed
Over time through lots of trial and error i've come to find a simple mixture of peat and pumice to work the best for virtually any plant. I simply vary the amounts based on the water preferences of the plant. Recently i've been experimenting with growing in 100% coco coir chips and have had extremely good growth, the only problem being the mixture is so light the plants have a hard time staying upright. So I think i'll stick to the peat/pumice until I find something else. I've heard of tropical fruit growers using 100% sand or 50/50 sand with pumice to grow the trees from seedling stage until they are ready to go into the ground. The old citrus and tropical fruit trees planted in Victorian greenhouses were almost always planted in a pure sand mixture, and have had great success!
Hi! Just received my first pothos golden cutting, which was rooted just in water. I’m trying to decide wether I should use leca or some other kind on potting soil. Can someone please give me an advice? I’m really new to this type of plants and I don’t want to mess it up🥺 P.S.:I promise to make updates if someone is interested. All the best wishes to every plant parent🤗
Something everyone should keep in mind about pine bark specifically, is that the compounds in soft woods/conifers can be toxic to animals and even plants in high enough concentrations if left to leach into water. I would never recommend using pine bark for anything that lives in bog like conditions, for structure and surface area in hydroponic gardens, or closed systems like terrariums, ripariums, paludariums, aquariums, or even just no-drainage pots. This means things like carnivorous plants, most mosses, very low growing wetland plants, emergent/marginal plants like cryptocoryne and anubias, true amphibious plants like bacopas, and even things like certain bulbs and aroids depending on how you keep them.
I do my own mixes, but just as of recently. I am a handful of this and a handful of that, a bit more of this, and maybe needs more of this, and definitely more of Coco Coir for those that need more water retention. I probably should be a bit more calculated, like you are- I’m working on it! Lol. I still would like to get some charcoal and i haven’t ever heard of the Jacks Gritty mix. I will definitely try to find that and get some. I’m struggling with a few succulents and I know it’s because I overwater them. It’s SO HARD for me not to! They look so dry I think they just need a sip of water. LOL, problem is my husband thinks the same thing and quickly they get watered several times in a week or 2. We are working on a system! Thanks for the incredibly detailed info on what plants need what soil. I REALLY appreciate that list. I took a screen shot of every one of your pages and put into my notes so I can reference it quickly in the future. Thanks a million! You just ROCK!!!
hey there!! i did a rescue mission on a colocasia milky way & it's been sitting in water for a few weeks and it's ready to be potted up- i have no idea what to do for its soil! i know it's an aroid, but the leaves seem way more delicate than a lot of my aroids, so i just want to be sure😅what do you think??
I too make my own mixtures. It's been trial and error and a few almost dead or dead plants but I'm finally getting it to where I feel I know what all of my plants need. I wanted to watch this video for my goeldlii. It needs to be repotted and since it's not a climbing plant, I wanted to know what mixture I should be using. Thankfully I already have a similar mixture made up! Thank you so much for these videos!
For all my mixes including the forest floor mix I make for my prayer plants, the potting soil part of the mix is a brand specific to a local store here called Calloways, but I linked it in the video description so you can see what’s in it and find something similar if you don’t have Calloways stores where you are located.
I already have all those ingredients used for other purposes. I have a couple plants I’d like to take outside in spring and fall (summer is really too hot) but I don’t do it cuz I don’t want to use commercial bug spray). Now I might consider it since I’m very comfortable with these organic ingredients. And I’ll be assured I’m not introducing something my indoor plants don’t want! (This was supposed to go on the pest control video….yikes!) I guess this video started while I sent my remark
You can go to the setting & slow it down a bit. It helps me out when my college professors post yt videos for online classes!
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Love your video, thank you so much. What would you recommend for a philodendron prince of orange (being an hybrid species not found in nature and not climbing) the epiphyte or forest floor mix? Muchas gracias 😊
Hi Drea. Thank you very much for taking the time and putting your energy into this very informative video. January 9, 2024 where I'm currently trying to take steps to get a handle on proper soil. I lost around 15 plants when I repotted this past summer using Kellogg All Natural Potting Mix Organic Plus and Fox Farm Ocean Forest. Soil selections at Big Box Stores are limited. It's very frustrating to lose my plants and money trying to find the right product. Sorry for the long comment. I just wanted to say thank you🪴
Hello, I have a white mold or fungus that develops on the top of my soil in my plants, is there a way to combat this I don’t know why this happens thank you so much
Hi! I love you tutorials, they are awesome! What is the plant in the corner behind you? I haven't been able to take care of my plants, but thanks to you, I want to try again.
