links/discussion on potting mixes??

[geraldw3210]

been searching for info on different mixes. im considering 2 kinds, arcadia premeir or All Purpose Monterey Bark Imperial, both seem like good mixes and i probably wouldnt go wrong with either. but in your opinion is one better than the other i have phaps. phals. catts. dens. and cant afford seperate mixes for each.

been scouring the potting subforum also but not finding info i want / need

[Ray]

When it comes to potting media, "one size definitely DOES NOT fit all".

You need to consider how the medium works with your growing conditions an watering habits to meet the needs of the plants.

There are lots of approaches, but you might start by considering if you want to provide individual attention to each of your plants, or tailor the medium/pot combination for each so that you can treat them all more-or-less the same. That's what I have done, and I must have at least 25 different combinations (maybe more) so that I can do my "fire hose" watering technique, knowing that everybody will be OK with that.

You might start by taking a look at this summary.

[geraldw3210]

Hello ray , Thanks for the reply and link , good info. I am trying to do the "treat them all more-or-less the same" thing so i can do a mass watering and still hit others some like my mounted ones for additional watering on hotter days.
You are not too far from me maybe 30min? but i have mine outside with some shading.
being somewhat of a newbie i need too figure these things out. perhaps i will try too find smaller amounts of media for each of my different types of plants but it will take a bit of time.

[Ray]

Take a look at the entire website, as there are hundreds of articles that might be informative.

Concerning finding that "potting balance", you can "back your way into it", to a certain extent, too.

If you had everything mounted, and could water twice a day, pretty much everything would be happy. However, that's really tough to do unless you grow in a greenhouse and have lots of time on your hands.

So... select one plant and ask yourself what would give it what it wants, without harming it, if you only were to water every "x" days.

Also, don't forget that proper pot selection can help that effort, as well. Net, plastic, clay, slotted, air-cone, slat basket, etc. Get creative, too.

For example, I have potted up a bunch of mature ascocentrums in 2" net pots of Orchiata bark, with those pots placed into a plastic "plug tray". That surrounds each pot with an enclosed, moist pocket of air without having to keep the bark saturated.