Hey all-
Just wondering what some of you pot your brugs in-
I have some cuttings that I'm rooting now, and thinking ahead of what I'm going to pot them up in.
I have Miracle Grow potting mix (a LOT of it) but I'm not that impressed with it- seems clumpy and has a lot of large pieces. Thinking of adding perlite, vermiculite, sphagnum peat moss or some combination of these to it to get a well draining formula.
Any recommendations? What do you all use? Or do you just use straight up potting mix (which kind if so)?
I'm new to Brugs, and really excited to have my own now!! Just want to make sure I'm giving them the best 'bed' I can :-)
Thanks in advance-
Samantha
Home potting mixes
I used miracle grow potting mix in a couple pots last year, but it became like muck. Held too much water. I would only add things that helped with drainage if I used it again. Perlite for sure. It already seems to have more than enough peat moss in it.
This year I'm using Uncle Malcums potting soil, which is only sold at nurseries. I added just a little more perlite, a dash of steer compost and some worm castings. So far I like it better. Time will tell!
I use potting soil, MG, Sta Green or whichever one seems to be the best. I add about 20% Perlite, so plants drain well. If I get big pieces of wood, etc., I buy different kind the next time, or take the big pieces out.
Much luck.
Gloria
MP and Gloria-
Thanks for the info- I will add some perlite to my containers.
Somewhere on this forum I read about someone using 1/3 each of vermiculite, perlite and sphagnum peat moss for new cuttings- and I think in that same section someone suggested taking those things and adding them to potting mix for already-rooted plants, with an extra dose of perlite added for good measure.
Guess I will just have to see what works- I can always repot if it isn't draining enough.
My next day off I'm going to try out the Promix or some of the other things beside Miracle Grow that people have mentioned across the boards. MG has way too many chunks of wood, clumps of something grayish white and fibrous, and of course rocks even LOL.
Sadly, I have about 5 large bags of it that my other half brought home.
Take care-
Samantha
the 2 cu ft bags of miracle grow I bought this year look fine. I did find a few sticks and one large piece of redwood bark in one bag. Have used 2 bags of it so far and 2 bags of another brand I got when a nursery was going out of business. I kick myself every day for not buying more. They had the 2.5 cu ft bags for $5! I only bought 3! Yes, I call myself dumb every day for it. It is really nice stuff too.
Tammie
I find MG seems to be different whenever they have a sale(good price) . It has rocks and large pieces of wood, I imagine to make it weigh more. Other times it is fine. I was putting in peat with perlite, and it stayed too wet for ones that don't like too much water. Vermiculite would do the same. See what works best for you.
Samantha,
I grow all kinds of plants and start many plants from seed, all needing a slightly different type of mix (well draining, moist but well draining, moist, etc.). So I usually buy these products in bulk; peat moss, perlite and vermiculite.
This is the mix that I have used for my brugs for many years now and have had very good success. I use a very large wheel barrel to mix all the ingredients and use 5 gallon buckets as my measuring cups. LOL!
Aproximately:
2 parts of peat moss
1 part composted cow manure
1 part vermiculite
1 part perlite
* Add more perlite if you think that the mix needs it.
Since that you already have lots of MG potting mix available, I would use it as the base of the potting mix and add the following. But, NO MORE PEAT MOSS!
-Perlite
-Vermiculite
-Compost or Composted Manure
Just try to judge whether or not the mix is well draining enough after adding the above ingredients, and add more perlite if you think it needs to be a little more coarser mix.
One time I had a brug that was "wilting" but the soil was very moist. The problem was the mix was too heavy. But after re-potting in a better draining mix it recovered nicely.
Hope this helps,
David
Also Add pine bark fines.
and Kitty liter in the red bag from Walmart. Which is fired clay.