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Art For Sale - Saint Michael Miniature Pen and Ink Drawings
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Our Lady of Guadalupe, stippled ink on genuine sheep skin, a (finished) Work In Progress |
As war escalates around the world, please remember each day to pray for Peace.
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Guild of Natural Science Illustrators, Inc.
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Marians Of The Immaculate Conception
Basic Soil or Soil less Mix Ingredients
Soil mixes and soil less mixes may contain many different ingredients, and the main consideration in creating a mix is what the plants requirements are.
The requirements can vary greatly from plant to plant. Two examples are the differences in the mixes for :
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cacti ( a sandy or gravelly, well draining mix that also has some organic matter) |
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roses ( a well draining mix with high organic matter and higher nutrient value ) |
On this page I will list pictures of some of the different ingredients, and a brief description of what they do. When looking to create a mix, researching the plants needs prior to purchasing any ingredients will help eliminate growing problems later on. Remember, your plants have to live and thrive in the mix you create.
Coarse Perlite. Perlite comes in different grades. Its main functions are to improve drainage and water retention.
Coarse Vermiculite. Vermiculite also comes in different grades. It retains moisture like perlite, does also improve drainage, although not quite as much as perlite. It improves the "heaviness" of a mix.
Construction Sand. Sand is used to improve drainage and porosity of a mix. Although you can't tell from the photo, there are many different sizes :grains" of sand in this bag. This is what you want. You do not want beach or play sand, as the grains are too fine for mix improvement and tend to pack a mix down and make it very heavy. I buy Quikcrete brand sand, sold as an additive for cement.
Fine grade Fir Bark and Perlite mix. Fir bark is used for plants that require almost immediate drainage, but also moisture. The fir bark stays damp, but allows very fast drainage. The perlite improves both the moisture level and the drainage. I use this mix for some of my orchids and for epiphyte plants that would naturally grow in trees in a forest or tropical setting.
Gardener's Supply Company Transplant Mix. This is the peat-based transplant mix that I personally use for all my mixes. It is a fine grade, has some vermiculite and perlite in it, and I can add other amendments depending on the mix I need. I have found it to be an extremely versatile base for my mixes. Gardener's Supply Company is a Vermont based industry that uses as many methods as possible to keep the environment clean and their link can be found on the Contacts and Suppliers page.
Home-made African Violet mix. This is what I use for my African Violets. It has the base transplant mix above, coarse perlite, and coarse vermiculite. It provides moisture and drainage and a moderate organic matter level.
Home-made Cactus mix. This is what I use for the desert cacti and succulents I grow. It is about 40% coarse sand and about 60 % base transplant mix. Although desert cacti need excellent drainage, they do also need some nutrients in the mix, and I find the transplant base mix and a dilute fertilizer in the spring provides this. The consistency of this mix as it flows through your fingers is that of cornmeal or of packaged dry corn-muffin mix.
Home-made Geranium or other general plant mix. This is similar to the African violet mix, except this is made with topsoil, perlite and vermiculite. It has a better weight for outdoor containers, and topsoil has a higher amount of naturally occurring nutrients. This mix can be used for African violets and other houseplants. The watering requirements would be slightly less with this mix because it naturally retains more moisture than the peat mix.
Those are just some of the ingredients and amendments I use. These will help you make a mix to meet almost any plant need.