overwintering Winter-Summer in OZ "Comparison" / Aussie Blabberers

[Pablo_h]

I'm not a big fan of CC, I like it but:
I can drink it like water, and forget I've ever drunk anything. IE a half bottle can disappear to fast, and strangely I feel sober still. Maybe it's too smooth...

With the mention of potting mix here, waht's the best draining potting mix? All my plants I feel suffer in winter with inadequate drainage. Sure I can add coir or perlite to an existing mix, but what's the best to start with? Or is it just as good to buy the cheapest crappiest stuff and add coir or perlite to it?
It's either raining or cold here, so everything stays wet and stunts or dies.
Last time it rained was over a week ago, but all pots just wet since no evaporation has happened and with the cold temp, most plants pretty dormant.

 

[gasificada]

With the mention of potting mix here, waht's the best draining potting mix? All my plants I feel suffer in winter with inadequate drainage. Sure I can add coir or perlite to an existing mix, but what's the best to start with? Or is it just as good to buy the cheapest crappiest stuff and add coir or perlite to it?
It's either raining or cold here, so everything stays wet and stunts or dies.
Last time it rained was over a week ago, but all pots just wet since no evaporation has happened and with the cold temp, most plants pretty dormant.

The best advice I can give is to start with a "chippy" potting mix as opposed to a "soily" one. Keep in mind too, it's probably not a good idea to add coir to a mix that's already heavy and soggy-prone (or any mix with added water crystals, etc) as due to coir's moisture retentive properties, it might make the problem worse. (Personally, I won't touch anything with added water crystals either.... I've never had any good experiences with such mixes.)

One of the best draining potting mixes I have found is Brunnings Tomato Magic. I would have no hesitations using this stuff as the base for my mixes.... if it wasn't so expensive! (albeit, no more expensive than "premium" mixes, still too expensive for me considering the amount I go through....)

So instead I just stick with plain old Coles potting mix and build on it. One of the things I love about it is that it doesn't contain any added anythings (fertilizers, water crystals, etc) so it is perfect to use as a base and gives you greater control over building it the way you want. However, it is not without a downside.... i.e. it does not always have a consistent texture from bag to bag and sometimes you will end up with a "bad batch" that just looks horrible (especially when dry).

Believe it or not, it was actually Neil (THSC) who suggested I try Coles potting mix for the base of my mix, and since then, I have never looked back.

EDIT:

IMO, a good mix should look a little something like this - fluffy and chippy (well, what works for me anyway):

Coles potting mix and coir:

Coles potting mix, coir and perlite:

Tomato Magic:

 

[Wildfire Chilli Australia]

Seems like you have been very productive Wildfire considering the extra mouth to feed and am very happy to hear that he is doing well ...

Can't stretch my budget to anything better and to tell the truth it may well be wasted on me anyway, but luckily I have plenty of people coming through who can pick up my favoured 12 year canadian club from duty free on a regular basis ( having plenty of family and friends living abroad does have its advantages) ...

so its a cheap drink duty free and tonight I have been enjorying plenty of it .. pity about the rugby but its only a game

For those yet to discover the joy of the 12 year Canadian Club ...

You'll never look back

Thanks. I put my mind to it that when he went to sleep I wasn't going to do housework etc, but get these seeds done. I'm running behind on where I wanted to be at this stage so gotta get a move on. Will attempt more seed soaking today.

Yeah I was lucky to get my 1L duty free. I also got my mum to buy this for m e from England. I had a bottle about 10 years ago and loved it. Not quite as good as I remember but I love that warm cinnamon taste. Aftershock

 

[megamoo]

Pablo that talk of sickness got to me. Right now I've got that cold feeling you just can't shake. Four blankets and sitting right in front of the heater and I'm still shivering. At some point today I have to pot up my little seedlings, which involves going outside to get the potting mix and perlite, not looking forward to it.

I might bring it inside and mix it and pot up on the livingroom floor.

 

[Wildfire Chilli Australia]

Pablo that talk of sickness got to me. Right now I've got that cold feeling you just can't shake. Four blankets and sitting right in front of the heater and I'm still shivering. At some point today I have to pot up my little seedlings, which involves going outside to get the potting mix and perlite, not looking forward to it.

I might bring it inside and mix it and pot up on the livingroom floor.

Wouldn't your wife kill you?
I'm sure it can wait till tomorrow...
Get better soon.

Those soil mixes do look good.

 

[Pablo_h]

Pablo that talk of sickness got to me. Right now I've got that cold feeling you just can't shake. Four blankets and sitting right in front of the heater and I'm still shivering. At some point today I have to pot up my little seedlings, which involves going outside to get the potting mix and perlite, not looking forward to it.

