HEllo Andrea ! Great news Home Depot is selling pumice for $58 a fourty pound bag , WOW ! This recession is doing wonders . Thankyou , for the advice . Now I am going to get that e-book of yours after reading a little , I know its a most have . The updated information is what I've been searching for , that is priceless . I didn't know . And your old videos give you enormous integrity . Thanks
I use safety-sorb instead of turface. It's about 5 bucks for a huge bag, at places like tractor supply co, but it only comes in one size and is a little dusty. Decent option if you can't find turface locally.
Hi Andrea, great video. I agree with you on getting informed about the different substrates, it’s part of the fun. But it is not an easy process. Finding a good source takes time. I have a variety of different substrates on hand in small manageable amounts ( vermiculite , pumice , zeolite, Akadama , coco coir, orchid bark, diotomaceous earth, dolomite, azomite, red and black lava rock, organic soil ) and continues to take time to learn everything about cactus care. I only recently learned that cactus like acidic soil and watering with tap water can make the soil more alkaline and thus hindering their growth. I’m starting a filing system on my cacti to be able to glance at each plants requirements. The information is daunting by so interesting👍🏻
Hi , I am Erlinda Francisco from Philippines . I watch your video , thankful that you shared on how to mix a soil for succulents and cactus . Thank you so much ...
If buying large quantities of soil to mix is too much to store, Etsy has sellers that offer small portions. Pretty expensive, but it’s a good start. Also I purchased the book and I love it!
So informative and cool. I'm in the wet UK and can't keep buying the small bag of cactus potting mix, which I now realise is not doing the job at all! thank you
I feel so lucky because pumice is so abundant where I'm from. I can get it for 30 cents a kilo. Or i can just get some from our ground soil but they are mostly chunks unless you are patient enough to grind them. I can get sand from our ground too. But I don't like using it. Too heavy for my liking. So i use rice hull instead.
Thank you for answering my question!! When you posted that you would be making this video I was checking constantly to see if it was up. I have a bunch of plants I want to repot but I refused to do it until I learned your method!! And just in time, my mom is bringing me home a gorgeous spiral cactus from Arizona tomorrow!!!
Hi! In central Mississippi here. Hot and humid!! I never comment, but this was very informative and easy to understand and relate to...I can't pass up those pretty ceramic Pots sometimes, myself. Ha! Thank you bunches for the helpful info. I'm a Newbie and so much contadiction out there. This made it easier for me.
Do you have a video about propagating and caring for Jade plants? And if not would you please consider one. Thank you for all of the knowledge that you share!
Hey Julie! No but you'll have the best luck with cuttings and I have a few videos on that :) - ruclips.net/video/qrOmu7DEyWE/видео.html - ruclips.net/video/UAtSumafJaA/видео.html
Thank you so much for giving us a way to have the best succulent and cactus soil mix with out a strangle-hold on our wallets . 😊 This I believe will do that . I used a similar formula . But as my collection grew my cost sky rocketed .
Hi, how frequently do u water your succulents in Houston weather? And how do u care during winter during cold windy days and night ? I am in Houston and face hard time keeping them alive with me .
Well those are 2 really great questions with a lot of parts to the answers. I do recommend reading my book The Succulent Manual - it's available to read online, as an eBook, and as a paperback. sucsforyou.com/thesucculentmanual/
I have a golden barrel that's in a 10 inch pot with miracle-gro cactus mix. Two summers ago, we got 16 inches of rain in a couple of weeks just west of San Antonio. Have I just been lucky that it's still alive or what because it's grown almost 2 inches in diameter over the last 18 months.
I can’t find anything besides the topsoil locally . The county I live in is the Town Of No Supplies! Can’t even find good succulent planters or healthy succulents in this town . It’s quite frustrating cuz shipping for Turface and pumice is triple the cost of the products . I’ll find it somehow without paying a fortune. Thanks for the video 😊
Don't give up! Try calling Turface and the other companiesto see if they have someone near you. Profile brand sells Turface as 'porous ceramic soil conditioner', Soil Mender sells expanded shale. If there is a baseball field w/ the red dirt nearby, that's Turface! Maybe ask the athletics director... Landscaping and irrigation companies often sell it as well. Good luck!
Sucs For You! , Hi Andrea ! I did call and found a place an hour away that carries Turface. Their hours make it hard for me to get there before they close . But guess what ??? Tractor Supply in my town had Safe T Sorb granules that are calcined clay !!! Yippee ! Only $6.49 for 40 pounds !!! They also have Chicken grit nice and cheap . Two outa three in my town finally! They didn’t have the Safe T Sorb last time I went there so I’m glad I tried again.Found one store an hour away that will eventually have Mother Earth Volcanite Pumice in 1 cubic foot bags for $16.99 . They have me on their list since it’s back ordered. I see a good ol fashioned sifting session in my future to get the fines out of everything, but I’m so excited!!!! Thanks for your encouragement. I love your laid back vibe and humor . You’re exactly the kind of person I’d want to hang out with if we were in the same town . Thank you so much for all your videos. Love your taste in unique succulents. Gonna subscribe. Big hugs 🤗
Sucs For You! , OMG ! Thank you so much for being happy for me . And I suppose you’re as big of a dork as ME 😂. Cuz I got plumb giddy over finding those rocks myself. I literally jumped up and down with joy 🤣. I’d be just as tears eyed and joyful for you if you found the right rocks too . The fact that you are so happy for me makes me like you even more . I’ve become so obsessed with these gorgeous plants that I’m determined to make them thrive . The sizes of the particles seem perfect too . They’re as small as 1/32ish to as large as 3/16 . I can sift out the super fine stuff and be golden . Actually, what’s your take on particle size ? Yours seemed similar in size to Bonsai Jack 111 gritty mix . I can definitely get my mix to that size . One wise grower told me that the smaller the plant , the more ok they are with smaller particles . Big hugs beautiful woman 🤗
Your videos have been so helpful! Thanks for sharing everything you’ve learned. I went to Southwest Fertilizer the other day and got supplies for a mix! When watering, do you look for signs of thirst? Or mainly check the potting mix for moisture?
