Because I hate perlite and pumice is too expensive, I've discovered chicken grit. Yes, chicken grit (or poultry grit.) It's insoluble granite that gets fed to chickens to aid in digestion. It's just rocks, and it's so great in my soil mix. You can get quite large bags at most tractor supply or farm supply type stores, and it's pretty darn cheap.
Off to buy orchid bark! I can’t tell you how many times I say “Harli does it like this” when I’m talking about my plants to my mom and sister. You’re such a wealth of knowledge!! Love the video
mosquito bits are in every one of my plants because of my fungus gnat problem. For folks scrolling down: you have to water the soil thoroughly for them to be effective.
After watering my plants that had mosquito bits in them I noticed some mold or something fuzzy growing from the mosquito bits. Is that normal? Did I mess something up? Thanks☺
Great video! I do a really similar mix for my houseplants. I use coconut coir, activate charcoal, worm castings, wood chips, perlite, and a basic potting soil. I don't use orchid bark as it is so expensive to buy out here. A small 1/2lb bag is around $18, so I get a huge 30lb bag of wood chips from the hardware store for $4. I get a big tub of activated charcoal from the pet store as it is way cheaper than buying at the garden centre (used in aquariums). Coconut coir and perlite I find at the garden centres for a good price, and worm castings from a local nursery I think is the most expensive part of the mix. I throw it all into a big storage bin and it is super easy access for when I need to plant up anything. It is a lot of running around, unless you order off amazon, but I find it cheaper than finding a high quality potting mix and then still adding stuff to make it better draining.Also I do it at the beginning of the growing season, and I'm set. I live in a supper muggy/humid environment and I find this mix works for the majority of my plants, and I have never had an overwatering issue (except when I had a friend plant sit while I was on vacation... that was fun coming home to). I had fungus gnats from that, which I struggled with for weeks, but I picked up some carnivorous plants and now that is a non-issue. Plus I'm more of an underwater-er, versus an overwater-er. My plants seem super happy on this mix, and I also have less pest issues on my plants since I started making my own, as I think a lot of bugs come in from tropical soil mixes.
What size bark do you use? I had bought a bag for 7e and then returned as I thought the pieces were too small, but now I'm thinking they were actally just fine. It was pine and also had a little bit of spagnhum moss.
@@Kit32991 Hi Sarah :) . Small bark size is more than fine. It is mostly there to aerate the soil so it doesn't become heavy and compact from watering. So small pieces should be just fine. Usually it is larger pieces you would want to avoid.
I have been fighting fungus gnats all summer. I use traps for the adults which work very well, using cider vinegar and orange juice but they’re unsightly. I bought mosquito bits and since I plan to do repotting today, I thank you for the reminder to use them.
You’re a life saver! I bought an infected plant last year, and when I noticed, it was too late. All my plants were swarming with fungus gnats. I let them dry out for a while. I tried so many things. I finally got rid of them, but now I want to give all my plants fresh new soil. I just ordered mosquito bits to prevent this from happening again. Wish I would have known this before to save the plants I lost.
I've heard those bits can mold after a while of being in potted media. So I prefer to infuse water with them and water my plants with the water. Just a tip
I do the same @Stephen. The bits are only potent for single use so you'd need to keep adding them to the soil to completely eradicate. The container gives instructions for soaking in water and I usually do that for the first 2 waterings after repotting
Bought mosquito bits completely because of your recommendations about them & am hoping I can eradicate my pesky soil gnats soon. I always amend with perlite but am thinking about using some orchid bark because I’ve been seeing so many people issuing it lately. Loved this video.
Where I live is super humid most of the year, so even for my plants that love moisture, the mix I usually use is at least half pumice/perlite. Most of my succulents are in mixes that are just bark, pumice, and charcoal, with no actual soil or compost, and that helps a lot when it's humid and you're an over-waterer like me!
@@Harizx3 i mostly just mix until it feels right.... that said, my general mix is roughly 1/3 water retention, 2/3 drainage. For aroids I use a mix of peat, coco coir, coco husk chunks, and worm castings for water retention. Then for drainage I use pine bark, pumice, perlite, charcoal, and leca. If all you can get your hands on is premixed potting soil, orchid bark, and perlite, all of which should be at any nursery, you're still good! use one part each, and you should be at a really good mix to start with - you can play around with ratios from there depending on how much time/attention you want to give your plants, how much light and fresh air they get, etc. I hope this helps!!
What would you say has been the best pre mixed potting soil you have used? How much would you say your monthly cost for potting soil is as well? I'm just curious. 💚🌿💚🤗 that would be a good video of what your monthly cost is to take care of your house plants!
I never thought of integrating mosquito bits into my mix from the beginning, but what a great idea, thank you! Would love to see a video about bringing your plants inside for autumn as well as how you supplement lighting! I really enjoy watching your videos!
I prefer pumice over perlite, too, for the same reasons. And you’re right. It IS annoying when it floats to the top. 😅 Good tip about moistening the orchid bark. When I can’t find it locally, I have to get orchid mix. And the wood chunks in it are a lot bigger. I’ll have to look into the Mosquito Bits.
I love Black Gold, I have found it to be my favorite potting soil. I haven't tried the organic one yet, maybe because where I buy my soil they don't have the organic one or I haven't paid attention. Next bag will be the organic mix. I love to add the perlite, but would also love to try the pumice. I love a good airy mix, all of my plants seem to like it. Thanks Harli, a lot of great information and tips.
I'm still a newbie with plants. I didn't know they attract these tiny mosquito like flies and I'm going crazy on how to get rid of them!! I just purchased the mosquito bits and I'm hoping that will do the job!! I love your videos!!! But they are so addicting lol I'm buying 1 plant in almost every store I walk into and see they have plants for sale 😅 I love your collection ❤
Blackgold is also my favorite brand... for some reason, only Fred Meyer has it or order online and pay for ridiculous shipping cost! Anyway, as far as orchid bark mix, I recommend Gubler Orchids brand sold at Lowe’s. They have coarse and fine size. The fine size especially is good for what you are trying to achieve, I think. I mix it to my soil, using it for pretty much everything. Especially Hoya, and of course orchids (my main collection about 65% of them), this one is must have for me.
