When it comes to desert loving plants and arid growing zones, the plants prefer a special type of soil. The basic potting mix holds on to too much water and will cause issues with root development and plant health.
Пікірлер: 68
@MrNoucfeanor2 жыл бұрын
Me in Texas watching Michiganders repotting cactus with a paper bag =D Great content man! My family has learned so much from yours, and that trifecta plus! *insert italian fingers* never had such lush tomatoes!
@tomjeffries582 жыл бұрын
I was taught to use a page of newspaper folded over and over to create a 2" to 3" band or larger for larger cactus and then wrapping it around the cactus and using the excess as a handle to hold the cactus tight. Works well and I've done some big ones.
@ppgedez Жыл бұрын
Nice one.
@diannaredding93732 жыл бұрын
Great information! No wonder I keep killing my cactus and aloe plants lol over watering and no sand in the soil. Thank you for this great information
@SaraCBear2 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Definitely helps cause my aloe is outside in potting mix but not mixed with sand and it’s overwatered when it rains and starts turning brown, gonna redo the pot mix now thank you 😊
@MJ-kg2qy2 жыл бұрын
Pretty sure it's way too wet where I am for aloe to do well outside in the winter (northwestern WA). My aloe is on my kitchen windowsill till it's not frosty in the morning but I haven't even had it a year yet.
@Frank-fs5nv2 жыл бұрын
Luke, it might be time to do a video on citrus and maybe add in graphting.
@Bigfoottehchipmunk2 жыл бұрын
I see that you have pebbly sand. If someone can't find sand like that, they can use some pea gravel for part of that. I have a bedraggled pot of cacti babies that my cat knocked over a couple months ago, which I told them I would get to them after Christmas. They're all doing fine, but there are too many in the pot, and they are every which way. This inspires me to get to them sooner than later.
@jude1515Ай бұрын
I like the repotting idea.
@nyccookie90702 жыл бұрын
I love cacti. I have alot of rare ones. Thank u for teaching me how to make a really good soil. I did ur recipe to the soil and added lava rocks on top. My Hoodia loves it! Thanks again!
@jamesbarisitz47942 жыл бұрын
A handful of lava rock in the base before the mix works well if you can't keep your mitts off the watering can!
@azpeach56802 жыл бұрын
This was so great! Aren’t cacti such interesting plants???
@lukewilson32712 жыл бұрын
Luke, you've done growing guides on beets, radishes, carrots when are we going to get the turnip growing guide.
@brianderowski66062 жыл бұрын
Thank you for a very informative presentation. I learned a lot about caring for desert loving plants.
@barbaramilbradt21882 жыл бұрын
Thank you, anxious to try my new seeds from Migardener!
@emmitstewart19212 жыл бұрын
Don't, don't, don't, DO NOT, plant a desert plant in a pot with no drainage holes. You can get small diamond drills and drill them yourself if you have an undrained planter. Read the ingredients before using any potting soil. If it contains peat, make sure it also has a wetting agent. Better yet, use coir. When peat dries out, it will not absorb water unless it is boiling hot. Coir is sold bone dry, and it absorbs water instantly Run your sand through a tea strainer or a sieve made from window screen. The particles that go through the screen are waste. They do not contribute to the drainage in the soil. When you water your plants, make sure that the entire soil mass is moistened, this is why you need well drained pots and soil, so that the excess can drain out. Then wait until the top inch of soil is dry and water again. If any part of the pot is continuously dry, the roots of the plant will not penetrate into it. Do not rely on a schedule to water your plants. Different pots dry out at different rates. A desert plant in a ten-inch pot may only need to be watered once every six weeks. The same species in a two-inch pot will need to be watered daily if it sits in a sunny window. Check your plants often, but water only when the pot is dry. Desert plants do not go without water for months or years. They have evolved to collect water every time the dew falls, and the dew falls heavily every night in the desert. They have evolved to collect that water very fast and hold on to it tightly. Google CAM (Crassulaceae Active Metabolism). Do not water cacti in winter. This is their dormant time and they need a dry, cold period to set buds for next year. Some other succulents (From the Southern Hemisphere) grow in winter. Make sure that they have very bright light to prevent etiolation. Your crested cactus is reverting to type. You may want to cut off those cylindrical branches and root them. They will make a perfectly normal cactus. I have been growing cacti and succulents for fifty years and these are some of the lessons I have learned. PS. Here is my favorite recipe for desert plant soil. One brick of fine coir two scoops of Coarse vermiculite, my scoop is the kind Walmart sells for scooping out pet food, it holds about a liter. One scoop of earthworm castings. the brand I am using has live earthworms still in it, and is kind of clumpy, so I run it gently through a 1/4-inch sieve and return the worms to the bin. If they're still alive, they're still pooping. Two scoops of coarse sand. I run my sand through a 1/32-inch sieve. I discard the fine and use the coarse grains. You can get this already screened online, but it's very expensive. One scoop of 1/4-inch screened pumice. I get mine from Bonsai Jack One scoop of 14-inch lava rock. Also, from Bonsai Jack . Lava rock and pumice are interchangeable. you could also use pea gravel or natural aquarium gravel one tablespoon greensand. an organic mineral adds potassium and trace elements. one tablespoon gypsum adds calcium and sulfur without changing the PH. This is a very well-draining soil and works well for most desert plants. If you are used to other soils, you may need to water more often.