Sucs For You! Will do, thanks! Looking forward to sharing pics of my succulent babies after trying your methods. Also, noticed you just released an updated version of your ebook, can’t wait to check it out!
Just found your channel 🙂 Should I use the the same mixture for inside cactus's and all succulents? Just trying cactus's and I have a lot of Sansieveria's. I have repotted some already but I like the idea of not using commercially prepared cactus & succulent mix because I can't control the minerals/vitamins my plants receive. Should I wait until the plants dry out to repot or next spring when I've heard that repotting should be done during the growing season? Thanks 👍🏽
Sorry just now seeing this comment 🙏 First, definitely check out my website and consider reading my ebook The Succulent Manual - you also can read it on sucsforyou(dot)com. I go into more detail about how your climate affects your soil requirements but for now: -Sansieverias don't mind more organic soil in their mix. -Yes, it's best to repot when the soil's dry to avoid root rot. -And it just depends on the plant - some don't mind being repotted year-round, others, like a lot of slow-growing cacti, prefer not to be disturbed while they're dormant, either seasonal or temperature induced.
Hi Andrea!! 😊 As usual you always come through with an informative and amazing video right when I need it lol 😁🙌 I just ran out of my last bag of Bonsai Jack soil mix for sucs, which I have loved, but is so Expensive 🙈 So I was definitely praying that you'd come out with a diy video like this and you did not even 3 days later! 💃 So lots of love and thanks for that 😁💕 I did want to know what your thoughts are on using vermiculite as an added ingredient to your soil mix for the benefits of the minerals in it? I saw in a blog post that it helps succulents thrive but the blogger also lives in Wyoming so not sure that would help my sucs in our Houston weather. Just thought I'd add that I also keep my sucs inside 😊♥️
Hi Crystal! I'm glad you found the video helpful :) I don't recommend vermiculite or perlite if you can find other subs - here's a good article explaining the differences - www.epicgardening.com/perlite-vs-vermiculite/
Thank you for a very informative video. I’ve seen where some use styrofoam when needing to use larger pot to reduce amount of soil needed. What do you think about this? Do you ever use other materials to save on amount of soil mix needed in a large pot? I’m in tropical climate (S FL). and new to succulents. I’m finding that once I transplant succulents purchased in big box stores they seem to root and then few weeks later they seem loose n find roots died or separated. What would cause this. I use bonsai mix with some organic bc of rainy season here. Thanks again
I'm not sure about Styrofoam but I've tried it myself before and it seemed to be all right :) I think those big lava rocks from Home Depot work better and are still light and cheap!
I've read to add Pine Bark to Succulent Soil. I have several Peperomi Plants and I love them! But want to re-pot some into bigger pots. Can I just use a good potting soil and add broken Pine Cones to the mix? I guess I could attempt to peel a bit of the Pine Tree Bark from my Pine trees (I live in Ohio) but didnt want to go gouging my outdoor friends! There are 100's of Pine Cones all around, could I just crush some up into not so big chunks and add them to the mix? Thanks!
I wouldn't bother ... the bark needs to be a certain size to help with drainage and will eventually break down. As for pine cones, I can't help you there. I'd think the resin might not be beneficial to the plants.
Hi Andrea! I'm so excited I came upon your RUclips videos to assist me in my new adventure of succulents. I live in southeast PA, and honestly, the weather is unpredictable. I'm having a difficult time locally locating Turface and Expanded Shale, in doing some research would lava rock be okay to use in place of the Turface? Or any suggestions for substituting either of these materials? Thanks so much!
Hi Melissa!! The only lava rock I can find locally is too big for a soil mix. But if you can find a smaller type, yes, go for it! In a pinch, you can just use a lot of perlite and topsoil. Here's a map of locations w/ drainage materials - it's incomplete of course but maybe there's a shop near you not listed! tinyurl.com/y7um3yfz
Sucs For You! Hi Andrea!! Thank you so much for your reply and the link. I did find a place about 2 hrs away. I might be talking my husband into a roadtrip. In the meantime, I ordered some online. If you don't mind, I ordered some succulents and although I have no clue of their names, these 2 in particular I have never even seemed before. Would you be able to help me identify them?
Hi Andrea, Other than the top soil all I could get here is the shale. I don't want to use perlite anymore if I don't need to. Is the shale enough? I also have lava rock on hand, & crushed granite. I don't know if either of those materials work like pumice or Turface. I'm in zone 6. Your videos have been most helpful. Do you have one on fertilizing? Thanks!