Since I live in the Philippines, my soil mixture consists of the ff: Pumice, Coco Cubes and Organic Garden Soil from a local nursery (it has worm castings and coco peat as well).
Hey Harli, I kept thinking about you to use mask while dealing with perlite as I saw in one of the TH-cam video about perlite dust not to be inhaled. I was just worried for you and the baby. Take care and thank you for the video. Love from India💛
Always good to know your products. One thing against perlite goes down the path many green thumbs want to follow, not using "dirty" products. To create perlite an insane amount of energy is used to expand glass. Peat is also a bad one, as dirty as mining coal. Disturbing stable soil carbon and creating a quicker path for change to gaseous forms, more carbon in the atmosphere.
Thanks for such an informative soil mixture video. Luckily I have a nursery near me that carries everything but espoma products. So I will be mixing my own soil from now on. Btw, I was happy to see your Monstera because I have the same one and so far only one of the many leaves that have sprouted is split. I've only had the Monstera for about 3 months and I understand the leaves take almost 2-3 years to split on a regular basis.
Great and thoughtful words put into this video content. There is actually a soil mix known as the ABG Mix(Atlanta Botanical Garden Mix) which is quite popular amongst terrarium/paludarium hobbyists. Not sure if you have heard about it.
I've always used Miracle Grow and I haven't had any issues. I have been cutting it with more moss and some sand the last year or so but I def want to get some pumice and orchid bark now and try that! Especially for my Fern. I'm a forgetful water-er, especially in January-Feburary. Everyone throws a fit and gets a little dreary (except the christmas cacuts, which has bloomed every January since I've had it to remind us all that life is worth living). Plus light is a struggle at my current house. Its all trial and error and I LOVE that you're sharing with us! Such great tips!
Definitely like to add coco bark, like the shredded stuff. so much better than moss if you use that and keep the soil nice and wall hydrated when you water.
Thank you so much for this video. I'm going to be re-potting a ZZ plant today. I'm going to either Lowe's or Home Depot to see if I can get a bag of Pumice.
Lately, I've been making my own mix for philodendrons with coir as the base. I like Promix but not as available as it was 2 yrs ago. Black Gold cactus mix was the best I tried for cacti/succulents and pumice is indispensable.
PUMICE OR POULTRY GRIT are great vs. PERLITE! If you have to use PERLITE, rinse it before you use! In time perlite breaks down to dust and eventually clogs your soil and prevents your plants roots from getting oxygen! Perlite rising to the top should be the least of anyones concern.
I use mosquito bits but have resisted adding them directly into my soil mixes. I have read that this can lead to mold (specifically the mosquito bits molding). I was wondering what your thoughts and experiences have been with this?
Hi Harli, thanks for the video. I’m a new plant mom. Can I make a large quantity and store in a large air tight plastic container? Otherwise I will have all these bags that I would still need to store. Thanks for the response.
If you want to use worm castings separately because it’s not in the potting mix you use, or you’re not using potting mix at all (like if you use coir etc), always add activated/horticultural charcoal, because if you don’t you will get mouldy soil! The potting mixes that have worm castings included and other organic fertilisers tend to have agents included in the mix, like charcoal, to prevent mould 😊
I've just started used horticultural charcoal and haven't seen any mold since. I mix mine into the whole mix but I've often wondered if it's better to layer on the bottom?
Lisa A I always mix it in, but I haven’t tried it at the bottom before, so I couldn’t say for certain, but I imagine it works best mixed in to maximise its contact with the organic compounds that might cause mold!
@@rachaelfitzpatrick8574 Yes. I heard it can keep your soil fresh but I didn't realize it could prevent mold. I think you're right. In the past I was confused when I made a mix from scratch without it, repotted a plant and immediately had mold the next day.
Thank you so much for the mosquito bits. Been struggling with gnats. Tried adding top sand and placing stickies. They worked but did not eradicate completely. How often should I use fish fertilizer for my indoor.plants?
Hey Harli!! Thank you for this, am watching again as I am preparing to repot for spring :) but really appreciate all your videos!! I don't quite understand whether the bark retains water or helps with drainage.. 🙈 I understand it's oxygen purpose but what happens with water? For instance, will it be suitable for a cactus mix? Also, have you ever used clay pebbles? Do those have a similar purpose as pumice or perlite? Thank you so much 🙈😅😊
Harli says "if I have 6 pumice pebbles I'm goin' use'em dang it!"😂 Love ya Plant Mama! Let nothing go to waste. 👍 P.S. Thinking of making a plant video titled "Peat Is The Source Of All Plant Evil"... I really despise that stuff 😄
@Bebe In short: Peat mining is horrible for the environment and not sustainable. It breaks down and forms a built-in all you can eat buffet for fungus nats. It's highly acidic. It compacts, becomes hydrophobic and destroys root systems. I've replaced the peat component in my soil mix with coco coir. It is an answer to every problem caused by peat
@@petercardona1559 same! I've been using coco coir more and i love it. it's even been doing a really good job with my outdoor veggies in pots this summer!
@@daniellec9083 I usually buy it on Amazon and get the stuff labeled for reptile enclosures. It's usually cheaper than the stuff marketed as growing medium, and exactly the same. It is more expensive than peat, but not ridiculous. I think I last paid 10 bucks for a 24qt bag of Coco coir.
I never knew pumice was pricey in the US. Here in the Philippines it's about $15 for a 20kg sack. Then again we do have more volcanoes around here making it more available to the public. You can barely find perlite here, and if you can it's expensive haha. We should do whatever works in our area that'll keep our plant babies happy anyway ❤️
Brilliant to put mosquito bits right in the soil!! We are battling a fungus gnat infestation now and it is a pain in the ass. I am top dressing and pushing in mosquito bits into existing soil...