I do not use worm castings. I would probably use my forest floor mix for a bird of paradise but honestly it would probably do fine in my basic mix as well
For string of pearls use cacti and succulent soil. Forest floor needs to be good draining as well because you don’t want it to get so wet that the roots don’t have enough oxygen.
for the pine bark is it safe to collect it in a pine forest ? and safe for charcoal, I have a fire place so would I be able to use charcoal from there or does it really have to be horticultural ?
Sorry for the late reply! I somehow overlooked this in my new comments alerts. You can certainly collect pine bark from the wild but just keep in mind there could be unseen pests on that bark so you might want to sterilize it before using it. It really needs to be horticultural charcoal as the process that creates the two are quite different and certain properties are lost when burning wood in your fireplace.
The horticultural charcoal is different from vegetal charcoal for BBQ use? If I use the BBQ charcoal would it work? I mean the charcoal before using in the BBQ, like if it was "brand new" and not in ashes
BBQ charcoal contains added chemicals to improve burning and those chemicals can be harmful to your plants. Horticultural charcoal does not contain any added chemicals.
Tree fern substrate. I recently bought some of this. It is a New Zealand sustainable product. Do you think this could be used for your forest floor mix? I have a lot of Alocasias Aglaonemas and Prayer plants??. I'm not finding much info on this substrate for these plants.
You are the first person I've heard use the Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix. I have been using it since I killed my first cactus last year. I absolutlely love this stuff! Although expensive, I still use it and mix it with Tree Fern and some Pumice (very little) for my Alocasia's, Anthuriums. Now I am not sure how that is working because I am new at it, but I feel like the benefits of what is in the Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix is better than anything you can buy out there and mix it with the proper soil for the plant. What are your thoughts?
5:45p would like to know your recommendation on the proper mix for a Brazil philodendron, a Monstera Adansoii and a Philodendron Birkin. Should I use the epiphyte mix for all? Thank you so much for all your help.
You certainly can use the epiphyte mix for all of them, though the Birkin might actually prefer the forest floor mix since it is more of a terrestrial philodendron💚
My plants and I thank you so much! I have learned so much by watching your videos. I am trying not to become obsessed with my tropicals but it is hard not to. 😊
Great video in detail. What I 've done is use store bought succulent & cacti mix and added amendments. They rot....regardless. I like your idea of using 50/50 for succulents that don't have well established roots and use griddy mix for fully established roots. How do we know if a root system is well established? Do you unpot it and check or do you strictly look at the type and size? Thanks.
Most cacti mixes have too much organic content. You get the best results with a loam and grit mixture that's completely mineral based. For some species a little fine compost can be added.
I am interested in trying the forest floor mix, which you say contains "premium potting mix". But the mix you show in the video appears not to have perlite in it. The mix I find available has perlite. So, it seems if I use that, it would be overkill to add more perlite to that. So, could you please explain what you mean by premium potting mix?
The premium potting mix that I buy I get from a local nursery here, and you are correct, it does not have pearlite mixed in it. So if you buy one that is soil and pearlite, you wouldn’t need to add as much perlite, if any, depending on how much the one you bought already has. I would recommend not adding any extra perlite to start with and once you’ve got everything mixed up, just look at it visually and compare it to mine and if it looks like mine has more perlite even after you’ve mixed everything up, then add a little bit more until it looks the same as mine, if that makes sense.
Hi I’m new here and a brand new plant mom. Could you please tell me what would be the best custom soil mix for my evergreen roses, tea roses, gold dust, nerve plant, false aralia, purple passion and Boston fern? Thanks so much🥰
I always water from the top and then I let it sit in the tray that I have it sitting in when I water it and if it needs to absorb more from the bottom it will. I don’t believe in one or the other if that makes sense
I've been using your blends for a couple of years now and they truly are amazing! I do have a question. Which do you recommend for things like Orchid Cactus, Lady of the Night Cactus, and Christmas/Thanksgiving/Spring Cactus? They aren't so much arid cacti. I have lost a smaller Christmas cactus I had in the Bonsai Jacks...but that could have been user error with not enough watering. Thank you!
3:56p EST wondering if you had any other recommendations for Premium potting mix. I noticed that Calloway’s does not have the capability to ship online orders to North Carolina.
You can see on their website the actual ingredients in their soil so I would try to find another brand with similar makeup. Black Gold would be a good brand to check for something similar. 💚
Thank you for your response. I did wind up buying some SunGro MM-830 and will see if that works. I went to your Amazon storefront and purchased some black gold orchid potting mix. Unfortunately as I was potting up some of my bromeliads as per your epiphyte mix ingredients, I noticed a skinny live worm jumping around in the orchid mix. I contacted the company and they had never heard of this. Have you? Concerned that the worms may eat my roots I will be sending the mix back. The Company still has not gotten back to me about if the worm is a safe situation. Would like to know your take.