Keep looking for Turface but yes, the expanded shale should be good! I do talk about fertilizing in this video ruclips.net/video/bPGkx3JALro/видео.html and I have written about it in The Succulent Manual :) sucsforyou.com/saveyoursucs
How do you feel about adding sand to mixes? I tried it for some time and I did not really notice a difference. I'm also having trouble finding expanded shale at any of my nearby hardware stores.
Is expanded shale the same of the expanded clay pebbles used in hydroponic? What is turface? No one of this are available in Italy 🇮🇹 neither top soil 🤦🏻♂️ I have: pomice, lapillo, Perlite, river sand , coco coir, compost. I mix one of every one so basically 66/33 but still slow to get dry... Thanks
No - shale is a type of rock, not clay. Turface is made from clay. Top soil is just the plain soil scraped from the top of the earth, used for filling holes and leveling. Pumice and the lapillo would be the best out of what you listed :)
hi thank you for this informative video I have a question how do you feel about concrete or cement pots for succulents? love watching your vids I subscribed 😊
@@SucsForYou Al pots should have drainage holes 😊 I would think but what I have in mind are some pots made from cement or even hypertufa for my hardy succulents. I googled pots for succulents and one website had the cement ones as being good pots and porous also and were listed first but I guess is just a trend 😊 Thank you for your reply! I love your videos but I'm up in Canada and cannot order any of your beautiful plants and that sucks 😢😀😀😀
Grit tends to refer to poultry grit which is a tad smaller than the MVP sized turface BUT yes, it would act as a nice 'sharp' edged filler that allows more air down in the soil and space for water to drain through.
I live in Corpus Christi. I assume I could use this mix for my succulents here? Also, if I have some plants potted in other mixes - different from what you recommend - should I re-pot them with your recommended mix? Especially now during the Summer?
And just so I understand the Sansevieria cause I have a new starfish and cylindrical, you are also using this cactus mix with the top soil only with a larger part topsoil?
Hi I'm from New Zealand and I have looked on all of our landscaping websites + plant stores/home depot type stores and we dont have things like Turface, soil conditioner or expanded shale. Could you just use top soil and pumice? Or top soil, pumice and scoria? Those are readily available here
Love your style! I have a question about your soil ,, i do all succulents,, should i add more topsoil or just make your soil you made here? Hope this makes sense :)
Thanks! It depends on the humidity where you are - more humid climates need more drainage materials. Drier climates can handle more organic soil/topsoil. 🙏
I've never used it myself but have heard from many others who do. I believe you need the kind without additives ... it's also not porous so will trap moisture in the soil. Turface is a safer, cheaper alternative 🙏 I talk more about it and other options in this article: sucsforyou.com/2020/07/28/how-climate-controls-your-succulents-soil-needs/
I couldn't find Turface MVP locally, but they did have turface pro league red. Do you think that would work ok in a soil mix? the particle size is a little smaller. Most of it is 16 MESH (1.19 mm). It looks a little smaller than standard perlite.
@@SucsForYou Ill ask them next time I go in. I ended up getting the pro league red. so far so good. I kinda like it as a top dressing too :) I'm in central california, so humidity isnt an issue here. It dries fast! haha
Hello Andrea , I have been busy since we last text . By the way are you familiar with Lesco Turface; Allsport or Game saver driver . I found a place that offered a 50 lb bag at $25 . What do you think ?
I'm not familiar with Lesco brand but there are dozens of brands who sell Turface under different names. Game Saver is probably going to be more like Quick Dry/sand which you do not want. The All Sport will have larger grains, but a bit smaller than the MVP I use, I think. There is a photo of some samples on my website here - you want something that is closer to the 3 tubes on the left: sucsforyou.com/2020/07/28/how-climate-controls-your-succulents-soil-needs/
Hi! I recently started to buy succulents and so far I have 4 lol. Still learning about them and many other plants. New sub here and I’m from Houston Texas as well! 😁 Also, could you recommend a shop of plants I can purchase here in Houston? I live in the heights area and not sure where to buy plants, that’s a good place to shop. Thank you! 😁🙏🏻 -Pachira plant -Pilea -Snake plant -Succulents
Do you or does anyone know anything about decorative lava rock/gravel for fireplaces.. if it’s the same as buying like bonsai lava rock?? I’m really curious because I may be able to find that more easily and also I think the price might be better.
@@SucsForYou oh thank you.. that’s kind of what I was worried about.. I had/have no idea what size it is but figured it may be too big. And had thoughts of trying to crush it up myself but that’s ridiculous and don’t have that much time on my hands..so thanks. I do have pumice and decomposed granite.. so that should be good. I’m in Florida and I have to order most of what I want online 😕. And nobody has turface where I’m at either..But I think I’m going to substitute Poultry Grit for that because I think I can get it at a Tractor Supply type place. Thanks
@@SucsForYou and one of the issues with buying lava rock online is.. most of what I see is like a 2-5 pound bag and they make look like it’s huge and it’s actually a tiny little bag.. so a decent larger quantity at a decent price is not easy to find.. it takes hours of searching I feel like.