For the fungus gnats get the small pumice stones Harli is talking about and use it as top dressing covering all soil. The gnats are soft bodied and have a problem getting in and out of the rocks to lay eggs and for the hatched eggs to get out. As for the mosquito bits...use them to make a tea. Soak the bits in warm water for 20 -30 minutes. Drain the bits and use the bit water to water your plants as you normally would.
Hello I just discovered your videos I like them very much, I’m using the mosquito bites but I found that if I put in the soil it creates fungus and I don’t see results eliminating fungus gnats I saw in the recomendaciones that work better disolved in water.
Hey Harli. Maybe you could do a video about cleaning salts, minerals and mold off of terracota pots that have plants in them. I don't know if it happens to you, but my terracota pots don't look that nice
I really like the Espoma organic potting mix, and I've been a gardener and houseplant enthusiast for many decades. I am going to get that Mosquito Bit product for sure as I have gnats and I saw some in one of my Beefsteak Begonias, I have been sucking them up with my vacuum cleaner when they are on the walls.
Do you add mosquito bits to your water and let it steep? I’ve seen/read that some people have put mosquito bits in a cheese cloth or something to the plants water and let it soak. And also add plant food to the water. Was wondering your input. Oh, My water is in a water container, that I keep a (fish tank) air pump/aerator. Then I add my plant food and a baggie of mosquito bits. I let it sit. Test the ph and then feed my plants. Hopefully, it goes well. NOTE: not feeding all my plants this just in case! Lol Anyways, have you heard of steeping the mosquito bits in water and adding plant food to the water?! Pro’s? Con’s? Another side note: love the idea of adding to the soil but the reason why I’m trying the steeping is because adding the bits to the top of the soil may cause it to mold.....(will it mold mixed into the soil? 🤔)
Mixing the mosquito bits directly in! You’re a genius! Side note, have you ever thought that maybe some of your electronics issues are coming from your ghost? I remember you had some issues with uploading videos recently, and the weird flickering in this video. I think ghosts can mess with electronics.
I wondered if that was caused by the ghost! When I feel the ghost around it normally flickers the lights at separate times, not all at once like was caught in the video so I'm honestly not really sure!
You can get 3 litre compressed bags of peat at your hardware store. It fluffs out to about 6 litres. You can also get large bags of perlite. The savings are huge compared to buying potting mix. I mix 50/50 peat perlite.
I got a snake plant with orchid bark already in the mix. I usually leave new plants in their soil for a while before repotting, but do you think I should repot that since its a succulenty plant?
When I've watered my plants with mosquito bits soaked in water and a few land on top of the soil, I noticed that the mosquito bits grow moldy. When you mix the mosquito bits into the soil, have you experienced moldy mosquito bits inside your soil? It makes total sense to just mix it into the soil if mold isn't an issue!
You see, there's this crazy thing called a shadow. You might have seen them once or twice, and because sometimes, objects move, their shadows move along with them. Like if someone walked by the window. Super creepy. Must be demons!
@@knotjustknitsniagara I know there are dimensions of reality that exist beyond our 3 dimensions of space and even 4th dimension of time, yet we can not perceive them fully due to that 3D nature. Maybe that's what ghosts are; small slices of things/energy that are part of the next dimension(s), that we can't fully see/understand? I am certain that is possible and very likely true. But that was just a shadow... Sorry. Boo, as in the opposite of yay, because I ruined the ghost party.
Des420 that window is in my backyard & it is a floor to ceiling window! I do my best not to play into the ghost thing (because I genuinely feel I have one & I don’t want to give off the wrong energy to it) but no one walked by the window that was in front of me 😭 this was a mild, explainable occurrence, but a few crazy things have happened in this house! I didn’t even believe in ghosts before moving here.
Instead of pearl lite or pumice, I use Poultry Grit (crushed granite). I buy a 25 lb bag for $9.29 at a Tractor Supply Co. You could probably buy it at any Feed store that has poultry supplies.
I just bought a pinebarks today n the men in the shop told me put 30 percnet of the barks at the bottom don’t have to mix it to the soil I hv just put at the bottom n spagamoss at the top is to for real just put at the bottom? Thank u for ur video
New subscriber here, thanks for the informative video! Is there a way to treat potting soil to make sure it is pest free before mixing or are the mosquito bits enough to fix potential pest issues? I've unknowingly purchased some bad potting soil batches before and want to avoid that suffering in the future.
@@Star-mu3jo Thanks! I ended up pouring some boiling water on it and letting the soil steam for a bit, but will also consider baking. Not sure if my method worked (or if that batch of potting soil ended up being okay to start with) but so far so good! I am also thinking about experimenting with those dehydrated blocks of coco coir... since I'm pretty sure no pests can survive the dehydration process (though i could be wrong).
@star it's very long since you've asked (lol) but my mother in law MICROWAVES her dirt first...lol. and harli has shown a video of using a 50/50 mix of peroxide & water on her dirt the day before using as well.
I live in Canada also. I put a mosquito dunk in my watering can with water. Leave it over night and then water the next day. The dunk will slowly dissolve over time. Just add a new one when the old one is gone. Hope this helps :)
I made my own mixture a while back ago with 60% coco coir, and 40% pumice and orchid bark. If I use an organic liquid fertilizer, do I still need to use compost in the soil mixture? I’m confused about the difference between compost and liquid fertilizer.
Compost is decaying organic matter which naturally produces plant nutrients whereas liquid fertilizer is a combination of substances (usually measured by Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium content) to supplement the plant nutrients. Compost is evenly distributed in the planting medium and tends to release over time as it decays, liquid fertilizer has a faster uptake and needs to be applied more often :)
What do you do for peperomia? Mine are hating their soil, its too heavy. Should i do cactus soil and orchid bark? Cactus and regular potting soil with orchid bark?
