Cactus compost?

I have an Aloe vera that desperately needs potting on as it is too unstable. I know that it's a succulent, but would I be better off buying some cactus compost, or can I use my orchid mix? My orchid mix is 50% orchid compost, 25% each of perlite and grit (I find that it helps to weigh the pots down).

 

Hi Longk

I grow these as well , they do tend to fall over as they get top heavy,

I have tried several diffrent combinations of mixes with compost etc.

Multi purpose just ran out of steam plus held too much water around the roots plus far to ligh and the pots would fall over .
John Innes had the stamina to last longer food wise but not enough drainage and I lost some to root rot (my fault) .

Latest mix 50 / 50 with added grit/perlite, John Innes & multi-purpose mixed together.

I would imagine your mix would be suitable as they are easy to grow and undemanding if you get the growing conditions right , probably a feed early summer would help is your orchid mix fine bark or more chuncky

Spruce

 

I use J.Arthur Bowers orchid compost which is a fine one.

In a 70mm pot it has grown to over half a metre span!

Thanks for your help Spruce!

 

Surely orchid compost is very light.

Id just mix some JI with grit, its OK for most cacti and succulents, just add more grit for plants that require more drainage.

 

Mine is in pure red clay, goes like concrete in the summer. I've seen it in pure beach sand here also. I'm sure it would live in any kind of compost you would like to use but is it really necessary in the UK?

I just split my massive clump up. I brought a small piece from the UK in 2001 and it has bloomed for the last 6-7 years, is blooming now in fact. I have given some clumps away and have re-planted some elsewhere in my garden and in pots.

 

Thanks chaps!

The orchid compost I use is pretty fine, but well airy and weighty with the grit. I potted it on this afternoon.

 

Hi LongK,
just took a look at your orchids super plants, I've been tempted but never tried them. It would be a problem in Winter as I only have a small unheated GH, which is fine for 95% of my Cacti & Succs, how would they do on the kitchen window sill??

Some of my Flickr pics: http://www.flickr.com/photos/89624455@N02/

My Cactus compost is 3x parts JI2, 1x grit and 1x peat, works for me.

 

Thanks Cactusface.

Re Orchids, why not give Pleione a go in the spring. the pseudobulbs are not cheap, but they multiply freely and will be fine in your g/house. In the winter when they are dormant you can store the pot anywhere frost free.

 

I have just bought some of that special cactus and succulent compost. Did I not need to then? Would ordinary compost have done?

 

Hi Lea,
Most of the so called Cactus compost is a waste of time and money, you just need 3 parts JI-2 and 1 part potting grit, for some touchy plants, I have a mix with only 2 parts JI-2, and for Epiphyites it's 3 parts Peat based(Multi compost) 1 part JI-2 and 1 part grit. I grow everything in these mixes!! with good results....

Regards
Mel.

 

Hi LongK,
The Orchids still look very tempting, if they produce bulbs so easy why still expensive, I can't afford them, don't even pay that for top Cacti.

Does anyone have a few Orchid pseudobulbs or plants to spare.

Regards
Mel.

 

Many thanks Mel. I have so much to learn!

 

Time and effort of growing them on. Then storage during dormancy, sorting out the viable flowering sized ones, packing, transport etc.................To get the rarer species means using a specialist supplier who'll grow them on a much smaller scale.