@@katytata4063 I have never experienced that! But if it was a generic earthworm it wouldn’t eat roots. Just pop it outside in some grass to continue living its life💚
The company actually did get back to me and told me to send this while back, but I really like this mix a lot so I think I’ll just pick out worms. Thank you again.
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I am a chronic overwaterer and kill so many of my succulents with root rot / wet rot. 😭 I learned of Bonsai Jack and saw something about it being basically impossible to overwater succulents using it, so i was sold! I repotted all my succulents into only Bonsai Jack and felt like the world was mine...only to find about a month later that literally 80% of my collection was now dead from dry rot. 😭 I went from one extreme to the other extreme! I did my usual top watering, which was a horrible idea bc it's so amazing at draining and drying water out that the roots of all my plants had zero time to try to drink up some of the water. I tried bottom watering later on but for my succulents that didn't have deep roots (like most), I had to soak them in water over night that was basically all the way to the top of the pot for those short, shallow roots to be able to be in water long enough to soak it in. I loved not having any gnats in the house, but losing so many plants, I almost gave up all together on being a plant lady. I learned my lesson the hard way, so thank you for mentioning that Bonsai Jack is great BUT you have to be careful and bottom water. I now mix it in with maybe 30% to 40% cactus mix soil so there is more moisture retention. Thank you for your videos!
For what it’s worth, the plant roots aren’t sucking up the water when you bottom water.
What’s actually happening, is that the soil is sucking the water up via capillary action (like how water will climb a paper towel if only the edge is dipped in)
So leaving your plants in a tray of water for 15-20 mins will allow for the soil to totally fill with water and max out. The plant roots then soak up water from inside the soil.
Very helpful, I'm so glad I found this video. Thanks
You’re welcome!💚
I do a mix of peat, perlite and bark in different ratios depending on the plant. I tried Jack's for a Jade plant that needed repotting because it was too top heavy. It did not want to establish new roots, so I added the gritty mix to my basic mix and the plant is doing great now. I have some other succulents in gritty mix but they are much smaller and seem to love it.
Of the ones I tried in the Black Gold cacti and succulent mix, it was the ones that had thicker roots that seemed to take best to it. My thinner root succulents seemed to do a little better in the Jacks Gritty Mix.
Good advice in this video. I'll share some things I've observed;
I'm pretty casual with soil mix, I keep small perlite, orchid bark, and premium mix handy and do a bunch of plants in one big session, judging by intuition or observed growth/watering behavior what they need as I go, throwing in a dash of this and a dash of that as I go. The only time it has failed is when the potting mix bag was not sealed properly and turns muddy from moisture, the bark and perlite cannot save it. I would also add that moisture-lovers like ferns and peace lillies still need a lot of oxygenation so I give them a lot of bark and just up the watering.
in the same vein, moisture haters like succulents and Zamioculcas, we can go overboard with the dryness, fearing rot, and reduce watering while also using a rocky potting mix but I find (well maybe its my climate, very humid, and yet our potting mix brands insist on major amounts of moisture-agents) using succulent/cacti mix causes me to lose them to dryness, it doesnt seem to hold water long enough for a good drink and makes the plant seem far needier than it ought to be.
Your succulent & cacti mix is similar to mine. However I use mine universally w/o any issues. 1 part succy/cacti soil to 1 part chicken grit. A LOT cheaper than captain jacks grit mix, readily available at feed stores, & its crushed granite so doesn't absorb water. 1 20 lb bag ($13) lasts me forever.
Thanks for the suggestion of using chicken grit. It is cheaper then Jacks but the feed store I went to had poultry grit with probiotics. Does the grit you use have probiotics in it?
@twinfin8571 TBH I never looked. I assume MOST of them do, since it is for chickens to ingest. So it must not matter one way or another, been using it forever, min of 7 years. Lol Sorry I couldn't help more.
@@cookienibz2578 . Thanks. The store said they have grit without probiotics……just grit in the ingredients. They were out of that so I bought the one with the probiotics. I figured the plants might like it . We’ll see. Lol
@@twinfin8571 best of luck. If I could share a pic of what I get, I absolutely would, lol.
@@cookienibz2578 . Ok! I had already bought Jacks and realized it wasn’t going to go far. Then I bought the grit with the probiotics. And yesterday I found just plain chicken grit so I bought that! I think I’ll just mix all of them together and do my plants? At least now I know where to go for the grits. Thanks
Omg, such great info! I use my own mix very similarcto yours. I'm partial to philodendrons. Slowly moving my plants into this mix. I'm pretty new at this and spend a good deal of my time trying to learn more. Your videos play a big part in that. Thank you so much!❤
You’re welcome!💚
I just got a snake plant from a nursery (not a big box store), and the pot feels super heavy. It is my heaviest plant at 6.5lbs. You mentioned in another video repotting from the store if the medium is not right for that plant. Could my snake plant be in a basic, peaty mix? It definitely has perlite, but stays wet for days. I imagine succulent mix wouldn't be so heavy
I would definitely repot it into a succulent/cactus mix!!! It definitely needs something more griddy.