@@ilovecornell I think a lot of us have considered crushing the big lava rocks lol! Here's a link to a map of places that sell drainage materials. You can see if there are any companies on the list with a location near you that have turface - it's good stuff and cheap! SiteOne seems to have a lot of shops in FL: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=10TRkuVEj6wOrIyHr70LcKFv-kody7St-&usp=sharing
@@SucsForYou oh thank you!!! I keep putting in words like Lawn supplies etc in mapquest and ugh not much comes up.. near where I am in Palm Coast.. there’s definitely not a lot of anything here… I think there is one place called Stone Plus, I called all over a while back to see if anyone had decomposed granite and nobody had it.. so I’m going to see who may have turface near me. I’ll check your list though.. that will be a big help.. I appreciate it thanks.
I found a 30 qt (around 40lb) bag of pumice on Amazon with free shipping and it costs around $35. It still hasn't been delivered though, but hopefully, it will work just fine. Here's the link for it: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075H37L7D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I'm a beginner & I'm wondering if the pumice that my gravel, small rock? Someone once told me to go to my local nursery & ask for rock grit, so I did & they looked at me like I was crazy, so there I was very confused once again. Can you plz help me??
Thank you so much for all the help! I went there yesterday and got turface and expanded shales, so excited to start potting today! The shales were around $7, btw 😀
there are definitely aquarium substrates that are extremely porous. Many of them are fired clay just like youve used in your video, which are used for growing aquarium plants which usually need an iron source. There are a number of products made by various brands that are porous material. We even use porous materials like lavarocks and clays in our filter systems. Porous is the name of the game in aquariums because fostering a thriving microbial culture is what keeps aquariums healthy. You probably shouldnt have chosen to answer that question given that you dont seem to have a broad understanding of aquariums like you do with succulent growing.
I was referring to aquarium gravel per the question asked by the viewer. I've been asked this question numerous times and the majority of the time they're referring to the coated non-porous gravel substrate since it's so easy to source at pet stores. This is not good for succulents.
HEllo Andrea ! Great news Home Depot is selling pumice for $58 a fourty pound bag , WOW ! This recession is doing wonders . Thankyou , for the advice . Now I am going to get that e-book of yours after reading a little , I know its a most have . The updated information is what I've been searching for , that is priceless . I didn't know . And your old videos give you enormous integrity . Thanks
I use safety-sorb instead of turface. It's about 5 bucks for a huge bag, at places like tractor supply co, but it only comes in one size and is a little dusty. Decent option if you can't find turface locally.
I've been meaning to pick some up to experiment :) Thanks for the tip!
Hi Andrea, great video. I agree with you on getting informed about the different substrates, it’s part of the fun. But it is not an easy process. Finding a good source takes time. I have a variety of different substrates on hand in small manageable amounts ( vermiculite , pumice , zeolite, Akadama , coco coir, orchid bark, diotomaceous earth, dolomite, azomite, red and black lava rock, organic soil ) and continues to take time to learn everything about cactus care.
I only recently learned that cactus like acidic soil and watering with tap water can make the soil more alkaline and thus hindering their growth.
I’m starting a filing system on my cacti to be able to glance at each plants requirements. The information is daunting by so interesting👍🏻
Hi , I am Erlinda Francisco from Philippines . I watch your video , thankful that you shared on how to mix a soil for succulents and cactus . Thank you so much ...
You're welcome Erlinda!
Here in the south of Portugal the weather is very hoy so I use regular soil with river sand. It works very well.
I sift my surface with a bug kitchen sifter to use the bigger ones for soil mix and the smaller for dressing the top of the plants.
If buying large quantities of soil to mix is too much to store, Etsy has sellers that offer small portions. Pretty expensive, but it’s a good start.
Also I purchased the book and I love it!
Thanks Mary!
So informative and cool. I'm in the wet UK and can't keep buying the small bag of cactus potting mix, which I now realise is not doing the job at all! thank you
Glad it was helpful!
I feel so lucky because pumice is so abundant where I'm from. I can get it for 30 cents a kilo. Or i can just get some from our ground soil but they are mostly chunks unless you are patient enough to grind them. I can get sand from our ground too. But I don't like using it. Too heavy for my liking. So i use rice hull instead.
Thank you for answering my question!! When you posted that you would be making this video I was checking constantly to see if it was up. I have a bunch of plants I want to repot but I refused to do it until I learned your method!! And just in time, my mom is bringing me home a gorgeous spiral cactus from Arizona tomorrow!!!
Oooh congrats on the Spiralis! They're so cool!!
Hi! In central Mississippi here. Hot and humid!! I never comment, but this was very informative and easy to understand and relate to...I can't pass up those pretty ceramic Pots sometimes, myself. Ha! Thank you bunches for the helpful info. I'm a Newbie and so much contadiction out there. This made it easier for me.
Awesome! Thank you!
Great video! Very informative & I liked how you showed how to make soil for our succulents & cacti!🙌🏼
Thank you Janie 😘🧡
Do you have a video about propagating and caring for Jade plants? And if not would you please consider one. Thank you for all of the knowledge that you share!
Hey Julie! No but you'll have the best luck with cuttings and I have a few videos on that :) - ruclips.net/video/qrOmu7DEyWE/видео.html - ruclips.net/video/UAtSumafJaA/видео.html
Thank you so much for giving us a way to have the best succulent and cactus soil mix with out a strangle-hold on our wallets . 😊 This I believe will do that . I used a similar formula . But as my collection grew my cost sky rocketed .
I love hearing this! You are super welcome!
the succulent with thick leaves are very cute.
Great information and demonstration of how to make soil for succulents and cacti. Have a blessed week ahead😊👍❤.
