Always an excellent teacher, Jodi!

When I potted up my most recent purchases, I did use about half potting soil with the other half being inorganic. I was concerned, being in such a dry climate, that my bulbs would suffer without something to hold some moisture in. I'm beginning to re-think that decision. The bulbs seem fine for now, but now you have me worried about their long term health. I guess I'll keep tweeking the ratio as I go.

I have started adding Pumice to my Orchid mix in a 1:3 ratio.

I'd try Al's mix, but finding the ingredients is not as simple as finding flour, sugar and baking powder for a cake. :)

I'm having a difficult time finding the ingredients, myself... pine bark in small bits is not sold in ready to use bags, so I must locate that online, or buy larger pieces and make them smaller, and then sift it.

Turface, I found locally. Landscaping outfits that cater to golf courses usually have the stuff. Perlite is sold everywhere, so that's easily accessible. Other options include turkey grit, baked clay products such as Akadama for bonsai, pumice, granite chips, small plain aquarium gravel, very coarse sand, etc... there are several items that can substituted, as long as they don't break down over time and don't contain other ingredients that could harm plants.

For water retention, I sometimes add a bit of vermiculite or a few handfuls of quality organic potting soil, though keeping the particles all about the same size is important, to a certain extent. I don't seem to have a water retention problem, though most of my pots are inside where there's no sun or wind to dry them out quickly.

Where ever we go when we shop, I always keep the ingredient list in the back of my mind, and I look for the items I need. In the meantime, I'm using a rather expensive bonsai medium that is made of the exact ingredients I'm looking for. I just hate paying $7 for a small bag!

Eventually, I know I'll find everything I need... and then, ALL my plants will go into Al's Mix, or a suitable rendition. I really like the results!

I saw naked, but this thread is about dirt...what gives?

If this is class, I was voted Class Clown so I have to cut up and interrupt the teacher...I can't help it!

On a serious note, those are very pretty blooms Mrs. Jodi! Can I use the hall pass? heheheeeee!

-Frank

LOL, Frank! I agree, the headline gave the impression this was a dirtier post than it turned out to be ;-)

Pun intended!

Alifora....hydroton... I love it and so do my plants. Plus, if you have extra, it is heavy enough to flick across the room at your wife but light enough not to break the skin.

You will have to mend the relationship though ;oD

Rocky Mountain-- Its fun being naked-- Ryan

Beautiful rich red orange color Jodi.
Diffinately shows on the photo the fast draining mix is much better for the amaryllis.
I use fast draining mix for most of my hoyas & amaryllis. Part potting soil, Part perlite, part coconut husk chunks or orchid bark. Some times I use small lava rock chunks too.

Jan

Frank, you'll need to get your mind out of the gutter... there are several others that would like to occupy that space, apparently! LOL!

In school, I was the one who always laughed at the class clown, so I got in trouble, too! I just couldn't help it... funny is funny!

Actually, I thought the title fit, since the roots are rather naked... plus, it does aptly describe the subject: the naked, or real, or unadulterated, truth about soils.

But... what the hey... let's all get naked and garden! Woohoo! Yippee! ;-)

Sorry, Jodi, your weather needs to warm up before you can throw the naked garden parties! LOL

LOL! The word 'naked' caught my eyes too!

Thanks Jodi for sharing the photos and the write-up. It is very informative and easy to understand. You are always kind!

Hatta

Thanks Jodi!

The color of that Phal really woke me up.

Great soil lesson too. :-)

She's a teacher on this forum AND would be an effective marketing exec. Way to go Jodi!!!!

I would like to support what Jodi said here. I personally made a switch to mostly inorganic potting medium this year and despite my less-than-great growing conditions in my "flat," my plants have had no issues putting down impressive root systems. I don't use the mix Jodi uses but in general terms, they are the same. At first I used a 3-1 ratio of perlite to potting soil-- and then I found hydroton, which has only traces of some organics such as moss. Though watering is more frequent, the ones that have been in the perlite have done very well-- but those in the hydroton have done even better. Ryan of Phoenix sent me a bulb a few weeks back and I planted it in 100% hydroton and the bulb has shown very good signs of growth. I pulled it out of its pot and it was filled with healthy white and fuzzy roots that have curled around the hydroton.