I am a new subscriber a wobderful full of information video and vry very helpful fir me . I live in Bangkaesh a siuth east asian coubtry birdeting with india / Myanmar . We enjoy tropical monsoon where 7 /5 ratio of wet andcdry months !! I have 44 hoyas in my collection , One Question ????? If you wish to skip answering , You are welcome --/ Do you use charcoal , Coco peat, coco chips , Brick chips , Rice skin ????
I have a fungus gnats problem sadly. Probabily because of the Calathea, because the other plants I have are mostly cacti or succulent (or semi-succulents like Sansevieria). Here in Italy we don't have mosquito bits, what can I do to eradicate the problem? I'm putting cinnamon on top, I'm spraying hydrogen peroxide mixed with eucalyptus oil and tee trea oil, and I covered the top of the soil with pumice to stop them from laying eggs. I can do more? I can still see sometimes a few flying around the plants when I move them, but not many.
This was really helpful, I’ve been wanting to know what I should add into my soil. I’ll have to get those mosquito bits, every spring/summer I have issues with fungus gnats, this would be helpful. Also I just got a monstera deliciosa from a grocery store, it looked so healthy and lush when I bought it just under a week ago, but now it’s got a black splotch on one of the big leaves and a lot of little tiny brown spots on other leaves :( I really hope it’s not a fungal infection!
Is "universal soild" good enough for the soil part? (im in france and its terreau universel i have). And would you recommend this mixture for Alocasias? or should I add coco coir?
Thanks for the informative vid Harli! 😊 I was going to mix my own soil for the first time (yay!) and mix: worm castings, activated charcoal, coco coir , perlite and natural bark. What ratios would you recommend for a Philodendron Erubescens? It's my first time repotting it, out of the soil it was sold in. Thanks so much! I appreciate your advice!
Harley! First, I have to say I absolutely love your videos! ❤ I have a idea.... what about the cheap pumice stones for your feet that you can get at the dollar store for $1, would those work? Just take a hammer to them? 🔨 I'm a girl that loves plants but also working on a small budget ❤
Hello! Is it okay to use pumice as a topper for my Maranta Plant? I did this to avoid fungus gnats laying eggs. Im just worried that putting a topper might not allow the soil to dry and will keep the soil wet.
But why did I get açaí bowl vibes from this thumbnail 😂😂❤️
It sure did look delicious! 😂
Right!? Lol!
Yum my fav 🤣
💚 💚💚
I'm glad it wasn't just me that thought that was chocolate sprinkled on top 😂
Since subscribing to your channel, my plant hoarding has gotten worse.
Same
Jasmine-Rae Bell me too
Me too... I'm on the edge of 30 right now _and I'm looking for places to fit more_
INeedMorePlants me too! Did my first mail ordered plant and I am so excited to start getting plants I just cannot get here. Could be trouble!!! Lol
Jerry oops 😋
Because I hate perlite and pumice is too expensive, I've discovered chicken grit. Yes, chicken grit (or poultry grit.) It's insoluble granite that gets fed to chickens to aid in digestion. It's just rocks, and it's so great in my soil mix. You can get quite large bags at most tractor supply or farm supply type stores, and it's pretty darn cheap.
Fen Justfen I have chickens and use this stuff all the time and never thought to use in my plant mix! Great idea!
I use it and I think it also looks nice if you want to add a top dressing.
Brilliant idea !! Why didn't I think of that ! Lol !!
Grit is wonderful for succulents!!
What a good idea!
Off to buy orchid bark! I can’t tell you how many times I say “Harli does it like this” when I’m talking about my plants to my mom and sister. You’re such a wealth of knowledge!! Love the video
mosquito bits are in every one of my plants because of my fungus gnat problem. For folks scrolling down: you have to water the soil thoroughly for them to be effective.
Yes! Thanks for mentioning the watering thing. I totally spaced on including that!
HBVDO I also received a tip to soak them in water and use that to water your plants!
After watering my plants that had mosquito bits in them I noticed some mold or something fuzzy growing from the mosquito bits. Is that normal? Did I mess something up? Thanks☺
I was just going to ask if I could mix mosquito bits into all my plants soil!
@@HarliG For the plants that cannot be watered thoroughly, can I soak the water with mosquito bits and apply the water on them?
Thank you for talking about how you mix soil as an over-carer! That’s me too 🖤
Literally my favorite plant hobbyist!! Thank you for posting awesome/informative plant videos! 😁
Great video! I do a really similar mix for my houseplants. I use coconut coir, activate charcoal, worm castings, wood chips, perlite, and a basic potting soil. I don't use orchid bark as it is so expensive to buy out here. A small 1/2lb bag is around $18, so I get a huge 30lb bag of wood chips from the hardware store for $4. I get a big tub of activated charcoal from the pet store as it is way cheaper than buying at the garden centre (used in aquariums). Coconut coir and perlite I find at the garden centres for a good price, and worm castings from a local nursery I think is the most expensive part of the mix. I throw it all into a big storage bin and it is super easy access for when I need to plant up anything. It is a lot of running around, unless you order off amazon, but I find it cheaper than finding a high quality potting mix and then still adding stuff to make it better draining.Also I do it at the beginning of the growing season, and I'm set. I live in a supper muggy/humid environment and I find this mix works for the majority of my plants, and I have never had an overwatering issue (except when I had a friend plant sit while I was on vacation... that was fun coming home to). I had fungus gnats from that, which I struggled with for weeks, but I picked up some carnivorous plants and now that is a non-issue. Plus I'm more of an underwater-er, versus an overwater-er. My plants seem super happy on this mix, and I also have less pest issues on my plants since I started making my own, as I think a lot of bugs come in from tropical soil mixes.
Wow the most useful comment I would say. Thanks. To precisely say where to find what in stead of amazon which is super expensive these days.
