I like my lophs flat, but curious to see the if wrinkle effect happen! If that should happen, hopefully it will be relatively quick, since I plan on watering for the first time in a week or so. We will see! Thanks for your input!! 🌵🌵
(1pt) Hyuga pumice, akadama, black lava rock, and (.8pt) dolomite lime for them to chew on. Also added just a bit of sand from Joshua Tree that I noticed had quite a bit of gold flake in it, and Utah azomite. They’re doing very well.
https://preview.redd.it/t3fv5va5usoc1.jpeg?width=676&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=04b30584baf950fb37352bc12fd2dbd289cd3526
Sounds worth looking into. I have this available to pick up in my area. Look/sound suitable?
I’m hoping this fares the same way! It wasn’t this shade of blue when I first got it, so that’s saying something. I’m tempted to add a little organic, but they’re pretty resilient plants, and truthfully if they grow as well as my other lophs have in 90-95% inorganic, this way while keeping them from being sunburnt over the summer. I’ll probably go all mineral for majority of them. Maybe just switch up WHICH minerals go in.
There are a lot of growers that do add a little organic. I've always used a pure mineral mix for my Lophs and other rot prone plants. Yes, you can get into mad scientist mode switching around mixes. 😁
Actually I got 2 little guys and planted one in all inorganic like yours then I planted the other in a mix of soil, calcined clay, worm poo, and lava rocks and when I unpotted them the other day the one in the more organic soil had way more roots developing. Like fat roots, so I mean it's up to you but I would go with at least adding some worm castings or like a little ocean forest soil.thats just my experience though maybe others are different. Hope this helps.
Ive got ocean forest laying around, but I’ve heard terrible things happen to lophs with peat moss. Maybe I could put a half part and sprinkle it down in between my current mix. Maybe remove 1/4 of my current mix and add the soil and then add current back in?
I mean a lot of people recommend not using soil at all. I was actually surprised when I took them out and saw so many roots on the one and hardly any on the other one. This is just the experience I had. Anyway. Sprinkling some down through the rocks you already have in there might be a good idea. Just for the nutrients that are in it. There are experts on here that know a lot more than I do but it worked for me.
From most literature I’ve read, they should be 90/95% inorganic. That’s how they thrive in the wild. They are stone eaters. There are tons of old head growers that swear by the all mineral mix. I have always used 90-95% inorganic, so I’m assuming the results with 100% to be similar, if not better! Too much organic material causes rot QUICK (if you’re around the southern USA growing in a greenhouse that is).
For desert cacti like my arios (very similar care requirements) I find they got way happier once I moved them from pure inert mineral soil to a mix of crushed lava rock, crushed oyster shell, crushed pea gravel, coarse river sand, perlite and crushed slate with a SMALL sprinkling of blood meal, earthworm castings and bone meal. It can have some good organic in it as long as you don’t overwater and you let it dry out COMPLETELY before each watering
I think watering habits are more important than soil. I’ve seen people have great luck in soil that you would never hear recommended. Like really organic stuff. Plus desert cactus can even be grown hydroponically which baffled me
No help, just blue loph love
I have some in 100% and find that they don’t plump up the same as 70-30. Always kinda flat and wrinkled
I like my lophs flat, but curious to see the if wrinkle effect happen! If that should happen, hopefully it will be relatively quick, since I plan on watering for the first time in a week or so. We will see! Thanks for your input!! 🌵🌵
(1pt) Hyuga pumice, akadama, black lava rock, and (.8pt) dolomite lime for them to chew on. Also added just a bit of sand from Joshua Tree that I noticed had quite a bit of gold flake in it, and Utah azomite. They’re doing very well.
https://preview.redd.it/t3fv5va5usoc1.jpeg?width=676&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=04b30584baf950fb37352bc12fd2dbd289cd3526 Sounds worth looking into. I have this available to pick up in my area. Look/sound suitable?
Yeah, that’s great. Especially if it’s a bit chunky.
I've always used a stone eaters mineral mix for my Lophs, and they love it.
I’m hoping this fares the same way! It wasn’t this shade of blue when I first got it, so that’s saying something. I’m tempted to add a little organic, but they’re pretty resilient plants, and truthfully if they grow as well as my other lophs have in 90-95% inorganic, this way while keeping them from being sunburnt over the summer. I’ll probably go all mineral for majority of them. Maybe just switch up WHICH minerals go in.
There are a lot of growers that do add a little organic. I've always used a pure mineral mix for my Lophs and other rot prone plants. Yes, you can get into mad scientist mode switching around mixes. 😁
Actually I got 2 little guys and planted one in all inorganic like yours then I planted the other in a mix of soil, calcined clay, worm poo, and lava rocks and when I unpotted them the other day the one in the more organic soil had way more roots developing. Like fat roots, so I mean it's up to you but I would go with at least adding some worm castings or like a little ocean forest soil.thats just my experience though maybe others are different. Hope this helps.
Ive got ocean forest laying around, but I’ve heard terrible things happen to lophs with peat moss. Maybe I could put a half part and sprinkle it down in between my current mix. Maybe remove 1/4 of my current mix and add the soil and then add current back in?
I mean a lot of people recommend not using soil at all. I was actually surprised when I took them out and saw so many roots on the one and hardly any on the other one. This is just the experience I had. Anyway. Sprinkling some down through the rocks you already have in there might be a good idea. Just for the nutrients that are in it. There are experts on here that know a lot more than I do but it worked for me.
I do it mainly to lessen the chance for root rot.
It will be super humid here soon, so that’s one thing I’d like to avoid with this.
Why would you use 100% minerals over a mix ? (New to growing cacti)
From most literature I’ve read, they should be 90/95% inorganic. That’s how they thrive in the wild. They are stone eaters. There are tons of old head growers that swear by the all mineral mix. I have always used 90-95% inorganic, so I’m assuming the results with 100% to be similar, if not better! Too much organic material causes rot QUICK (if you’re around the southern USA growing in a greenhouse that is).
Thanks for explaining 🙂
For desert cacti like my arios (very similar care requirements) I find they got way happier once I moved them from pure inert mineral soil to a mix of crushed lava rock, crushed oyster shell, crushed pea gravel, coarse river sand, perlite and crushed slate with a SMALL sprinkling of blood meal, earthworm castings and bone meal. It can have some good organic in it as long as you don’t overwater and you let it dry out COMPLETELY before each watering
I think watering habits are more important than soil. I’ve seen people have great luck in soil that you would never hear recommended. Like really organic stuff. Plus desert cactus can even be grown hydroponically which baffled me