Tropicals & Tender Perennials: Epi Issues, 1 by boojum

boojum wrote:
I love epis but I have been frustrated by the lack of growth on mine too. Nothing completely dies but nothing thrives and I keep buying more. They also repeatedly got bugs all last winter. This summer I wrote to Pat at Pat's Epis and she suggested changing my "cactus soil" to a mix for orchids, perlite, and potting soil which I did. I also started to use neem oil to kill scale. Then I visited a friend and he suggested using builder's sand so I've added that to the mix. Being well drained is the key. I had them outside this summer on a porch facing east so they had gentle morning sun. I had some growth for the first time ever-watering them every 2 weeks with fish emulsion. None of them look as good as they should but at least I'm not feeling like a bad mom. Recently RUK told me she brings hers in for the winter in her garage (stays above freezing) and I have put mine in a dark part of a guest bathroom that has a 40 degrees minimum during winter. I'm going to water less frequently. In this way, I hope to get a burst of growth in spring. We'll see.........

Here is a pic of my friend's (who suggested sand) epi. Needless to say, I got a cutting!