Thankya Ruthie!! 💚💚
Very informative. The Q&A helps and gives everybody a different perspective and to keep an open mind. 👍🏼
Buying pumice at a feed store in Southern California was significantly cheaper than General Pumice. Mixed sizes and a 40 pound bag though.
Where!? I need ALOT. I have la out 40 cacti that I need to pot and I can’t finde pumice in bulks
Hi, how frequently do u water your succulents in Houston weather?
And how do u care during winter during cold windy days and night ?
I am in Houston and face hard time keeping them alive with me .
Well those are 2 really great questions with a lot of parts to the answers. I do recommend reading my book The Succulent Manual - it's available to read online, as an eBook, and as a paperback. sucsforyou.com/thesucculentmanual/
Thanks for being so informative and into detail, love it!
Thank you for making this a little easier for me specially now and this time
Sorry for just now replying! I hope all is growing well :)
You go in to such detail. Great video. Thank you.
Thank you!
What a coincidence, earlier I was looking up DIY succulent soil 😂😂😂 perfect timing
Thanks, this is very helpful.
I have a golden barrel that's in a 10 inch pot with miracle-gro cactus mix. Two summers ago, we got 16 inches of rain in a couple of weeks just west of San Antonio. Have I just been lucky that it's still alive or what because it's grown almost 2 inches in diameter over the last 18 months.
I'm not sure if it's mentioned in the video, but what is the ratio of the items used?
It depends ... start with equal parts then from there based on climate, plant type, exposure to rain etc.
@@SucsForYou Thank you ☺️
I can’t find anything besides the topsoil locally . The county I live in is the Town Of No Supplies! Can’t even find good succulent planters or healthy succulents in this town . It’s quite frustrating cuz shipping for Turface and pumice is triple the cost of the products . I’ll find it somehow without paying a fortune. Thanks for the video 😊
Don't give up! Try calling Turface and the other companiesto see if they have someone near you. Profile brand sells Turface as 'porous ceramic soil conditioner', Soil Mender sells expanded shale. If there is a baseball field w/ the red dirt nearby, that's Turface! Maybe ask the athletics director... Landscaping and irrigation companies often sell it as well. Good luck!
Sucs For You! , Hi Andrea ! I did call and found a place an hour away that carries Turface. Their hours make it hard for me to get there before they close . But guess what ??? Tractor Supply in my town had Safe T Sorb granules that are calcined clay !!! Yippee ! Only $6.49 for 40 pounds !!! They also have Chicken grit nice and cheap . Two outa three in my town finally! They didn’t have the Safe T Sorb last time I went there so I’m glad I tried again.Found one store an hour away that will eventually have Mother Earth Volcanite Pumice in 1 cubic foot bags for $16.99 . They have me on their list since it’s back ordered. I see a good ol fashioned sifting session in my future to get the fines out of everything, but I’m so excited!!!! Thanks for your encouragement. I love your laid back vibe and humor . You’re exactly the kind of person I’d want to hang out with if we were in the same town . Thank you so much for all your videos. Love your taste in unique succulents. Gonna subscribe. Big hugs 🤗
@@littlebeebs1 YAY!!! I'm so happy lol! How big of a dork am I that I got teary-eyed reading about you finding 'rocks' haha!
Sucs For You! , OMG ! Thank you so much for being happy for me . And I suppose you’re as big of a dork as ME 😂. Cuz I got plumb giddy over finding those rocks myself. I literally jumped up and down with joy 🤣. I’d be just as tears eyed and joyful for you if you found the right rocks too . The fact that you are so happy for me makes me like you even more . I’ve become so obsessed with these gorgeous plants that I’m determined to make them thrive . The sizes of the particles seem perfect too . They’re as small as 1/32ish to as large as 3/16 . I can sift out the super fine stuff and be golden . Actually, what’s your take on particle size ? Yours seemed similar in size to Bonsai Jack 111 gritty mix . I can definitely get my mix to that size . One wise grower told me that the smaller the plant , the more ok they are with smaller particles . Big hugs beautiful woman 🤗
Great video, thank you! Can you please make a video on root mealy bugs and how to get rid of them (even on string succulents).
there are a lot of pumice here in the Philippines. but sad to say, i hardly seen a turface and expanded shales here...breaks my heart
Don't be sad! Pumice is amazing and you don't need all of the materials - as long as you have one good type, you're fine!
@@SucsForYou thank you for your advice Andrea...
Your videos have been so helpful! Thanks for sharing everything you’ve learned. I went to Southwest Fertilizer the other day and got supplies for a mix! When watering, do you look for signs of thirst? Or mainly check the potting mix for moisture?
YAY for SW Fertilizer! And I check the dirt and the plants ;)
Sucs For You! Will do, thanks! Looking forward to sharing pics of my succulent babies after trying your methods. Also, noticed you just released an updated version of your ebook, can’t wait to check it out!
hi andrea,great seeing you getting down and dirty making your soil mix (haha)very informative,best wishes from north east england
HA! Thanks Michael!
Love your videos, Andrea. They’re all informative specially from a local houstonian. 😝
Thanks Cherry! I know you know what we have to deal with here 🤣
Absolutely! We never know what the next weather is going to be doing.... and humidity doesn’t help :/ .