The point is, there are loads of reasons why one would want an organic potting soil but for my purposes and how I water and feed my plants, hydroton makes an excellent environment for the roots.

My next experiment is to have an Phalaenopsis orchid growing in the hydroton. The idea is the same as with the other bulbs-- frequent watering, weak weakly feeding and in the case of the orchid, a reservoir that doesn't touch the roots but allows the hyrdoton to soak up the moisture. Others have had great success with this.

So I'm with you, Jodi!!!!! Roots loooooove air!!!

Whoo-hoo! Naked and playing in dirt. I'm there!
But this does explain why our garden grows so well. We have sand. Alkaline sand. Water pours through, all tests say "add organic material". It's really easy to dig up plants. I'm always shocked when I try to dig on the mainland. I'm used to just kind of prying up the plants, the soil is that sandy. None of it sticks to the roots when you dig up a plant. The mainland has that thick gumbo stuff that you can't dig with a pickaxe.
Tally HO!

Thank you, all! My goal in sharing what I have learned is to help everyone have a good gardening and growing experience. If we follow the directions that come with most bulb kits, we end up with many disappointments. The key to successful growing is knowing how plants grow, and what needs they have.

Bulbs are one of the easiest and most forgiving types of plants to grow. They can also be one of the most rewarding. But if we suffocate their root systems and drown them, we'll never get the desired results, beyond that first season.

Every time we water, we are forcing fresh oxygen to the root area, and also pushing out the accumulated gases the roots and soil produce. It's important that enough tiny spaces be available for this exchange to happen, so a medium with larger particles that doesn't break down quickly is best. Aeration is very important for healthy roots.

We must understand that there are HUGE differences between gardening outdoors in the ground, and gardening within the confinement of containers. Once we learn the differences, we can see that we have to emulate what Mother Nature would do... including keeping the soil aerated and keeping a steady supply of "small meals" available to the plant.

I like the fact that with a more inorganic medium, I am in control of the moisture and fertilizer the plants receive. I also like the fact that the medium doesn't compact very fast, and re-potting is not needed as often.

Within the past few years, I've learned so much about gardening... both indoors and outdoors... and I think it's important to share my success so other novice gardeners can enjoy the same. I guess I'm just "paying it forward"... giving back what others have given to me. :-)

Naked garden parties...oh my! That sounds like trouble...

Ryan and anyone else that uses it, please talk more about this Hydroton stuff. I looked it up and it just looks like clay pellets. Do you just sit the bulb in it and cover the basal plate with it? Any photos?

Where do you locate it and is it expensive? I am intrigued by this stuff!

-Frank

Stores that specialize in hydroponic gardening and supplies will carry Hydroton. You can Google it and maybe even locate a store in your area that would carry it.

Bonsai mediums are another interesting source of porous soils. Check into stores that carry bonsai supplies.

The only way I'll garden naked is if everyone else is blindfolded... because they'd go blind otherwise! ;-)

Frank, I bought Hydroton on eBay. 2lbs for about $15. I didn't exactly shop around, so I couldda been ripped off. My impression of it is like little balls of terra cotta. Seems to work a lot like a terra cotta pot, it holds moisture without being "wet" if that makes sense.

You'll probably find it anywhere hydroponic supplies are sold.

Beachplant, if you want crappy soil, come to my backyard! The caliche layer is like solid rock.

Thanks Jodi and Ryan. I am going to research it further.

Oh this is funny... I just googled "Hydroton Raleigh NC" and this actual post came up in the first 10 search results...hahaaa! That cracks me up.

-Frank

That is funny, Frank. Google is fast. Anyway I looked around for the stuff when I first saw this post and came up with this place locally https://fifthseasongardening.com/ on Hillsborough St.

Looks like I have a new place to go check out - maybe enroute to the Farmer's Market :-) Alana

Hi Jodi, was the other bulb in purely coco peat or cocopeat mixed with something else like perlite?

I'm new but, have had a few of these types of bulbs over the years. What makes mine grow roots like that in a pot is this.