What size bark do you use? I had bought a bag for 7e and then returned as I thought the pieces were too small, but now I'm thinking they were actally just fine. It was pine and also had a little bit of spagnhum moss.
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Please watch my succulent and indoor plants collection. Thank you ❤️👍
@@Kit32991 Hi Sarah :) . Small bark size is more than fine. It is mostly there to aerate the soil so it doesn't become heavy and compact from watering. So small pieces should be just fine. Usually it is larger pieces you would want to avoid.
I have been fighting fungus gnats all summer. I use traps for the adults which work very well, using cider vinegar and orange juice but they’re unsightly. I bought mosquito bits and since I plan to do repotting today, I thank you for the reminder to use them.
I should really be studying but I make time for your videos lol! 💚
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Please watch my succulent and indoor plants collection. Thank you ❤️👍
You’re a life saver! I bought an infected plant last year, and when I noticed, it was too late. All my plants were swarming with fungus gnats. I let them dry out for a while. I tried so many things. I finally got rid of them, but now I want to give all my plants fresh new soil. I just ordered mosquito bits to prevent this from happening again. Wish I would have known this before to save the plants I lost.
I've heard those bits can mold after a while of being in potted media. So I prefer to infuse water with them and water my plants with the water. Just a tip
Stephen Bailey brilliant 👏🏽
I do the same @Stephen. The bits are only potent for single use so you'd need to keep adding them to the soil to completely eradicate. The container gives instructions for soaking in water and I usually do that for the first 2 waterings after repotting
What bits? What thing causes mold?
@@TheGreenbutsad mosquito bits
green koko the mosqutos bits will mold after a while
Bought mosquito bits completely because of your recommendations about them & am hoping I can eradicate my pesky soil gnats soon.
I always amend with perlite but am thinking about using some orchid bark because I’ve been seeing so many people issuing it lately.
Loved this video.
Where I live is super humid most of the year, so even for my plants that love moisture, the mix I usually use is at least half pumice/perlite. Most of my succulents are in mixes that are just bark, pumice, and charcoal, with no actual soil or compost, and that helps a lot when it's humid and you're an over-waterer like me!
Can you share what your ratios are? (E.g Aroids and calathea) I live in a 85% humidity country. And planning to repot a few plants soon
@@Harizx3 i mostly just mix until it feels right.... that said, my general mix is roughly 1/3 water retention, 2/3 drainage.
For aroids I use a mix of peat, coco coir, coco husk chunks, and worm castings for water retention. Then for drainage I use pine bark, pumice, perlite, charcoal, and leca.
If all you can get your hands on is premixed potting soil, orchid bark, and perlite, all of which should be at any nursery, you're still good! use one part each, and you should be at a really good mix to start with - you can play around with ratios from there depending on how much time/attention you want to give your plants, how much light and fresh air they get, etc. I hope this helps!!
What would you say has been the best pre mixed potting soil you have used? How much would you say your monthly cost for potting soil is as well? I'm just curious. 💚🌿💚🤗 that would be a good video of what your monthly cost is to take care of your house plants!
I never thought of integrating mosquito bits into my mix from the beginning, but what a great idea, thank you!
Would love to see a video about bringing your plants inside for autumn as well as how you supplement lighting!
I really enjoy watching your videos!
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Please watch my succulent and indoor plants collection. Thank you ❤️👍
I prefer pumice over perlite, too, for the same reasons. And you’re right. It IS annoying when it floats to the top. 😅 Good tip about moistening the orchid bark. When I can’t find it locally, I have to get orchid mix. And the wood chunks in it are a lot bigger. I’ll have to look into the Mosquito Bits.
I use black gold all-purpose as well and I actually combine it with a hefty chunk of their orchid mix.
Thank you.
I love Black Gold, I have found it to be my favorite potting soil. I haven't tried the organic one yet, maybe because where I buy my soil they don't have the organic one or I haven't paid attention. Next bag will be the organic mix. I love to add the perlite, but would also love to try the pumice. I love a good airy mix, all of my plants seem to like it. Thanks Harli, a lot of great information and tips.
I'm still a newbie with plants. I didn't know they attract these tiny mosquito like flies and I'm going crazy on how to get rid of them!! I just purchased the mosquito bits and I'm hoping that will do the job!! I love your videos!!! But they are so addicting lol I'm buying 1 plant in almost every store I walk into and see they have plants for sale 😅 I love your collection ❤
Blackgold is also my favorite brand... for some reason, only Fred Meyer has it or order online and pay for ridiculous shipping cost! Anyway, as far as orchid bark mix, I recommend Gubler Orchids brand sold at Lowe’s. They have coarse and fine size. The fine size especially is good for what you are trying to achieve, I think. I mix it to my soil, using it for pretty much everything. Especially Hoya, and of course orchids (my main collection about 65% of them), this one is must have for me.
It took me weeks to find out what "perlite" means/is in my country. Finally found it, repotting so much plants before autumn is coming now haha.
Iris Jordaan , if you have a hydroponics store, you can get it much cheaper
John James yeah I also don’t know what that is so I stay with “perlite” for now
@@ier2734 A store that sells Perlite cheaper. Not another product. If u google it, they showed me "grow shops".
Since I live in the Philippines, my soil mixture consists of the ff: Pumice, Coco Cubes and Organic Garden Soil from a local nursery (it has worm castings and coco peat as well).
Randomly clicked on your video and i instantly subscribed!!! So much information!!! Thank you❤️
Jeovany Mua wow! Thank you so much ❤️
Hey Harli, I kept thinking about you to use mask while dealing with perlite as I saw in one of the TH-cam video about perlite dust not to be inhaled. I was just worried for you and the baby. Take care and thank you for the video. Love from India💛
Always good to know your products.
One thing against perlite goes down the path many green thumbs want to follow, not using "dirty" products.
To create perlite an insane amount of energy is used to expand glass.