This is the best video I’ve seen on this topic and explains how to fix some of the problems I’ve been having since switching most of my plants to a chunky aroid mix a few weeks ago. Thanks!
Glad it helped!💚
Hello! Thx for the video, it is the best in this topic. I have a question: which soil mix is the best for Diffenbachia and Strelitzia? Thank you for your reply!
I would use forest floor mix for both💚
First reasonable comprehensive video i encountered
Thank you!💚
Thank you for this video; it's very helpful! :) I would like to know what mix to use with Dieffenbachia and Christmas Cactus.
Forest floor for the dieffenbachia. Christmas cactus I would do cacti and succulent soil
I would say epiphitic for Christmas cactus and forest floor for dieffenbachia after watching the video several time but not sure 🤷♀️
You are by far my favourite. This video is brilliant, as are all of your videos. I really needed this one though. Thank you for helping plant parents so much 😊❤
You’re very welcome!💚
Where do I put my Autograph tree and Cordyline - Green Ti plant. More research needed. 😮
I have a Tradescantia zebrina (who I have named Bethany) and I bought some organic potting mix that has humus, sphagnum peat moss and perlite. I was wondering if this is good for her or would this not work? I seen it mentions perlite which I saw in the basic potting mix in the video but I’m unsure about the other stuff. Any help is appreciated!!
What would be the best mix for a Philo Ring of Fire? I know they’re technically hemiepiphytes, right? Thank you!!! ❤️
So glad that I found this video! Thank you so much! Could you suggest what mix to use for cat palm?
Actually started using orchid clear pots with mix of soil and a chunky bit (i.e. depending on plant type) set over a layer of perlite at bottom of the cover pot it sits in. Have been getting crazy root growth from that, had to resize one 2" into a 3" in just a matter of weeks, and I'm thinking I need to move to a 4" by Dec. Crazy!
Also, recently got into using Orchid bark, especially mixing into my more aroid-esque plants. Even for aeration and pests, I'd recomend at least a sprinkle of that mixed with perlite over charcoal.
As a new plant momma this was a great video
Do you have a recommended mix for the money tree plant?
This video is so very, very helpful. So detailed. Thank you for sharing! ❤❤❤
You’re welcome💚
Thank you for this fantastic info!!! So informative 💚 could you please tell me what mix suggestion you would use for a money tree plant?! Thank you again!!
Please can you recommend a mixture for adenium
I am so confused right now. Let me start at the beginning. Late last summer I got a Peace Lily and a St. Joseph's Coat Purple Prince. Both of them wanted well draining soil. I googled it and, based on what I read, mixed 3 parts of good potting soil with 1 part of perlite. I am having to water both plants about every 3 days because they are drying out so fast even though neither one is showing signs of needing to be repotted. Did I screw up my mixture? On another note, when you stated that horticultural charcoal filters out soil impurities, does that mean that it will filter out calcium and magnesium salts from hard well water? I don't think I'm ever going to get it figured out how to take care of my plants. On the up side, however, your mix for ferns sounds really good! Thank you! On another note, why did this video not show up in your videos listed on TH-cam? How many other videos are not showing up?
It’s showing up on my channel, you just have to go 6 months back. There’s 111 videos on there. Both of the plants you’re talking about have pretty high water demands so not surprised if you’re having to water them frequently. What size pot they are in will also effect how quickly they dry out. My Joseph’s Coat is in a 4” pot and I have to water it every approximately every 4 days.
@@AlohaPlantLife Ok. Both my Peace Lily and my St. Joseph's Coat are in 6" pots. I'm now up to having to water the St. Joseph's Coat every other day. When I repot them, I'm going to try your Forest Floor custom mix. At the very least, I will add 1 part of vermiculite to the mix I've been using. I have pumice on the way, and I can also get horticultural charcoal at my local nursery. I never even knew horticultural charcoal was a thing until I saw your video! I did some research, and it's amazing stuff!
Speaking of "Jungle floor" mix.
When we moved from Ohio to dry and cold Utah I had been thinking a lot about my Calatheas and other Marantaceae family members. Inspired by Sean Onlyplants I spent a fortune to get all of "his" ingredients like specific dry leaves, ashes from rice straw, etc.
After one year I noticed that plants in "my" ( almost the same as yours) mix are bigger than plants in "his". After 18 months the difference was gigantic. Yes, "my" plants had had some ups and downs like brown edges. "His" plants were remaining as beautiful as of a day one. But dwarf, if compared to mine.
I wanted to bring this story to you just for the entertainment, to show how some people waisted their time and money.