Just found your channel 🙂
Should I use the the same mixture for inside cactus's and all succulents? Just trying cactus's and I have a lot of Sansieveria's. I have repotted some already but I like the idea of not using commercially prepared cactus & succulent mix because I can't control the minerals/vitamins my plants receive. Should I wait until the plants dry out to repot or next spring when I've heard that repotting should be done during the growing season? Thanks 👍🏽
Sorry just now seeing this comment 🙏 First, definitely check out my website and consider reading my ebook The Succulent Manual - you also can read it on sucsforyou(dot)com. I go into more detail about how your climate affects your soil requirements but for now:
-Sansieverias don't mind more organic soil in their mix.
-Yes, it's best to repot when the soil's dry to avoid root rot.
-And it just depends on the plant - some don't mind being repotted year-round, others, like a lot of slow-growing cacti, prefer not to be disturbed while they're dormant, either seasonal or temperature induced.
Hi Andrea!! 😊 As usual you always come through with an informative and amazing video right when I need it lol 😁🙌 I just ran out of my last bag of Bonsai Jack soil mix for sucs, which I have loved, but is so Expensive 🙈 So I was definitely praying that you'd come out with a diy video like this and you did not even 3 days later! 💃 So lots of love and thanks for that 😁💕
I did want to know what your thoughts are on using vermiculite as an added ingredient to your soil mix for the benefits of the minerals in it? I saw in a blog post that it helps succulents thrive but the blogger also lives in Wyoming so not sure that would help my sucs in our Houston weather. Just thought I'd add that I also keep my sucs inside 😊♥️
Hi Crystal! I'm glad you found the video helpful :) I don't recommend vermiculite or perlite if you can find other subs - here's a good article explaining the differences - www.epicgardening.com/perlite-vs-vermiculite/
Love your videos
You are so amazing Andrea!! Great demo!!
Erin @ Little Emerald Thumb
Thank you Erin!!!
what about river sand mix with a little topsoil would that work as well?
Thank you for a very informative video. I’ve seen where some use styrofoam when needing to use larger pot to reduce amount of soil needed. What do you think about this? Do you ever use other materials to save on amount of soil mix needed in a large pot? I’m in tropical climate (S FL). and new to succulents. I’m finding that once I transplant succulents purchased in big box stores they seem to root and then few weeks later they seem loose n find roots died or separated. What would cause this. I use bonsai mix with some organic bc of rainy season here. Thanks again
I'm not sure about Styrofoam but I've tried it myself before and it seemed to be all right :) I think those big lava rocks from Home Depot work better and are still light and cheap!
Hello! Does this mix produce gnats
It dries fast so it helps prevent fungal gnats from laying eggs :)
First! Your videos are awesome !!!👌🏻👍🏻🙂
LOL! Thanks Marc!
Thanks for detailed information 👍. New friend here. Stay connected my friend 🙏❤
What types of boards are you using for your plants?
Pressure treated and stained w/ deck stain
I've read to add Pine Bark to Succulent Soil. I have several Peperomi Plants and I love them! But want to re-pot some into bigger pots. Can I just use a good potting soil and add broken Pine Cones to the mix? I guess I could attempt to peel a bit of the Pine Tree Bark from my Pine trees (I live in Ohio) but didnt want to go gouging my outdoor friends! There are 100's of Pine Cones all around, could I just crush some up into not so big chunks and add them to the mix? Thanks!
I wouldn't bother ... the bark needs to be a certain size to help with drainage and will eventually break down. As for pine cones, I can't help you there. I'd think the resin might not be beneficial to the plants.
Hi Andrea! I'm so excited I came upon your RUclips videos to assist me in my new adventure of succulents. I live in southeast PA, and honestly, the weather is unpredictable. I'm having a difficult time locally locating Turface and Expanded Shale, in doing some research would lava rock be okay to use in place of the Turface? Or any suggestions for substituting either of these materials? Thanks so much!
Hi Melissa!! The only lava rock I can find locally is too big for a soil mix. But if you can find a smaller type, yes, go for it! In a pinch, you can just use a lot of perlite and topsoil. Here's a map of locations w/ drainage materials - it's incomplete of course but maybe there's a shop near you not listed! tinyurl.com/y7um3yfz
Sucs For You!
Hi Andrea!!
Thank you so much for your reply and the link. I did find a place about 2 hrs away. I might be talking my husband into a roadtrip.
In the meantime, I ordered some online.
If you don't mind, I ordered some succulents and although I have no clue of their names, these 2 in particular I have never even seemed before. Would you be able to help me identify them?
@@melissawagaman7914 Keep looking! I 'm sure there's somewhere closer lol! Here's how to reach out w/ pics for help :) sucsforyou.com/helpmesfy/
Hi Andrea, Other than the top soil all I could get here is the shale. I don't want to use perlite anymore if I don't need to. Is the shale enough? I also have lava rock on hand, & crushed granite. I don't know if either of those materials work like pumice or Turface. I'm in zone 6. Your videos have been most helpful. Do you have one on fertilizing? Thanks!
Keep looking for Turface but yes, the expanded shale should be good! I do talk about fertilizing in this video ruclips.net/video/bPGkx3JALro/видео.html and I have written about it in The Succulent Manual :) sucsforyou.com/saveyoursucs
How do you feel about adding sand to mixes? I tried it for some time and I did not really notice a difference. I'm also having trouble finding expanded shale at any of my nearby hardware stores.
Is expanded shale the same of the expanded clay pebbles used in hydroponic?