A few inches at the bottom-regular old potting soil.

Most of the pot especially around the bulb is composted white pine needles. The pine trees are behind my home and if you dig down a few inches below the needles you will find a mat of pine needle dirt that looks a bit like peat moss. This dries quickly when watered. Although I am not a huge collector as you guys, this has worked very well for me for many years.

Bulbs Dry/Roots Moist.

Once a year I water with fish emulsion fertilizer away from the bulb.

I have chickens and moved their cage under the pines because it never gets slippery wet under there.

I think what the point of all this is that whatever works for you in your area is best. But the tests Jodi has done shows just how beneficial her methods are because of the benefits of this non-organic medium. Many plants in the world love wet feet-- but plenty more like airy- not necessary dry- feet.

For instance, I have crabapple trees that are bonsai-in-training and though they have NO issues growing in bogs, I have them in a lighter, airy medium (though in this case they prefer organics) they grow like weeds. The same type of tree from the farm where my trees came from grow in a bog-like plot and the trees noticeably suffer.

Roots are there to anchor, absorb water and nurtients-- but they are all made of cells-- and these cells are hardwired to soak up what they can-- especially in the case of bulbs and succulents/cacti because frankly, they don't know when the next bit of water will come. So if YOU keep drinking one glass of water after another, eventually you'll...well, pee a lot but you'll probably throw up first-- cells do the same thing-- except they have only one direction water can go-- if they fill up too much, the cells break down and rot ensues.

So I think Jodi's work is extremely important to show-- and at least at this point I agree completely. I plan on continuing my amaryllis cultivation with this info in my pocket. If a bulb rots it won't be because of the soil I put it in.

Wow this was a rant... maybe I need to be more light and airy like my potting medium!

Rocky Mountain "Four Alpha Charlie" Ryan

Rocky Mountain-- Its fun being naked-- Ryan,

Can you show the picture of your bulbs planted in hydroton?

It is time fore me to repot my Ragtime and Rock n Roll bulbs and I want to try planting them in hydroton.

Hatta

Hatta--

Here is my Dancing Queen who had an unfortunate chopping of the tip of her scape. She was planted in this pot about a week before this photo was taken. Her pups are growing like mad.

{{gwi:385521}}

Ryan

Thanks Ryan! That's very quick of you to respond!

I will do just like that tomorrow morning.

Hatta

I also learned that adding a drainage layer, or any separate layer, of medium in a container is detrimental... it causes a perched water table to form, and the majority of moisture will be trapped and not able to drain properly.

I cover the drainage holes in my clay pots with small pieces of screening, or a little piece of coffee filter. This keeps the medium from flowing out along with the water, and it allows the roots all the room within the pot to use.

Ryan is correct... roots can only absorb so much moisture and nutrients, and anything beyond that can be harmful. I always equate the soil ball to a kitchen sponge... it should feel damp, but wrung out. Moist, but not wet or waterlogged.

The cocopeat medium was used alone. I was having problems with rotting roots and bulbs using regular bagged potting soil, and I had heard that cocopeat was not prone to fungal issues and molds. While this part is true, to an extent, I found that it still retained way too much moisture in my environment. The cocopeat is too fine of a product. It doesn't allow for aeration.

Larger pieces of cocopeat may have worked a little better, but I noticed some very strange yellow fungus growing in the cocopeat, and after learning what I've learned, I decided to abandon it altogether and go with a more inorganic approach.

The Hydroton would work just as well as the medium I use, and in fact, is airier. I've never used it, but if I got the chance, I definitely would. Pumice is another good medium, I'm told.

Thanks Jodi, you are so great with knowledge on almost everything! Also special thanks to Ryan for the info and picture. I have a bag of Hydroton that I purchased 6 months ago that have not been used!

I finished repotting my three bulbs yesterday, using 100% Hydroton. I am experimenting this medium in my hot, wet and humid environment here. It is raining almost daily now, and I do not want put my Hippestrum bubs under cover. So, a medium that is porous is a must.

Here is the pictorial update.