@pamelamercado69022 жыл бұрын
I use kitchen prongs when replanting cactus or pulling one out of the ground rather succulent or others I mostly grow succulent I live in Arizona we have plenty of cactus
@Gkrissy2 жыл бұрын
Nice video. I always stay away from cactus for the same reason Luke mentioned, fear of being pricked. I learned something new with the bag handling technique. I got my trifecta plus and I’m ready to use it for the spring!
@user-ms6rm1fc9x2 жыл бұрын
Thank you
@gmpgmp54882 жыл бұрын
Thanks 😊 🌵
@RidaYash2 жыл бұрын
Thank u. I need to make potting soil for my succulents. You could use an oven mitt to hold the cactus.
@GR-bo5zt2 жыл бұрын
Yes 🙌🏻 (needed to know this!) Can I use this mix to start cactus seeds too??
@emmitstewart19212 жыл бұрын
If you use a seed-starting mix instead of regular potting mix. Potting mixes usually have too much fertilizer.
@rjohnson6102 жыл бұрын
I REALLY needed this video! Thank you so much!
@silvanasalazar13352 жыл бұрын
Very helpful! I was recently gifted an extremely prickly cactus and have been scared to repot it, can't wait to try this trick! Also I love my Fresh Picked Apparel sweater! Its so cozy, I wear it all the time, even though my dog got some mud on it that won't come out 😅
@emmitstewart19212 жыл бұрын
Very long spined cacti will punch through that bag in an instant. Use a newspaper folded over at least five times to make a holder, hold gently at first until you are sure they won't penetrate, then hold firmly. Watch the back of your hands. Cactus spine are needle sharp and the worst spikes I have gotten were when I reached for one plant and the one beside it got me good.
@annritatran9452 жыл бұрын
Thanks for this! My succulents became slightly brown in the middle then soft and transparent. I think its the soil even tho i use cactus soil. 2 i know i watered too much but this last one this morning, idk😪
@PippiLong12 жыл бұрын
Thank you!
@julieann1472 жыл бұрын
My favorite guy!!
@indonesianaspie52792 жыл бұрын
I like Cacti and other plants. They look beautiful like White men 🤭
@audreyslivinglife2 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the great information! 💖🙏🏾
@FknNefFy2 жыл бұрын
Helpful
@bryanlloyd10992 жыл бұрын
Thanks for another great video!!
@bonesdad20462 жыл бұрын
Thank you for this one. I have a cactus that is need for a re-potting. I do wonder if you use this same soil mixture for Christmas Cacti? I've got several in regular potting soil and they have done well.
@juliemcgugan12442 жыл бұрын
Mine are thriving in a cactus mix. I first tried in a regular potting soil, but they really didn’t do well, even though I left them to dry out completely between watering. Cactus mix is definitely the way to go!
@tamararoberts93072 жыл бұрын
Another great video ty 😊
@carolynd16794 ай бұрын
I use Horticultural Charcoal for my planters with no drainage holes.
@J3Diep2 жыл бұрын
Can you suggest a plant I can put in my restroom? I would prefer a leafy flower.
@Gkrissy2 жыл бұрын
I would like this as well. I tried to grow a fern once but I think it needed full sun and my bathroom is partial sun
@Auburn75432 жыл бұрын
All depends. Do you have a window? The amount of light is the biggest factor in determining what can thrive instead of just surviving. Some thrive in partial sun or even on just the lights from the room, and some need full sun for 4+ hours a day to do well. Also I'm assuming this is a bathroom people shower in?(moisture/humidity make a big difference)
@ericag22332 жыл бұрын
Awesome helpful.