What is turface?
No one of this are available in Italy 🇮🇹 neither top soil 🤦🏻♂️
I have: pomice, lapillo, Perlite, river sand , coco coir, compost. I mix one of every one so basically 66/33 but still slow to get dry...
Thanks
No - shale is a type of rock, not clay. Turface is made from clay. Top soil is just the plain soil scraped from the top of the earth, used for filling holes and leveling. Pumice and the lapillo would be the best out of what you listed :)
hi thank you for this informative video I have a question how do you feel about concrete or cement pots for succulents? love watching your vids I subscribed 😊
Thank you for sub'ing! I don't recommend them unless they are shallow and have a big ol drainage hole ;)
@@SucsForYou Al pots should have drainage holes 😊 I would think but what I have in mind are some pots made from cement or even hypertufa for my hardy succulents. I googled pots for succulents and one website had the cement ones as being good pots and porous also and were listed first but I guess is just a trend 😊 Thank you for your reply! I love your videos but I'm up in Canada and cannot order any of your beautiful plants and that sucks 😢😀😀😀
@@TheMariana29 Yup! I just think it's best to start with a good pot to eliminate that being a possible problem down the road lol!
Some soil recipes called for "grit". Does MVP turface act like grit?
Grit tends to refer to poultry grit which is a tad smaller than the MVP sized turface BUT yes, it would act as a nice 'sharp' edged filler that allows more air down in the soil and space for water to drain through.
Does the mixture work will for inground planting of cactus?
I live in Corpus Christi. I assume I could use this mix for my succulents here? Also, if I have some plants potted in other mixes - different from what you recommend - should I re-pot them with your recommended mix? Especially now during the Summer?
Yes and yes!
And just so I understand the Sansevieria cause I have a new starfish and cylindrical, you are also using this cactus mix with the top soil only with a larger part topsoil?
Yep - 60/40 topsoil to drainage materials :)
Can you show me all the bag name you have like expand shell Thanks
Soil Mender
What kind of soul do you use when propagating from leaves?
Hi I'm from New Zealand and I have looked on all of our landscaping websites + plant stores/home depot type stores and we dont have things like Turface, soil conditioner or expanded shale. Could you just use top soil and pumice? Or top soil, pumice and scoria? Those are readily available here
Absolutely!
I wanted to make a soil free mix. I live in a hit and humid climate. What do you think if I replace the top soil with coconut coir?
Top soil retains less water :)
Sucs For You! Thank you!
I live in Houston as well, and I was wondering where did you get the materials?
Oops never mind! I got interrupted when watching your video and didn’t catch you mentioning the stores😂
When do you fertilize your succulents?
Usually just in the spring a few times or not at all lol!
Love your style! I have a question about your soil ,, i do all succulents,, should i add more topsoil or just make your soil you made here? Hope this makes sense :)
Thanks! It depends on the humidity where you are - more humid climates need more drainage materials. Drier climates can handle more organic soil/topsoil. 🙏
What’s the harm in sourcing the smaller Turface? I can source Oil Dry and Turface Pro, which is about the same size and much smaller than the MVP.
The pro is basically like sand which will compact around the roots.
That makes sense, thanks!
@@sharilambeth9062 Welcome! Ask if the shop can order you a bag of MVP :)
Can you show me the ingredients name I can’t see what you have and where to buy thank u very much
Please read the video description :)
What link …"
Would you recommend the same soil mix for zone 6a? Or more brown? Or more drainage? Im at a loss!
Yes :) More brown for hotter drier climates where dirt dries more quickly
Thank you! 😊
Good morning! I've read that a lot of folks swear by mixing poultry grit to their succulent soil. What's your opinion on that?
I've never used it myself but have heard from many others who do. I believe you need the kind without additives ... it's also not porous so will trap moisture in the soil. Turface is a safer, cheaper alternative 🙏 I talk more about it and other options in this article: sucsforyou.com/2020/07/28/how-climate-controls-your-succulents-soil-needs/
I couldn't find Turface MVP locally, but they did have turface pro league red. Do you think that would work ok in a soil mix? the particle size is a little smaller. Most of it is 16 MESH (1.19 mm). It looks a little smaller than standard perlite.
Honestly I think it would be okay to use in your mix but I really recommend the larger particle... can the shop order you the MVP?
@@SucsForYou Ill ask them next time I go in. I ended up getting the pro league red. so far so good. I kinda like it as a top dressing too :) I'm in central california, so humidity isnt an issue here. It dries fast! haha
Awesome 🌹
Hello Andrea , I have been busy since we last text . By the way are you familiar with Lesco Turface; Allsport or Game saver driver . I found a place that offered a 50 lb bag at $25 . What do you think ?
I'm not familiar with Lesco brand but there are dozens of brands who sell Turface under different names. Game Saver is probably going to be more like Quick Dry/sand which you do not want. The All Sport will have larger grains, but a bit smaller than the MVP I use, I think. There is a photo of some samples on my website here - you want something that is closer to the 3 tubes on the left:
sucsforyou.com/2020/07/28/how-climate-controls-your-succulents-soil-needs/
Hi hun ... how about California, what do u recommend ?
Hi Joanna! I'd say you can get away with more topsoil since it's drier there :)
Sucs For You!