Peat is also a bad one, as dirty as mining coal. Disturbing stable soil carbon and creating a quicker path for change to gaseous forms, more carbon in the atmosphere.
Thanks for such an informative soil mixture video. Luckily I have a nursery near me that carries everything but espoma products. So I will be mixing my own soil from now on. Btw, I was happy to see your Monstera because I have the same one and so far only one of the many leaves that have sprouted is split. I've only had the Monstera for about 3 months and I understand the leaves take almost 2-3 years to split on a regular basis.
Those bits truly do help!! I got them because of you months ago, gnats were gone in a week.
would love to see an updated video if anything has changed (-: thanks for sharing your knowledge with us
Great and thoughtful words put into this video content. There is actually a soil mix known as the ABG Mix(Atlanta Botanical Garden Mix) which is quite popular amongst terrarium/paludarium hobbyists. Not sure if you have heard about it.
Hi Harli!
How often do you fertilise with having the worm poop mixed into the soil and what fertiliser do you use ?
Thanks!
I've always used Miracle Grow and I haven't had any issues. I have been cutting it with more moss and some sand the last year or so but I def want to get some pumice and orchid bark now and try that! Especially for my Fern. I'm a forgetful water-er, especially in January-Feburary. Everyone throws a fit and gets a little dreary (except the christmas cacuts, which has bloomed every January since I've had it to remind us all that life is worth living). Plus light is a struggle at my current house.
Its all trial and error and I LOVE that you're sharing with us! Such great tips!
Definitely like to add coco bark, like the shredded stuff. so much better than moss if you use that and keep the soil nice and wall hydrated when you water.
I have been waiting all day for this video
This is really an interesting video ! (as usual actually) ; thanks for sharing 😊
Very helpful information Harli! Love all your plants 🍀🍀🌸🌸🌸
Thanks for this video. I saved it to refer to in the future. I noticed it's from 2019. Have you changed your preferred mixes since then?
Thank you so much for this video. I'm going to be re-potting a ZZ plant today. I'm going to either Lowe's or Home Depot to see if I can get a bag of Pumice.
Motherhood looks good on you!
Lately, I've been making my own mix for philodendrons with coir as the base. I like Promix but not as available as it was 2 yrs ago. Black Gold cactus mix was the best I tried for cacti/succulents and pumice is indispensable.
You're very pleasant to watch and listen to on this subject.
PUMICE OR POULTRY GRIT are great vs. PERLITE! If you have to use PERLITE, rinse it before you use! In time perlite breaks down to dust and eventually clogs your soil and prevents your plants roots from getting oxygen! Perlite rising to the top should be the least of anyones concern.
I use mosquito bits but have resisted adding them directly into my soil mixes. I have read that this can lead to mold (specifically the mosquito bits molding). I was wondering what your thoughts and experiences have been with this?
Hi Harli, thanks for the video. I’m a new plant mom. Can I make a large quantity and store in a large air tight plastic container? Otherwise I will have all these bags that I would still need to store. Thanks for the response.
I love Black Gold soil too!
If you want to use worm castings separately because it’s not in the potting mix you use, or you’re not using potting mix at all (like if you use coir etc), always add activated/horticultural charcoal, because if you don’t you will get mouldy soil! The potting mixes that have worm castings included and other organic fertilisers tend to have agents included in the mix, like charcoal, to prevent mould 😊
I've just started used horticultural charcoal and haven't seen any mold since. I mix mine into the whole mix but I've often wondered if it's better to layer on the bottom?
Lisa A I always mix it in, but I haven’t tried it at the bottom before, so I couldn’t say for certain, but I imagine it works best mixed in to maximise its contact with the organic compounds that might cause mold!
@@rachaelfitzpatrick8574 Yes. I heard it can keep your soil fresh but I didn't realize it could prevent mold. I think you're right. In the past I was confused when I made a mix from scratch without it, repotted a plant and immediately had mold the next day.
Thanks for the info, I’m going to soak my orchard bark next time! Also, I’m a spoon girl too 😂
Really wanna try the Black Gold soil now
Thank you so much for the mosquito bits. Been struggling with gnats. Tried adding top sand and placing stickies. They worked but did not eradicate completely. How often should I use fish fertilizer for my indoor.plants?
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Hey Harli!! Thank you for this, am watching again as I am preparing to repot for spring :) but really appreciate all your videos!!
I don't quite understand whether the bark retains water or helps with drainage.. 🙈 I understand it's oxygen purpose but what happens with water? For instance, will it be suitable for a cactus mix?
Also, have you ever used clay pebbles? Do those have a similar purpose as pumice or perlite?
Thank you so much 🙈😅😊
Harli says "if I have 6 pumice pebbles I'm goin' use'em dang it!"😂 Love ya Plant Mama! Let nothing go to waste. 👍
P.S. Thinking of making a plant video titled "Peat Is The Source Of All Plant Evil"... I really despise that stuff 😄
@Bebe In short: Peat mining is horrible for the environment and not sustainable. It breaks down and forms a built-in all you can eat buffet for fungus nats. It's highly acidic. It compacts, becomes hydrophobic and destroys root systems. I've replaced the peat component in my soil mix with coco coir. It is an answer to every problem caused by peat
@@petercardona1559 same! I've been using coco coir more and i love it. it's even been doing a really good job with my outdoor veggies in pots this summer!
@@halfbakedplants9901that's wonderful! I always love hearing about people making the switch and seeing the positive results 👍
Is coco coir expensive? Do you have a brand you like?
@@daniellec9083 I usually buy it on Amazon and get the stuff labeled for reptile enclosures. It's usually cheaper than the stuff marketed as growing medium, and exactly the same. It is more expensive than peat, but not ridiculous. I think I last paid 10 bucks for a 24qt bag of Coco coir.
This is so informative. What do you do with the spent soil? Do you throw it away in the yard?
