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sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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Posted by castro_gardener 8b (My Page) on Thu, Oct 1, 09 at 19:54
| I have a pile of sand and a pile of small gravel left over from other projects. We've been wondering what to do with it all. What do I need to do to turn this into a bed for agaves and aloes and other dry-need plants ? I haven't planted these types of perennials before, but I have a few that I want to keep alive. I don't think they will do well in my cushy soil beds with the other perennials that require more water.
thanks to all !!
patty |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| You don't say how much of each you have but here goes. I would mix them together in about equal parts and add about 10-20% small orchid bark (1/4") and creat a raised bed with railroad ties or brick about 8-12" deep with this material as the filler. Almost any succulent would do well in such a mix. You would probably want to fertilize two or three times a year with a slow release fertilizer. Any large succulents should be planted in BIG HOLES in the bed extending down into the subsoil and filled with this mix. I had such a bed in southern CA and succesfully grew several large Encephalartos, Euphorbias and Aloes. I added several large boulders to anchor mounds of the mix to get more depth to the soil. |
RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| I am going to suggest some small rocks, just so the sand drains well, often sand will hold water. Very coarse sand will not, so add small rocks of different sizes, quartzite, granite, sandstone just rocks small rocks. That is what they grow in in Mexico and Africa. Jack good suggestions. Norma |
RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| Lava sand and/or lava rock is also good to add to the mix as it provides lots of micronutrients as well as porosity to your mix. |
RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| Patty If your labour force is umlimited, go down 24" and mix in your gravel with your soil - if not, make sure the area has good drainage and mix in the gravel with each plant you put into the ground. You might want to add more gravel, but in general Agaves and Aloes are pretty forgiving plants, particularly if you're making a raised bed (either with boards, blocks or rocks or mounded). You can give them some general fertilizer in the Spring / Summer and some water - they just don't like to have their feet wet for extended periods of time, but if it's warm and sunny you'll find that the more you water them the more they'll grow. OTOH, withholding of water and giving them full sun can make these plants, particularly the Aloes, quite colourful. 
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RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| I know what I would do if I had the manpower, I would get a load of rocks of all sizes, and dump them in a mound, next take what gravel, sand, and dump it on top of the rocks, letting it all fill in the raised rock dump, water in the mixture of your mix, wait for the soil to settle in the cracks and then plant your cactus bed. You will gain more space in inches, by raising the bed, and it will add interest. Lava rock is lighter in weight, but really doesn't go with cactus. I don't know what it cost, that may be prohibitive. I hope I spelled that correctly, my dear friend that I work with, at the Huntington did this and it worked out well for her, so I thought I would share with you her idea. Norma |
RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| SM, IME, lava rock in the planting mix makes for a very heavy soil (something some succulents won't like), because the soil gets trapped in the air pockets and cracks of the lava rock. It makes a great top dressing, but I'd be hesitant in putting it into such a large area without testing it first. I remember having to repot lots of plants because I thought, as you did, that LR would be a good amendment to the soil. I found puny growth on almost all of my plants potted in this mix and brought a few in to a monthly C&S meeting, where I was told of my mistake. Norma, Lava rock (especially in bulk) is cheap, and it makes an attractive statement, but I'm with you - lots of rocks and plenty of friends to move them. I'm good for about a 200 lb. one (pushing and rolling only) but I'll bet with you on the other side we could easily double it. |
RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| I use both pumice and scoria (lava rock) in my succulent mix with good results but I wash it all through a 1/8 in. screen to remove the fines, those are the real problem with getting a "heavy" mix. They all will break down over time so one has to be willing to repot every few years also. Jack |
RE: sand and gravel for cactus bed ?
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| Jack, Like the dreaded fine print at the end of...say a Video Professor contract, the dust from scoria (we had our choice of red or black, 1/2") made that much of a difference - who knew?. Ach, I was but a beginner when I did use it in the mix. You've found this scoria to break down? Mine didn't do that - it was not unlike cement when I had to remove it from the plants' roots. |
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