The 3 bulbs in their previous pots, obviously they were planted too deep ...
{{gwi:400813}}

The 'naked' bulbs after spraying with water to remove the dirts ...
{{gwi:400815}}

Wallla ... the repotting is done. The hydroton look nice too!
{{gwi:400817}}

Thanks for looking!

Hatta

Hatta-- You've probably told us many times before but where do you live? If it rains daily, the hyrdoton will likely do very well for you. Because of the quick draining nature of this medium, you will need more watering anyway, especially if it is 100% hydroton. Please make sure to fertilize weekly, though. A balance fertilizer will do-- though it may help you at first to have a higher phosphorus at first as it not only helps with developing blooms but aids in the establishment of roots (though you had plenty of roots on there, it'll help them re-establish themselves in their new home).

Let us know how things go.
Ryan

The trio looks great, Hatta! I hope the Hydroton works really well for you.

I certainly don't know everything about growing Hippeastrum, but what I do know, I'm happy to share. Most of what I know I either learned here, on the internet and in books, or from hands-on experience. When you have over 50 bulbs to care for, you learn pretty quick!

One of the things I've learned is that how you grow these bulbs is very connected to the type of climate you live in, or the kind of environment you can provide for them. In my indoor Illinois environment, a fine-particled, silty potting soil doesn't work very well. It breaks down too fast, and it tends to hold too much moisture around the rootball, suffocating the roots.

In a very hot, sunny, dry climate, the same things that work well for me might not be the best thing... likewise if you live in a very humid and rainy climate.

In other words, gardening of any kind will need slight adjustments according to where you live and the environment you provide for your plants, or in this case, bulbs.

My feeling is that if you live in a rather hot and sunny climate, and you grow your bulbs outdoors, you may find yourself watering quite a bit more if you switch to Hydroton or a comparable medium. This is fine, as long as you realize more watering is essential. You will have complete control over the moisture and feed your bulbs get.

A medium that holds lots of moisture doesn't work in my climate. But one that allows for really good drainage and faster drying works fabulous. Because of my climate, or environment, I don't need to water every day, or even every few days.

I always think back to the photos Pat posted of Papilio bulbs growing as epiphytes, and I've read about many bulb types growing over rocks and in areas where the roots are partially exposed... I add to this what I know about growing healthy roots in a container environment... and this makes me think twice about how I grow my Hippeastrums. I want the right amount of moisture, proper aeration, and the ability to control nutrition. This is why the medium I've discovered works well for me.

Hi Rocky Mountain Ryan!

I live in Malaysia, a country in South East Asia. There are several forumers here who are from this region. Lomas is also from Malaysia. Xuan is from Vietnam, which is just north of Malaysia. Maria used to live in the Phillipines, which is just east of Malaysia. Oh yes, the time difference between this region and the USA is 12 hrs, so, we are right on the other side of the earth compared to you guys there! If it is noon here, it is midnight there.

Ryan and Jodi, I think Hydroton will be a good media to use. Since it rains daily for several hours, I have to use a media that is really quick draining. Furthermore, I want the rain to water my Hippeastrums. It will reduce my water bills!

Here is the picture taken this morning, a few hours after the rain. You can see that the cement floor is slightly wet. This is the east facing side of the house and all the pots are exposed to morning sun till about 12 noon. Afternoon and evening sun, I think, is too harsh for the Hippeastrums.

{{gwi:400819}}

So far, only three pots are with Hydroton. Sure, I will monitor them growing!

Hatta

Hatta, what a lovely home you have. And such healthy hippi's too! It does seem with the amount of rain you get, that the hydroton would work well for you.

As Jodi mentioned, climate definitely plays a roll in soil selection. Since I'm in a very dry, desert environment, I chose a soil with more organics to HOLD moisture in longer. Even my indoor plants are subject to very drying conditions with the air conditioner on 7 months of the year. But I'm still careful about not watering again until the soil is dry to the touch.

It is the great thing about these forums, that we're able to discuss techniques with fellow gardeners and friends from around the world. We're able to take relevant information and apply it to our own gardens, increasing our successes and enjoyment.

Ryan (Phx)

Hatta, that's a beautiful home you have, and your Hippis all look very happy! I agree that morning sun is probably the best for these bulbs... mine are all in the east window.