I had this question too. It’s three years later….did you ever find out the answer?! 😂
Woohoo I've been waiting for this one
I never knew pumice was pricey in the US. Here in the Philippines it's about $15 for a 20kg sack. Then again we do have more volcanoes around here making it more available to the public. You can barely find perlite here, and if you can it's expensive haha. We should do whatever works in our area that'll keep our plant babies happy anyway ❤️
Yes it's expensive a 3 lb. bag is $28.99
Brilliant to put mosquito bits right in the soil!! We are battling a fungus gnat infestation now and it is a pain in the ass. I am top dressing and pushing in mosquito bits into existing soil...
For the fungus gnats get the small pumice stones Harli is talking about and use it as top dressing covering all soil. The gnats are soft bodied and have a problem getting in and out of the rocks to lay eggs and for the hatched eggs to get out. As for the mosquito bits...use them to make a tea. Soak the bits in warm water for 20 -30 minutes. Drain the bits and use the bit water to water your plants as you normally would.
I use soil from my compost mixed with perlite and some sand and sometimes broken lava rocks, seems to work great for me, love the mosquito bits tip!
This is so helpful! Much needed video. Thank you
Great video mam👍
Keep Gardening 🌳🍀🌴🌲
May be a weird question, does perlite or the mosquito bits expire? Like if it just sits in the bag it came in.
Your timing is crazy! I was just searching your channel for this video!
Hello I just discovered your videos I like them very much, I’m using the mosquito bites but I found that if I put in the soil it creates fungus and I don’t see results eliminating fungus gnats I saw in the recomendaciones that work better disolved in water.
Very interesting and informative! Thanks for sharing, great job❤️
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Hey Harli. Maybe you could do a video about cleaning salts, minerals and mold off of terracota pots that have plants in them. I don't know if it happens to you, but my terracota pots don't look that nice
This video will go in my save file. Thank you so much for the🌱🌿🌷 information.
I really like the Espoma organic potting mix, and I've been a gardener and houseplant enthusiast for many decades. I am going to get that Mosquito Bit product for sure as I have gnats and I saw some in one of my Beefsteak Begonias, I have been sucking them up with my vacuum cleaner when they are on the walls.
Do you add mosquito bits to your water and let it steep? I’ve seen/read that some people have put mosquito bits in a cheese cloth or something to the plants water and let it soak. And also add plant food to the water. Was wondering your input. Oh, My water is in a water container, that I keep a (fish tank) air pump/aerator. Then I add my plant food and a baggie of mosquito bits. I let it sit. Test the ph and then feed my plants. Hopefully, it goes well. NOTE: not feeding all my plants this just in case! Lol
Anyways, have you heard of steeping the mosquito bits in water and adding plant food to the water?! Pro’s? Con’s?
Another side note: love the idea of adding to the soil but the reason why I’m trying the steeping is because adding the bits to the top of the soil may cause it to mold.....(will it mold mixed into the soil? 🤔)
Mixing the mosquito bits directly in! You’re a genius!
Side note, have you ever thought that maybe some of your electronics issues are coming from your ghost? I remember you had some issues with uploading videos recently, and the weird flickering in this video. I think ghosts can mess with electronics.
Candace Toms I literally said during the video “Was that the ghost?”!!!!!!
Being from another dimension, or just a shadow crossing the window...
I wondered if that was caused by the ghost! When I feel the ghost around it normally flickers the lights at separate times, not all at once like was caught in the video so I'm honestly not really sure!
You can get 3 litre compressed bags of peat at your hardware store. It fluffs out to about 6 litres. You can also get large bags of perlite. The savings are huge compared to buying potting mix. I mix 50/50 peat perlite.
Can you do a soil mix vid for succulent & cactus too?
I got a snake plant with orchid bark already in the mix. I usually leave new plants in their soil for a while before repotting, but do you think I should repot that since its a succulenty plant?
When I've watered my plants with mosquito bits soaked in water and a few land on top of the soil, I noticed that the mosquito bits grow moldy. When you mix the mosquito bits into the soil, have you experienced moldy mosquito bits inside your soil? It makes total sense to just mix it into the soil if mold isn't an issue!
Yeah would like to know about the moldy thing please
ive heard people making mosquito bits "tea" instead of placing it into the soil for this reason . soaking bits in water for 48 hrs.
@@cierasparks8956 that’s what I do. It’s stinks real bad but it works.
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Ciao Harli thanxx u for your video🌹🌹🌹🌹💐💐💐
Oh. My. Lanta! 7:47!!! The momentary darkness! The squeaking!!! Holy shoooot !!!
You see, there's this crazy thing called a shadow. You might have seen them once or twice, and because sometimes, objects move, their shadows move along with them. Like if someone walked by the window. Super creepy. Must be demons!
@@Des420 lol! This is exactly what my hubby would say!
Anywho, she has a ghost! 👻 Boo
@@knotjustknitsniagara I know there are dimensions of reality that exist beyond our 3 dimensions of space and even 4th dimension of time, yet we can not perceive them fully due to that 3D nature. Maybe that's what ghosts are; small slices of things/energy that are part of the next dimension(s), that we can't fully see/understand? I am certain that is possible and very likely true.
But that was just a shadow... Sorry. Boo, as in the opposite of yay, because I ruined the ghost party.
Des420 that window is in my backyard & it is a floor to ceiling window! I do my best not to play into the ghost thing (because I genuinely feel I have one & I don’t want to give off the wrong energy to it) but no one walked by the window that was in front of me 😭 this was a mild, explainable occurrence, but a few crazy things have happened in this house! I didn’t even believe in ghosts before moving here.
Julia Kollo my husband too! 😋
Great video! 😀
I love Black Gold cactus mux
Instead of pearl lite or pumice, I use Poultry Grit (crushed granite). I buy a 25 lb bag for $9.29 at a Tractor Supply Co. You could probably buy it at any Feed store that has poultry supplies.
