There are a ton of recipes online. Most people start with either standard potting soil or the soil mix sold in bags for succulent plants. If you decide to create your own blend, use ordinary potting soil free of additives. We’ll go over additional components to include when amending or creating your own succulent potting soil.
Succulent growth medium frequently gets the following additions:
Fine Sand
Improved soil drainage results from using coarse sand in amounts of 50 to 30 percent. Avoid using materials with fine textures, such as play sand. A higher sand content may be advantageous for cacti, but it must be coarse sand.
PerlitePerlite is frequently used in succulent-growing mixtures. This product improves drainage and promotes aeration, although it is light and frequently floats to the top when watered. Use between 1/3 and 50% when mixing with potting soil.
Turface
Turface is a calcine clay product and soil conditioner that delivers aeration, oxygen, and moisture monitoring to the soil. It has the consistency of pebbles and does not compact. Although it goes by the brand name Turface, the phrase “product” is also frequently used to describe it. used as a top dressing as well as an ingredient in succulent soil mixes.
PumicePumice is a volcanic substance that may store nutrients and moisture. Some people utilize significant amounts of pumice. Some growers report successful trials when using only pumice. But using this kind of material necessitates more regular watering. Depending on where you live, you might need to order this item.
Coconut CoirUnlike other goods that might not absorb water well after the initial soaking, coconut coir, which is made from the shredded husks of the coconut, offers drainage qualities and can be repeatedly wet. Coir, which is pronounced “core,” was never brought up before to the typical succulent grower. Coir is a component of at least one well-known distributor of succulents’ peculiar mix. I have healthy plants in my nursery and use a mixture of 1/3 normal potting soil (the inexpensive variety), 1/3 coarse sand, and 1/3 coir.
Can I plant in play sand?
You might have a lot of items to recycle or reuse as your kids get older and lose interest in outdoor toys like sandpits. Additionally, now is a fantastic time to begin adding more flowers and leaves to your garden because no curious children will be grasping at them.
There are several advantages to adding sand to plant soil, therefore you may be wondering, “Can I use play sand for plants?” if you have some remaining from the sandpit.
Unfortunately, because to its probable high salt content and potential impact on soil drainage, play sand is not recommended for use with plants. Nevertheless, it is quite simple to discard, and your garden can benefit from using a variety of various types of sand.
Therefore, if you’ve thrown away the play sand and are left wondering what to add to your soil, we have the solution.
What kind of sand is ideal for succulents?
While succulents can live in sand, only coarse sand will actually work. In fine sand, succulents won’t grow well, if at all, as it holds on to too much water, making it difficult for the roots to breathe.
Sand-grown succulents won’t receive as many nutrients as those raised in potting soil. So it makes sense to think about fertilizing the succulent by incorporating diluted fertilizer with its watering schedule. This guarantees that the plant continues to receive the nutrients required for growth.
Making a sand and soil mix is the greatest alternative to growing your succulent in sand. The succulent benefits from having the best of both worlds since the sand ensures adequate water drainage and the soil supplies the plant with nutrients for growth.
What kind of sand are you planting with?
As roots look for nutrients in the soil, coarse sand, sometimes referred to as yellow sand or builder’s sand, causes water to collect in pockets. Additionally, the coarse sand develops pockets of oxygen that revive drained roots that have recently been transplanted or roots that have just emerged from well-tended seeds.
Can Play Sand retain water?
In Our Private Members Area, this query is asked at least once every week. Let’s try to simplify the difficult topic of which sand to use for rooting cuttings.
I mention the coarse sand that I use for rooting cuttings in almost every article I write and in every video we produce. But because I’ve never actually seen sand marketed under the product name, this is a rather perplexing topic “rough sand. The term “what you’re looking for” can also be used to describe concrete sand or sharp sand.
Sand is frequently the ideal rooting medium to use if you want to use the Automated Plant Propagation System, which you should because it makes rooted cuttings ridiculously easy.
However, because sand is specific to each region, it differs greatly from place to place. Due to its weight, it is often mined locally and sold wherever there is a gravel pit rather than being transported across long distances by truck.
On to silica sand next! As you can see, the silica sand contains little pebbles that provide excellent drainage.
Today, I’ll try my best to demonstrate how to locate sand that is appropriate for rooting cuttings in your region. We produced a video on pebbly sand “obviously with the donkeys. They are my colleagues in making videos.
We are lucky to be in this area since there is a large silica quarry approximately 30 or 40 miles down the road that has been mining silica stone for at least 50 years. There is a significant amount of coarse silica sand produced as a byproduct of the screening and washing of the stone.
Because it drains efficiently, we utilize coarse silica sand. Our plant propagation system provides water as needed to the cuttings we are rooting, but it’s crucial that any extra water drain away quickly to prevent the cuttings’ stems from rotting.
You can see that play sand is extremely fine and is free of rocks. It’s wonderful for little children and very gentle on the knees, hands, and elbows. However, because it holds too much water and remains too wet, it is not really excellent for germination of cuttings.
This is the play sand that I bought from a nearby big box retailer. It is more necessary to assess the sand to discover the one that will work for rooting cuttings than it is to care about the brand because sand differs from local to local. This blog post should assist you in achieving that.
About those Drain Holes in Nursery Containers.
Play sand simply ran out the bottom of this nursery container when we attempted to fill it with it. But because it was so dry in the bag, we managed to maintain it in the pot by adding some water.
What You Really Need to Know about that . . .