Guys, please, do not use charcoal. Yes, it can absorb stuff, even bad things, but the charcoal itself cannot differentiate between good and bad for the plant, so it will also take away nutrients. So whatever is around the charcoal will turn out to be completely useless for the roots. The next thing, it cannot release whatever bad it captured. So you would need to swap it out like every two to four weeks. Also, the pH ranges from 4 to 10+, based on the supplier. You can easily lock your plant out of nutrients simply because the pH is either too high or too low.
Scientifically the threshold for that to be a problem is way higher than the amount I personally use in my mixes. Also, a reminder this is not activated charcoal which is more harmful to plants. It’s important to note too, that scientific studies show that the effects you’re describing can wear off in as little as two weeks, at which point it’s just serving its primary purpose of adding extra drainage. As for the pH, it’s always important to test the pH of all your soil and your water and adjust if needed (recently did a video all about pH).
Your plants are so beautiful. So I guess your soil mix works. Horticultural charcoal will be going in my mix also.
Thank you so much. Explanation was so beautiful and simple. Need to play this video again and again to understand in detail...Om Shanti
Glad it was helpful!💚
Thank you for this very helpful video! Which mix would you use for a cyclamen, and for the Sensitive fern?
Basic mix will work well for both💚
hey! I'm trying to repot my marante but I'm struggling to find a good soil mix for them, could you give me some tips? :)
I use my forest floor mix💚
You did it again ❤😊 gave us another amazing, great, informative video 📷. Thanks for sharing your valuable plant knowledge with us once again, and again, and again 💗 love it🌱💖🌿😉
Would your forest floor mix be the appropriate choice for an imperial red philodendron? What would you recommend?
Forest floor mix is what I would go with💚
What an excellent and informative video! Thank you so much for posting!❤
Hello from Puerto Rico!!! Very informative video. I also use vermiculite.
I’m confused which soul would I use for dumb cane & Chinese evergreen plants
Those are scientifically known as Dieffenbachia and Aglaonema, and I use my forest floor mix for those.💚
@@AlohaPlantLife Thank You Than You so much
I have been a long-time subscriber, but this is the first time I have watched this video! I'll say it again, you are one of the best researchers I have ever seen, thank you for being so informative, as always. My soil mixes are very similar, for the most part, but I do add earthworm castings, as I have a tendency to go a little long in between feeds. Are there any negative to the addition, in your opinion? Also, are you selling any of your warscewiczii props, to ship? I need one of those.
Adding some worm castings should be fine. I think I already answered your question about the Calathea on Instagram or Facebook
Hi there thank you so much for this video! I’m not sure what soil mix I should use for a Petra croton (codiaeum) plant?
Forest floor mix💚
@@AlohaPlantLife thank you!!
Hello! I was looking for Hoya soil mix… did I miss it in the video?
It’s the epiphyte mix💚
For your Epiphyte mix,
Why do you add the orchid mix (which is bark and perlite) - and then continue to add bark and perlite?
Because it’s not enough perlite ratio wise to everything else and as I explain in the video the pine bark is much chunkier and provides even better drainage than just the bark in the orchid bark mix which is much smaller and flatter💚
What mix is best for a Colocasia esculenta?
Forest floor mix💚
Hi, I am from India which is tropical so, I don't have pine barks here. What would your suggestion be?
When I say tropical India is very diverse with all types of climates, my climate is dry mostly.
Very informative 👍
Which mix would you use for a Birds Nest? I just ordered all these products and some clear pots. I’m hoping not to kill so many of my plants from poor care. I’m pretty sure I over water so the clear pots will help with that. And planting in the correct soil. Thanks for this wonderful video. I’ve watched it 4 times and I took a ton of notes. Lol.
Bird’s Nest Fern is a slightly tricky one. In the wild they can grow as epiphytes, lithophytes, or terrestrial. So I would say either my epiphyte mix or my forest floor mix. It sounds like you’re saying you’re prone to overwatering so I would recommend trying the epiphyte mix for it first. Anyone else reading this who might be prone to underwatering, I would recommend trying the forest floor mix first. Hope this helps💚
@@AlohaPlantLife . Thanks so much. I’m feeling more confident cuz I actually thought I’d use the Epiphyte mix if I didn’t hear from you. I will say the plant is doing extremely well in the nursery pot I got it in so I’m leaving it alone till it needs repotting. I think the watering issue I suffer from will be much improved with the clear pots. Lol. I’m so grateful for all your information. It has helped me a lot. My plants appreciate you as well!
@@twinfin8571 You’re welcome💚
there is a coconut husk with chunks that's being sold in those bricks and they expand . great option to avoid buying additional barks as it has fine husk and the chunky bark husk mixed
Coco coir- it’s better for the environment than peat moss- at least that’s my understanding.