I just bought a pinebarks today n the men in the shop told me put 30 percnet of the barks at the bottom don’t have to mix it to the soil I hv just put at the bottom n spagamoss at the top is to for real just put at the bottom? Thank u for ur video
Is there another product you can recommend instead of Mosquito bits? Very hard to find because poisonous products are not available for me!
I have the same problem. I think Mosquito Bits is banned in Canada. i couldn’t find it anywhere
New subscriber here, thanks for the informative video! Is there a way to treat potting soil to make sure it is pest free before mixing or are the mosquito bits enough to fix potential pest issues? I've unknowingly purchased some bad potting soil batches before and want to avoid that suffering in the future.
I watched a video of someone sterilizing their soil by baking it in the oven for 180 degrees for 30 minutes. Hopefully that'll help you!
@@Star-mu3jo Thanks! I ended up pouring some boiling water on it and letting the soil steam for a bit, but will also consider baking. Not sure if my method worked (or if that batch of potting soil ended up being okay to start with) but so far so good! I am also thinking about experimenting with those dehydrated blocks of coco coir... since I'm pretty sure no pests can survive the dehydration process (though i could be wrong).
@star it's very long since you've asked (lol) but my mother in law MICROWAVES her dirt first...lol. and harli has shown a video of using a 50/50 mix of peroxide & water on her dirt the day before using as well.
Can I use mosquito drunks (break it in small pieces) and add it in my soil mix? There is not mosquito bits here in canada. Thank you!
I live in Canada also. I put a mosquito dunk in my watering can with water. Leave it over night and then water the next day. The dunk will slowly dissolve over time. Just add a new one when the old one is gone. Hope this helps :)
I made my own mixture a while back ago with 60% coco coir, and 40% pumice and orchid bark. If I use an organic liquid fertilizer, do I still need to use compost in the soil mixture? I’m confused about the difference between compost and liquid fertilizer.
Compost is decaying organic matter which naturally produces plant nutrients whereas liquid fertilizer is a combination of substances (usually measured by Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium content) to supplement the plant nutrients. Compost is evenly distributed in the planting medium and tends to release over time as it decays, liquid fertilizer has a faster uptake and needs to be applied more often :)
I bought 5 house plants yesterday after watching one of your videos so this video is the perfect continuation 💚🌿
What do you do for peperomia? Mine are hating their soil, its too heavy. Should i do cactus soil and orchid bark? Cactus and regular potting soil with orchid bark?
I use this mix for my peperomia & they seem to love it!
You're so funny dude, I love it
Cute baby bump!! 😍
I am a new subscriber
a wobderful full of information video and vry very helpful fir me .
I live in Bangkaesh a siuth east asian coubtry birdeting with india / Myanmar . We enjoy tropical monsoon where 7 /5 ratio of wet andcdry months !!
I have 44 hoyas in my collection ,
One Question ?????
If you wish to skip answering , You are welcome
--/
Do you use charcoal , Coco peat, coco chips , Brick chips , Rice skin ????
I have a fungus gnats problem sadly. Probabily because of the Calathea, because the other plants I have are mostly cacti or succulent (or semi-succulents like Sansevieria). Here in Italy we don't have mosquito bits, what can I do to eradicate the problem? I'm putting cinnamon on top, I'm spraying hydrogen peroxide mixed with eucalyptus oil and tee trea oil, and I covered the top of the soil with pumice to stop them from laying eggs. I can do more? I can still see sometimes a few flying around the plants when I move them, but not many.
This was really helpful, I’ve been wanting to know what I should add into my soil. I’ll have to get those mosquito bits, every spring/summer I have issues with fungus gnats, this would be helpful. Also I just got a monstera deliciosa from a grocery store, it looked so healthy and lush when I bought it just under a week ago, but now it’s got a black splotch on one of the big leaves and a lot of little tiny brown spots on other leaves :( I really hope it’s not a fungal infection!
You can use diatomaceous earth on top of your soil to help with any bugs.
I'm just getting into plants. Is this the mixture you would use for pothos and syngonium?
I subscribed so that you can make your own soil for your plant babies. Although I do already know I’ll be a fan of you as well 🥰
Is "universal soild" good enough for the soil part? (im in france and its terreau universel i have). And would you recommend this mixture for Alocasias? or should I add coco coir?
Thanks for the informative vid Harli! 😊 I was going to mix my own soil for the first time (yay!) and mix: worm castings, activated charcoal, coco coir , perlite and natural bark. What ratios would you recommend for a Philodendron Erubescens? It's my first time repotting it, out of the soil it was sold in.
Thanks so much! I appreciate your advice!
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Where did you get the bowls from?🤩
Buying the mosquito repellent today for when I bring my plants back in!!!! I was going to use DE
I have never tried DE, but a lot of people have recommended it here in the comments so I think I am going to give it a go!
@@HarliG PLEASE WEAR A MASK AND GLOVES!!!! Better yet wait until after baby boy gets here
TeedarkAngel Is it not safe to get on skin? I usually cover my mouth but never wear gloves when I use it 🤭
@@chloewhitmire6324 I was told it can irritate broken skin and for us gardener, we always have small cuts and nicks
Dear Harli
When does a person use
Vermiculite in a house plant 🪴?
Example
Peace Lilly? (?)
Hey! I mostly hear of it used for carnivorous plant potting mixes, but I personally use it in my all purpose potting mix
Harley! First, I have to say I absolutely love your videos! ❤
I have a idea.... what about the cheap pumice stones for your feet that you can get at the dollar store for $1, would those work? Just take a hammer to them? 🔨
I'm a girl that loves plants but also working on a small budget ❤
That is a great idea!
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Hello! Is it okay to use pumice as a topper for my Maranta Plant? I did this to avoid fungus gnats laying eggs. Im just worried that putting a topper might not allow the soil to dry and will keep the soil wet.
Fungus gnats are killing my cactus so I'm repotting them but I have bigger pots. How much mosquito bites would u use?
Does the Perlite float to the top if you bottom water?