To prevent potting soil from evaporating, some people would advise you to put paper coffee filters in the nursery containers’ bottoms. You don’t have to carry that out! The nursery container’s bottom perforations prevent good potting soil from escaping. I’ve never done it and I’ve never needed to, and I’ve never seen a commercial grower in the industry do it.
If you are losing potting soil out the bottom of your containers,
The all-purpose sand that is sold in large box retailers comes next. I’m not sure what people use it for—perhaps underpaying brick—but for that, crushed, ultra-fine limestone would be preferable because it packs firmly and will never seep through a crack hourglass-style as sand can. It is superior to play sand because it does contain some small stones. But . . .
Once more, this is what one of our neighborhood big box retailers carries. Try not to look for brand names.
Now let’s add some water . . .
The silica sand looked to be fully free of extra water in less than a minute after we added water to both of these containers. In this image, there is still some water on top of the beach sand. Not promising.
The play sand was still very wet and, as you can see, part of it washed out the bottom of the container after we added water simultaneously to all of the containers in the same period of time. You can see that the container on the right has water standing on top of the all-purpose sand. That surprised me because I though the all-purpose sand would drain better with the visible stones, but there may be something in there preventing drainage.
The Results?
The Silica Sand was the clear winner because it drained far better than the other three.
Third place went to the All Purpose Sand. It kept far too much water for plant growth and didn’t drain well.
Play sand was the big loser. As you can see in the photo, it rinsed out the holes in the bottom container and retained all types of water, but even minutes after our test, it was still soggy and stirrable like a milk shake. You can test it as I have done here to see if the play sand sold in your region is different. However, following this experiment, I would never use it for rooting cuttings.
Please note that I am only testing these brand-name goods for plant propagation purposes; this is not their intended use. Poor outcomes therefore do not imply inferior products. They are probably excellent items, but not for cuttings that need to stick.
Which type of sand is used in potting mix?
Suitable potting soil should:
- withstand the weight of the plant.
- Keep nutrients in place.
- Maintain moisture while allowing for air and water flow.
- Be free of weed seeds and diseases.
Plant roots have varying needs for air, water, nutrients, and support depending on their growth stage. Potting mediums must satisfy these needs. The quantity and materials that make up different potting mixes serve as their defining characteristics. Numerous mix varieties have comparable elements in various proportions.
Due to concerns about disease and density, soilless blends are frequently used. Even now, some organic blends contain soil. You can use sterilized garden soil or clean topsoil to get rid of weeds and disease-causing organisms. Spread the dirt out on a baking sheet, then bake it for 20 minutes at 200° F while stirring every five minutes.
Sand gives potting soil more air room. The best sand is coarse or builder’s sand. As they produce a dense mix, stay away from plaster and fine sands. Sand is a fantastic option for top-heavy plants that could topple over because it is heavier than other components.
Compost may be made at home, is less expensive than other ingredients, holds water well, and gives nutrients. The caliber of the materials that were composted will determine the nutrient content of the finished product.
Pine bark produces a light potting mixture with air pockets but little capacity to hold water. It is a suitable ingredient for mixes for potted ornamentals because it breaks down slowly. The pine bark can partially replace peat moss if it is ground to a fine enough consistency. Before using, make sure the item has undergone the age process.
The most popular component for soilless mixtures is peat moss because it is readily available and reasonably priced. Peat moss has a strong acidity, yet it decomposes slowly and retains a lot of water. Mixtures typically contain lime to maintain a pH balance.
A by-product of the coconut business called coir resembles sphagnum moss but is more expensive, is a tubular fiber, and doesn’t include any sticks or twigs. The standard packaging for coir is a compacted brick that, when moistened, will expand. It’s vital to remember that coir can need more nitrogen and less potassium addition. Since salt water is used in its production, there is also a danger of salt damage, though this can be reduced by washing the item before use.
A lightweight volcanic rock with a neutral pH, perlite is sterile and inert. It expands the airspace, enhances water drainage, and works well as a lightweight alternative to sand.
Another lightweight component in potting mixes is vermiculite. Handle it delicately; if handled forcefully, it will condense and lose its ability to hold air. While coarse grade is ideal for a soil mixture for older plants, medium grade is appropriate for seedlings.
Sand or soil is required by succulents?
Regular potting soil from your yard won’t work for succulents since they need soil that drains. Select cactus soil or potting soil that has been mixed with sand, pumice, or perlite. Be gentle when repotting because succulent roots are extremely brittle.
Is beach sand suitable for use as succulent soil?
It is true that creating your own succulent soil requires a little more work. However, it’s an excellent approach to achieve the ideal soil mix for your specific variety and growing circumstances while also saving money. Consider this to be an all-purpose, universal recipe. It may be modified depending on your environment and the materials available and will function both inside and outside, in containers or in the ground.
Mix one part organic ingredients from the left column with two parts mineral components from the right to create a balanced succulent soil. You can choose from either side, or you can combine other elements. Make sure the volume is made up of 2/3 mineral materials and 1/3 organic matter.
Observations regarding a few of the stated soil options:
Potting Soil
On the market, potting soil comes in what seems like countless variations. Check the components to ensure that you are getting exactly what you ordered and to determine whether it aids in drainage or moisture retention. Do not use peat-based potting mixtures (more on that below).
Gravel
Look for particles with a diameter of between 1/8″ and 1/4″. Fine dust particles that might clog soil pores and hinder drainage are removed by rinsing. Instead of layering gravel at the bottom of a non-draining pot where it can cause rot, you should incorporate it into your soil.
Other Mineral Possibilities
You can use equal amounts of diotamaceous earth, chicken grit, decomposed granite, non-soluble cat litter, and oil dry (both of which are made of calcined molasses clay).