Over time through lots of trial and error i've come to find a simple mixture of peat and pumice to work the best for virtually any plant. I simply vary the amounts based on the water preferences of the plant. Recently i've been experimenting with growing in 100% coco coir chips and have had extremely good growth, the only problem being the mixture is so light the plants have a hard time staying upright. So I think i'll stick to the peat/pumice until I find something else.
I've heard of tropical fruit growers using 100% sand or 50/50 sand with pumice to grow the trees from seedling stage until they are ready to go into the ground. The old citrus and tropical fruit trees planted in Victorian greenhouses were almost always planted in a pure sand mixture, and have had great success!
Hi! Just received my first pothos golden cutting, which was rooted just in water. I’m trying to decide wether I should use leca or some other kind on potting soil. Can someone please give me an advice? I’m really new to this type of plants and I don’t want to mess it up🥺
P.S.:I promise to make updates if someone is interested. All the best wishes to every plant parent🤗
Something everyone should keep in mind about pine bark specifically, is that the compounds in soft woods/conifers can be toxic to animals and even plants in high enough concentrations if left to leach into water. I would never recommend using pine bark for anything that lives in bog like conditions, for structure and surface area in hydroponic gardens, or closed systems like terrariums, ripariums, paludariums, aquariums, or even just no-drainage pots. This means things like carnivorous plants, most mosses, very low growing wetland plants, emergent/marginal plants like cryptocoryne and anubias, true amphibious plants like bacopas, and even things like certain bulbs and aroids depending on how you keep them.
Which soil should be used for Ficus Elastica & Ficus Altissima?
You can use basic mix or forest floor for those.
Thank you! 😊
I do my own mixes, but just as of recently. I am a handful of this and a handful of that, a bit more of this, and maybe needs more of this, and definitely more of Coco Coir for those that need more water retention. I probably should be a bit more calculated, like you are- I’m working on it! Lol. I still would like to get some charcoal and i haven’t ever heard of the Jacks Gritty mix. I will definitely try to find that and get some. I’m struggling with a few succulents and I know it’s because I overwater them. It’s SO HARD for me not to! They look so dry I think they just need a sip of water. LOL, problem is my husband thinks the same thing and quickly they get watered several times in a week or 2. We are working on a system! Thanks for the incredibly detailed info on what plants need what soil. I REALLY appreciate that list. I took a screen shot of every one of your pages and put into my notes so I can reference it quickly in the future. Thanks a million! You just ROCK!!!
Hola, qué contiene mix de Orquídea? Yo siempre uso corteza pino solamente. Agradecida si contesta.
What would you recommend for a Japanese Everfresh tree? Thank you!
hey there!! i did a rescue mission on a colocasia milky way & it's been sitting in water for a few weeks and it's ready to be potted up- i have no idea what to do for its soil! i know it's an aroid, but the leaves seem way more delicate than a lot of my aroids, so i just want to be sure😅what do you think??
What kind of mix would you recommend to use for crotons?
I use my basic mix for Crotons.
Hello! What type of soil do you recommend for a fiddle leaf plant and bamboo? Thanks for a great video
Could you show us how you store all of your plant soils and supplies? I need a better way! 😂
Is it okay to use cider mulch to cover the garden and mix it in the garden at the end of the season .
What soil is more convenient to use in a Pot that's gonna be Water from the Top? I'll think about the plants I put there later 💚🌱
Thanks for your advice!😄
You're so welcome!💚 Thank you!
I too make my own mixtures. It's been trial and error and a few almost dead or dead plants but I'm finally getting it to where I feel I know what all of my plants need. I wanted to watch this video for my goeldlii. It needs to be repotted and since it's not a climbing plant, I wanted to know what mixture I should be using. Thankfully I already have a similar mixture made up! Thank you so much for these videos!
What brand of soil pre made mix do you use for your marantas and calatheas?
For all my mixes including the forest floor mix I make for my prayer plants, the potting soil part of the mix is a brand specific to a local store here called Calloways, but I linked it in the video description so you can see what’s in it and find something similar if you don’t have Calloways stores where you are located.
@@AlohaPlantLife thank you 🤗
Wow, what a great and helpful video! Love it, thank you very much!👌🏻😊💖
Under which category or potting mix would you put dieffenbachias/dumb canes?
Forest floor mix
May I know what brand of Orchid Potting mix you use for Epiphyte Mix n Premium Potting Mix for Forest Floor Mix? Thanks
It’s Black Gold
Why not use cinders?