@Axelonmorales2 жыл бұрын
Nice video! Do they survive indoors without any grow lights? Desert plants seem to get a lot of sun.
@melissareid6402 жыл бұрын
Same for Aloe Vera as well. 👍
@Corekoshe Жыл бұрын
Thank you!! I have an avocado plant from Brazil that managed to grow from the pit and i moved it to soil after it had bigger leaves and now they're all sad looking down and very thin, I've watered it but doesn't seem to respond :( . It is rich compost soil so maybe I have enough time to save it????
@GardensoftheAncientsHerbal3 ай бұрын
From experience. Citrus and cactus that are mature prefer different mixes, and cactus once mature definitely prefer different mixes.
@DaivG2 жыл бұрын
Best advice for growing succulents I’ve ever heard: Default to ignoring them. They’re not fussy and thrive in harsh environments.
@rei_cirith2 жыл бұрын
I got a tip to use Chicken Grit. Basically any porous rock/gravel making up at least half the soil + regular potting soil is better than buying the "Cactus mix" at the store.
@pondholloworchards2 жыл бұрын
I'm trying to do that in 25 gallon pots can I supplement sand with perlite, sand is super heavy
@rudymelo8802 жыл бұрын
I think perlite retains moisture so maybe not the best. Also, 2 parts perlite might look weird
@juliemcgugan12442 жыл бұрын
Does salt content in sand from the beach matter to succulents? Should I wash it, first?
@jswhosoever45332 жыл бұрын
We need a video on ROSEMARY!
@johannafowler1256 Жыл бұрын
Question! Bc you know so much! We live at the beach. Is the salty beach sand good for your plants? I heard salt hurts your plants…
@yosemitesam10562 жыл бұрын
Would this work for aloe too?
@sockpuppetqueen2 жыл бұрын
Aloe is a succulent, so why not
@Auburn75432 жыл бұрын
3 different types of aloe on the table.....
@kellycasperhanson44262 жыл бұрын
I really love this guy soooo much, but I disagree with him on one point. Regular "sand", like beach or pool sand, actually drains poorly and will retain water. You could try using "horticultural sand", which has much bigger particles, but PUMICE or PERLITE are much safer amendments to cactus soil. This advice comes from cactus growers 🌵, and not from my brain! I really do love this guy even if I disagree on one small point.
@dadude66192 жыл бұрын
Can I use "tube sand" for the sand?
@julieann1472 жыл бұрын
Luke do you wash your sand first?
@jhills68212 жыл бұрын
Do you know anything about air plants? I can't ever seem to keep mine alive.
@pumacatD2 жыл бұрын
Excellent info as always!:p Very much appreciated!! Quick question Luke: I bought Prickly Pear, the only Michigan native cold-hardy cactus, last summer at Eastern Market - but had not put them in the ground yet so brought the 6 inch pots inside instead for the winter. Will they still be hardy enough to plant outside in spring please? Or have I somehow made them more delicate to temperatures by bringing them inside over this winter?… 🌵🤔 Thank You kindly!: )
@emmitstewart19212 жыл бұрын
If you plant them out after frost this spring, they will have all summer to adapt. I hope you know not to water them in winter. They will shrivel up big time, but this is natural for hardy cacti. They will swell up come spring. Watch your garden this winter and try to find a sunny place where the snow doesn't drift too deep. Mine survived drifting snow about ten inches high, but they suffered. Don't expect flowers this summer since you deprived them of the cold sleep they need to set buds but watch out in '24. By the way, you could have left them in their pots outside in a sheltered place.
@pumacatD2 жыл бұрын
@@emmitstewart1921 Thank you so much for your extensive reply!: ) I have not watered them since fall and now know not to do so until spring. Once they are planted outside and next winter comes, would it make sense to throw a big clear tub over them in case I know a big snowstorm will be coming?..
@SanDiegoCaliforniaUSA2 жыл бұрын
Avocado don't necessarily need good draining soil. Avocado's need to be planting on hill sides so water doesn't pool.
@tnezrose2 жыл бұрын
Luke, I just got a spam Facebook message from someone impersonating you. I now dont know which is the real account. Did anyone else get the same message and friend request?
@sulibiz31582 жыл бұрын
Why do I feel like the succulent ( cactus) on the black pot is giving me the middle finger 😆😆😆😆😉😉
@joshsimms56972 жыл бұрын
We water differently haha
@PrincessTS012 жыл бұрын
ive watched all the desert succulent videos from crime pays but botany doesn't, and I'm sure that i would probably kill it if i tried to grow them...