Thank you :)
Hi! I recently started to buy succulents and so far I have 4 lol. Still learning about them and many other plants. New sub here and I’m from Houston Texas as well! 😁
Also, could you recommend a shop of plants I can purchase here in Houston? I live in the heights area and not sure where to buy plants, that’s a good place to shop.
Thank you! 😁🙏🏻
-Pachira plant
-Pilea
-Snake plant
-Succulents
Howdy! Definitely check out Joshua's and Buchanan's! sucsforyou.com/where-to-buy-succulents/
Do you or does anyone know anything about decorative lava rock/gravel for fireplaces.. if it’s the same as buying like bonsai lava rock?? I’m really curious because I may be able to find that more easily and also I think the price might be better.
It's much larger than the bonsai type and difficult to break up. Pumice is getting a bit easier to find locally and definitely worth the search!
@@SucsForYou oh thank you.. that’s kind of what I was worried about.. I had/have no idea what size it is but figured it may be too big. And had thoughts of trying to crush it up myself but that’s ridiculous and don’t have that much time on my hands..so thanks. I do have pumice and decomposed granite.. so that should be good. I’m in Florida and I have to order most of what I want online 😕. And nobody has turface where I’m at either..But I think I’m going to substitute Poultry Grit for that because I think I can get it at a Tractor Supply type place. Thanks
@@SucsForYou and one of the issues with buying lava rock online is.. most of what I see is like a 2-5 pound bag and they make look like it’s huge and it’s actually a tiny little bag.. so a decent larger quantity at a decent price is not easy to find.. it takes hours of searching I feel like.
@@ilovecornell I think a lot of us have considered crushing the big lava rocks lol! Here's a link to a map of places that sell drainage materials. You can see if there are any companies on the list with a location near you that have turface - it's good stuff and cheap! SiteOne seems to have a lot of shops in FL: www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/edit?mid=10TRkuVEj6wOrIyHr70LcKFv-kody7St-&usp=sharing
@@SucsForYou oh thank you!!! I keep putting in words like Lawn supplies etc in mapquest and ugh not much comes up.. near where I am in Palm Coast.. there’s definitely not a lot of anything here… I think there is one place called Stone Plus, I called all over a while back to see if anyone had decomposed granite and nobody had it.. so I’m going to see who may have turface near me. I’ll check your list though.. that will be a big help.. I appreciate it thanks.
Can you use coco coir instead of top soil ?
Coir retains a lot of water and costs more than topsoil so ... I can't recommend
Sucs For You! Okay thank you for responding !
@@micaelabenitez08 Welcome! And I should mention that if live live in an arid climate, the water retention won't be as big of a deal :)
Do you sift your soil for more equal size material?
Nope!
Sucs For You! That’s what I wanted to hear
So after watching your video, I'm guessing pea gravel isn't a good soil amendment?
If you live in an arid climate it's okay but as it's not porous it will trap moisture in the soil rather than absorb.
@@SucsForYou Yes I live in Colorado. I ended up finding turface at a local landscape place for $15/50lb bag. Thank you though!
@@living4himjoshayden Awesome! You're all set then :)
I found a 30 qt (around 40lb) bag of pumice on Amazon with free shipping and it costs around $35. It still hasn't been delivered though, but hopefully, it will work just fine.
Here's the link for it: www.amazon.com/gp/product/B075H37L7D/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Looking forward to hearing how you like it!
Hey sweetie hru. Glad to 👀 u make a 📹 good info 🌵🌵🌵🌸🌼😘😍😇😮🙊🙈
Thank you Miss Daisy!
I cant find exanded shale any where locally whats a good alternative for that..I have a lowes and home depot!!
All they have in Houston at those stores is perlite - it will work for now :)
I'm a beginner & I'm wondering if the pumice that my
gravel, small rock? Someone once told me to go to my local nursery & ask for rock grit, so I did & they looked at me like I was crazy, so there I was very confused once again. Can you plz help me??
You can email me a pic if you'd like - get @ sucsforyou.com 🙏
don't you have to wash those rocks first to get rid off the chemicals that they might carry?
*Hey Andrea! It’s me Michael! lol I know you must have a split rock in one of your videos, you have everything under the sun literally!*
*See👋🏼*
Hi! Can you tell me where in Houston you buy expanded shale?
Southwest Fertilizer! About the same price/weight as Turface :) $15 for 40lbs I believe
Thank you so much for all the help! I went there yesterday and got turface and expanded shales, so excited to start potting today! The shales were around $7, btw 😀
@@luanguyen7044 YAY!!! And you must have bought a smaller bag of the shale? I get the 40lb size and it lasts several months :)
It was actually the 40 lb bag. Maybe they were having a sale? Lol
@@luanguyen7044 That's awesome!! Thanks for letting me know!
there are definitely aquarium substrates that are extremely porous. Many of them are fired clay just like youve used in your video, which are used for growing aquarium plants which usually need an iron source. There are a number of products made by various brands that are porous material. We even use porous materials like lavarocks and clays in our filter systems. Porous is the name of the game in aquariums because fostering a thriving microbial culture is what keeps aquariums healthy.
You probably shouldnt have chosen to answer that question given that you dont seem to have a broad understanding of aquariums like you do with succulent growing.
I was referring to aquarium gravel per the question asked by the viewer. I've been asked this question numerous times and the majority of the time they're referring to the coated non-porous gravel substrate since it's so easy to source at pet stores. This is not good for succulents.