I already have all those ingredients used for other purposes. I have a couple plants I’d like to take outside in spring and fall (summer is really too hot) but I don’t do it cuz I don’t want to use commercial bug spray). Now I might consider it since I’m very comfortable with these organic ingredients. And I’ll be assured I’m not introducing something my indoor plants don’t want! (This was supposed to go on the pest control video….yikes!) I guess this video started while I sent my remark
I love your show, but please slow down when talking and measuring out the ingredients. Can't keep up
You can go to the setting & slow it down a bit. It helps me out when my college professors post yt videos for online classes!
Love your video, thank you so much. What would you recommend for a philodendron prince of orange (being an hybrid species not found in nature and not climbing) the epiphyte or forest floor mix? Muchas gracias 😊
I would use the forest floor mix💚
Hi Drea. Thank you very much for taking the time and putting your energy into this very informative video. January 9, 2024 where I'm currently trying to take steps to get a handle on proper soil. I lost around 15 plants when I repotted this past summer using Kellogg All Natural Potting Mix Organic Plus and Fox Farm Ocean Forest. Soil selections at Big Box Stores are limited. It's very frustrating to lose my plants and money trying to find the right product. Sorry for the long comment. I just wanted to say thank you🪴
You’re welcome and I hope everything works out well💚
Thanks for this video! What kind of soil can be used with Schlumbergera?
I would probably go with cacti and succulent soil💚
Your straight to the point approach is refreshing. Subscribed.
Thank you!
Hi! Such detailed video, loved it. What do you suggest for small syngonium cuttings?
Forest floor mix
I loved your presentation so much! I'm definitely going to transplant some things into a more fitting "soil". Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!💚
Hello, I have a white mold or fungus that develops on the top of my soil in my plants, is there a way to combat this I don’t know why this happens thank you so much
Usually this means you are watering too frequently and/or the plant isn’t getting enough light. Adjust accordingly and it should stop happening💚
this is so helpful! which would you use for philodendron micans? forest floor mix? thank you!
I use my epiphyte mix for my Micans💚
As always, highly informative! Thank you!
Hi! I love you tutorials, they are awesome! What is the plant in the corner behind you? I haven't been able to take care of my plants, but thanks to you, I want to try again.
Thank you! That’s my Scindapsus pictus ‘Exotica’
Hello, what soil mix should I be using for pothos plants thanks
Epiphyte mix💚
Do you use worm castings in any of your mixes? What do you recommend for bird of paradise?
I do not use worm castings. I would probably use my forest floor mix for a bird of paradise but honestly it would probably do fine in my basic mix as well
What soil should I use for string of pearls? Also why does the forest floor need good drainage and soil retention?
For string of pearls use cacti and succulent soil. Forest floor needs to be good draining as well because you don’t want it to get so wet that the roots don’t have enough oxygen.
for the pine bark is it safe to collect it in a pine forest ?
and safe for charcoal, I have a fire place so would I be able to use charcoal from there or does it really have to be horticultural ?
Sorry for the late reply! I somehow overlooked this in my new comments alerts. You can certainly collect pine bark from the wild but just keep in mind there could be unseen pests on that bark so you might want to sterilize it before using it. It really needs to be horticultural charcoal as the process that creates the two are quite different and certain properties are lost when burning wood in your fireplace.
Would a Croton Petra be considered a forest floor plant?
Yes💚
The horticultural charcoal is different from vegetal charcoal for BBQ use?
If I use the BBQ charcoal would it work? I mean the charcoal before using in the BBQ, like if it was "brand new" and not in ashes
BBQ charcoal contains added chemicals to improve burning and those chemicals can be harmful to your plants. Horticultural charcoal does not contain any added chemicals.
@@AlohaPlantLife oh ok didnt know that
thanks for letting me know!
Really helpful video, thank you! What potting mix would be recommended for a kalanchoe? What about a hypoestes (polka dot plant)?
Cacti and succulent soil for the kalanchoe and forest floor or basic mix for the hypoestes 💚
Thank you! 💚
Tree fern substrate. I recently bought some of this. It is a New Zealand sustainable product. Do you think this could be used for your forest floor mix? I have a lot of Alocasias Aglaonemas and Prayer plants??. I'm not finding much info on this substrate for these plants.
You would still want to add extra drainage components to it, so for example, the bark, charcoal, perlite.
@AlohaPlantLife Thanks Drea 💗
You are the first person I've heard use the Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix. I have been using it since I killed my first cactus last year. I absolutlely love this stuff! Although expensive, I still use it and mix it with Tree Fern and some Pumice (very little) for my Alocasia's, Anthuriums. Now I am not sure how that is working because I am new at it, but I feel like the benefits of what is in the Bonsai Jack Gritty Mix is better than anything you can buy out there and mix it with the proper soil for the plant. What are your thoughts?
I’ve used it in my basic mix before when I was out of perlite and didn’t want to go to the store and it’s worked well💚
It's missing loam to be a proper desert cactus substrate though. The organic content is questionable as well for certain species.
