Mix cactus soil yourself & products in stores

The fact that cacti are considered to be particularly easy to care for is primarily due to the fact that they hardly need to be watered compared to conventional potted plants. Rare watering also means that the cacti have their complete need for nutrients and Cover liquid solely over the earth for a relatively long period of time can. And that is exactly where the greatest challenge lies in producing your own cactus soil.

Criteria for good cactus soil

First of all, it should be noted that most cacti are real survivors who, if necessary, can also thrive in ordinary potting soil. However, if the well-being of your cacti is really important to you, you should rather use special cactus soil that is the best possible tailored to the needs of this fascinating plant genus in general and the needs of the cactus species concerned in particular is. One of the general criteria that makes good cactus soil is that the soil is permeable to air and can store as much moisture as possible without forming waterlogging, becoming muddy or completely drying out to harden. It is also important that the soil is very nutrient-rich. In order for a cactus to be able to absorb and process nutrients at all, however, the pH value of its soil must be right. As a result, the pH value is also one of the most important points that deserve overriding attention both when buying and when producing cactus soil. Because although cacti per se like slightly acidic soil, one and the same pH value can still be too high for one species of cacti and too low for another species.

Constituents of cactus soil

Probably the most important component of any good cactus soil is nutrient-rich humus, which should have been stored for a long time and must not be too wet. In addition, your cactus soil should contain loam or clay that is as crumbly as possible, relatively dry and non-sticky. The reason for the loam or clay is that it is slightly acidic by nature. Incidentally, the so-called expanded clay is particularly well suited. In addition, cactus soil should be enriched with coarse-grained sand. If you want to mix the cactus soil yourself, you must make sure that the The sand used is as low in lime as possible, since too high a lime content in the soil will damage the cactus in the long term could. In addition, most commercially available cactus soil contains a lot of peat, which is mainly due to the fact that peat is an excellent water reservoir. However, it must be pointed out in this context that environmentalists strongly advise against the use of peat-containing cactus soil.

Arguments against peat

The fact that environmentalists of all people are against the use of peat may come as a surprise at first glance. After all, it is a purely natural substance that is biodegradable and should therefore not pose a burden on the environment. However, it should be borne in mind that peat extraction completely drains entire moor areas and thus destroys them forever. In fact, experts assume that in a few years, at least in this country, there will be none at all natural bogs will be more, as long as peat extraction is unrestricted in its current form will continue to operate. To make matters worse, the moors release more climate-damaging carbon dioxide after they have been drained.

Environmentally friendly alternatives to peat

In the form of coconut fibers and so-called xylitol, there are now two consistently convincing alternatives to peat, which you shouldn't use for purely ecological reasons when making your own cactus soil would like. For example, the fact that coconut fibers are clearly superior to peat in terms of storing liquid speaks for themselves.

An extremely high humic acid content, which is at least equal to the humic acid content of peat, speaks in favor of xylitol. In addition, xylitol keeps the pH of the soil low. Furthermore, xylitol proves to be unusually structurally stable thanks to its large pore volume.

List of ingredients for your own cactus soil

• about one to two thirds well decomposed humus
• up to a third of crumbly clay or loam (expanded clay is best)
• 50 to 150 g coarse-grained sand with a low lime content (quartz sand is best) for every 5 liters of soil
• about a third xylitol and/or coconut fibers (or peat if necessary)

Mixing the ingredients

To ensure that the ingredients of your cactus soil are perfectly mixed together, it is advisable to put them in small amounts on a foil and then mix them well by hand. However, when mixing, you must ensure that the clay or loam does not become too finely crumbly. On the other hand, you can crumble the peat or the coconut fibers or the xylitol. It should be noted that coconut fibers should first be soaked in clear water so that they can be processed better. In addition, the fibers increase in volume in connection with water. However, the fibers must not be too wet when they are mixed with the other ingredients. It is also advisable to leave the cactus soil for a few days and to mix it well before planting your cacti.

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