With a rainy and humid climate, the Hydroton would probably work very well for you! Ryan in Phoenix would need to amend something like that to hold more water... his conditions are more desert-like and dry.

Mine can be very dry indoors during winter, but the humidity can be higher in summer, though not as high as Malaysia or Vietnam.

Thank you for sharing your home... it's a beautiful place! I am glad you've joined us from halfway around the globe! :-) It's so interesting to see how others garden around the world.

From my point of view "the naked Truth about Soils" should appropriately be renamed into "the naked Truth about supplying water".

The combination which I practise with success is coco peat and water supply exclusively from the bottom.
Typical performance of root development:

{{gwi:400821}}

{{gwi:400823}}

The comparison of root development shown above is in my opinion not valid - since H.papilio has a particularly vigorous strength as regards the production of roots. The basal plate of "Pamela" appears very thick to me, and this suggests, that the bulb is very old which means a reduced vigorousity (Veronica Read recommends to cut of a piece of the basal late in such cases; then, the new rots will develop easier because they are no more trapped in the basal plate).

Until now I had but one serious failure - with H.reticulatum v.striatifolium which grew well at first and then gradually collapsed in Coco peat + Seramis drainage layer). But, in this single case I am not sure whether Coco was actually responsible for that mis-success.

I admit that an inert substrate IS principally the best (I found Aquarium grit, grain size rather exactly 1mm diameter) working perfectly. But whe it comes to overall practicability then Coco peat is optimal. Provided that water is applied in a controlled manner (meaning: Not as rainfall) - exclusively into the saucer, and it should completely disappear (being absorbed by the substrate or the drainage layer if present) within minutes. The upper 2 inches of substrate should permanently stay bone-dry.

Amen,Hans! I agree..It's also good to note general bulb health and roots at time of potting.I admire and respect your expertise and observations regarding culture and breeding.Thanks for that invaluable information you post,
Peace,Mark

That's great observation Sir Hans! Your pictures show that they are so healthy with tremendous roots! I guess they are really happy with your climate and your excellent husbandry.

As for myself, I am an office worker, so my time to spend on my plants is rather limited. I am not rich enough to employ a gardener ... LOL!

Hatta

Proper watering is the most important aspect of container gardening, no matter what you're growing. More plants are killed by improper watering than any other cultural thing. This is very true.

I only bottom water my African Violet and a few of my seedlings that are not planted in a gritty, porous mix. Everything else is watered from the top, fed with liquid fertilizer solution from the top, and leached every once in a while from the top.

How you water will be dependent upon the environment you garden in, and the type of medium you use.

I think my root comparison is most certainly valid... especially when you consider that the the Rapido bulb had been planted for a much longer time period than the Papilio... almost a year.

Pamela does not fit into the comparison, at all, and is simply an observation of what can happen in a medium that retains too much moisture. Pamela is not an old bulb... it is a very injured bulb. It's been practically peeled away to nothing in that photo, because most of it was rotting away.

Once you understand the facts behind my observations, they become clear. The Papilio was given only a few months to grow those beautiful roots in Al's Mix, while the Rapido bulb had an entire year in cocopeat to grow its inadequate root system. This tells me that a medium which allows for better aeration and oxygen/gas exchange is better for root growth.

Sir Hans grows beautiful Hippeastrums. How we both grow them differs. What works for him, does not work for me.

The reason it's not good to layer substrate is because this causes a perched water table at the joining of the layers. Water cannot adequately drain, and is trapped where the two types of medium meet. Gravity does not pull the water to the bottom where the drainage hole is located. Al can explain it much better than I, but one layer of medium throughout a pot works best.

The key is making sure all the different ingredients in your porous mix are roughly the same size. The smaller the particles, the more surface area, which increases the capillary attraction and thus the water holding potential.

I admire Sir Hans for his ability to grow beautiful bulbs, and I appreciate his input... but I have learned a thing or two, myself, in the short time I've been growing... and I'm having better success using a single layer of sharp-draining, porous medium that leans toward the inorganic side. For me, bottom watering doesn't work as well as top watering.