Really great video! Super helpful
So which soul to use for a rubber tree? I know they are ficus but seem to need different care
I use my basic mix for all of mine and they’ve done fine.
Which mix would you use for a birkin?
Forest floor mix
5:45p would like to know your recommendation on the proper mix for a Brazil philodendron, a Monstera Adansoii and a Philodendron Birkin. Should I use the epiphyte mix for all? Thank you so much for all your help.
You certainly can use the epiphyte mix for all of them, though the Birkin might actually prefer the forest floor mix since it is more of a terrestrial philodendron💚
My plants and I thank you so much! I have learned so much by watching your videos. I am trying not to become obsessed with my tropicals but it is hard not to. 😊
Great video in detail. What I 've done is use store bought succulent & cacti mix and added amendments. They rot....regardless.
I like your idea of using 50/50 for succulents that don't have well established roots and use griddy mix for fully established roots. How do we know if a root system is well established? Do you unpot it and check or do you strictly look at the type and size? Thanks.
I always slide the plant out of the pot and check to see how the roots are looking
Most cacti mixes have too much organic content. You get the best results with a loam and grit mixture that's completely mineral based. For some species a little fine compost can be added.
I am interested in trying the forest floor mix, which you say contains "premium potting mix". But the mix you show in the video appears not to have perlite in it. The mix I find available has perlite. So, it seems if I use that, it would be overkill to add more perlite to that. So, could you please explain what you mean by premium potting mix?
The premium potting mix that I buy I get from a local nursery here, and you are correct, it does not have pearlite mixed in it. So if you buy one that is soil and pearlite, you wouldn’t need to add as much perlite, if any, depending on how much the one you bought already has. I would recommend not adding any extra perlite to start with and once you’ve got everything mixed up, just look at it visually and compare it to mine and if it looks like mine has more perlite even after you’ve mixed everything up, then add a little bit more until it looks the same as mine, if that makes sense.
Thank you for the prompt reply. You're idea does make sense, so that is what I will try.
Thank you for the informative videos
You are so welcome!💚
Hi I’m new here and a brand new plant mom. Could you please tell me what would be the best custom soil mix for my evergreen roses, tea roses, gold dust, nerve plant, false aralia, purple passion and Boston fern? Thanks so much🥰
Honestly, basic mix would work for all of those
@@AlohaPlantLifethank you so much🥰
For citrus plantes do you use the same mix
I would use my basic mix for citrus plants💚
On the Epiphyte mix do you water from the top or will it absorb water from the bottom?
I always water from the top and then I let it sit in the tray that I have it sitting in when I water it and if it needs to absorb more from the bottom it will. I don’t believe in one or the other if that makes sense
@@AlohaPlantLifeThat makes prefect sense. Thank you!! I have learned a lot from your video and I will continue to watch!!
I've been using your blends for a couple of years now and they truly are amazing! I do have a question. Which do you recommend for things like Orchid Cactus, Lady of the Night Cactus, and Christmas/Thanksgiving/Spring Cactus? They aren't so much arid cacti. I have lost a smaller Christmas cactus I had in the Bonsai Jacks...but that could have been user error with not enough watering. Thank you!
They are jungle type cacti, so epiphyte mix works well. They actually have very similar care to some orchids.
Great presentation! Thank you
You’re welcome!💚
Can i use any tree dried and aged bark
I don’t see any reason why not💚
3:56p EST wondering if you had any other recommendations for Premium potting mix. I noticed that Calloway’s does not have the capability to ship online orders to North Carolina.
You can see on their website the actual ingredients in their soil so I would try to find another brand with similar makeup. Black Gold would be a good brand to check for something similar. 💚
Thank you for your response. I did wind up buying some SunGro MM-830 and will see if that works. I went to your Amazon storefront and purchased some black gold orchid potting mix. Unfortunately as I was potting up some of my bromeliads as per your epiphyte mix ingredients, I noticed a skinny live worm jumping around in the orchid mix. I contacted the company and they had never heard of this. Have you? Concerned that the worms may eat my roots I will be sending the mix back. The Company still has not gotten back to me about if the worm is a safe situation. Would like to know your take.
@@katytata4063 I have never experienced that! But if it was a generic earthworm it wouldn’t eat roots. Just pop it outside in some grass to continue living its life💚
The company actually did get back to me and told me to send this while back, but I really like this mix a lot so I think I’ll just pick out worms. Thank you again.
Very good video love it
Thank you!💚
Hi there again, what would be a good soil mix for a fittonia?
Forest floor mix💚
@@AlohaPlantLife thank you 💕
Hello, any suggestions on soil mix for a Calathea houseplant? Thx!
Forest floor mix💚
@@AlohaPlantLife thank you!
I totally missed it during your video initially…went to look again. 😊