I might bring it inside and mix it and pot up on the livingroom floor.

That's how it started with me, cold, shivering, cold. So cold I went to bed at 3pm. Next 3 days it was hot sweats, and a hell of a cough that I still have 7 days later.
Get well soon I guess.

 

[BigCedar]

Sooooooo.... Read probably 20pages on this topic and uh.. where in the #@%^#$@* are you guys getting these superhot seeds?!?! I read some grow lists and I'm sittin here talking to myself going "what the #@?%? really??! wait.. wtf is that? Where did he!? WHOA... purple who?!" Anyway.. been to COUNTLESS websites. I've never seen or heard of a good 70% of junglerains grow list. I'm probably just in the wrong neck of the world.. Washington's not exactly Australia.

PS.. How stabilized are the strains?

 

[megamoo]

Wouldn't your wife kill you?
I'm sure it can wait till tomorrow...
Get better soon.

Those soil mixes do look good.

Well before we separated I did all the cleaning anyway I went and did it anyway. All potted up into plastic drinking cups. This has highlighted a new problem with the grow setup I have. It's just too small. I might go curb crawling in the area where they have a bulk rubbish collection tomorrow and see if I can find an old cabinet or cupboard to put some lights in. It will involve using power tools in the lounge room at night too... can you say MANCAVE

That's how it started with me, cold, shivering, cold. So cold I went to bed at 3pm. Next 3 days it was hot sweats, and a hell of a cough that I still have 7 days later.
Get well soon I guess.

I don't usually get sick, or stay sick for very long but I have the cough and it's not pleasant. Just had some pain pills so I'm feeling groovy right now.

 

[11010490]

Wow, my work gets busy and I somehow miss 48 pages. Might have to actually get my arse into gear and get some photo's happening.

 

[Lophophora]

i have a few small trinidad scorpions "i hope so" growing here in cairns, but its been very cold lately

 

[Trippa]

I am currently getting my ingredients together for my final potting mix to fill my containers and have a few questions regarding the mix.

It will constitute the following ingredients in the following ratios if I stick with my current plan.
I have settled on 14 litre pots for my chinense var. and who knows what for my ornamentals and smaller growing plants.

So I figure I will need about 13 to 13.5 litres of medium for each 14 litre pot.

Amgrow Organix Organic Potting Mix (~46-54% = 6-7 litres = $2.20-2.60)
Perlite/Vermiculite (Don't know which is better?) (~15% = 2 litres = $0.80)
Rich-grow Coco-peat (~15-23% = 2-3 Litres = $0.54-0.81)
Searles 5 in 1 Plus (~15% 2 litres = $0.67)
Organic Link (couple of tablespoons = ~ $0.25?)

Total for soil for each pot = approx = $4.80 (as much as the pot itself) more then I would ideally like it to be but because I don't have any bulk buying power or room to store any bulk goods it sort of limits me.

Does anyone see any pitfalls or potential problems with this mix??
I don't want to have to be adding ferts to often or watering too much?

Any potential improvements or critiques please fire away, as I ideally want the mix to be as low maintenance as possible (ferts/water)With foliar feeds of seaweed/epsom salts being my only additives if possible.

 

[gasificada]

I am currently getting my ingredients together for my final potting mix to fill my containers and have a few questions regarding the mix.

It will constitute the following ingredients in the following ratios if I stick with my current plan.
I have settled on 14 litre pots for my chinense var. and who knows what for my ornamentals and smaller growing plants.

So I figure I will need about 13 to 13.5 litres of medium for each 14 litre pot.

Amgrow Organix Organic Potting Mix (~46-54% = 6-7 litres = $2.20-2.60)
Perlite/Vermiculite (Don't know which is better?) (~15% = 2 litres = $0.80)
Rich-grow Coco-peat (~15-23% = 2-3 Litres = $0.54-0.81)
Searles 5 in 1 Plus (~15% 2 litres = $0.67)
Organic Link (couple of tablespoons = ~ $0.25?)

Total for soil for each pot = approx = $4.80 (as much as the pot itself) more then I would ideally like it to be but because I don't have any bulk buying power or room to store any bulk goods it sort of limits me.

Does anyone see any pitfalls or potential problems with this mix??
I don't want to have to be adding ferts to often or watering too much?

Any potential improvements or critiques please fire away, as I ideally want the mix to be as low maintenance as possible (ferts/water)With foliar feeds of seaweed/epsom salts being my only additives if possible.

Where's your wormly goodness...!?

Don't know if any of those products contain some kind of wormly goodness or not, but it's definitely something you want in your mix.

One thing I would be a little cautious of too is moisture retention. Three of those products mention water retention (coco-peat, 5 in 1, and Organic Link) and don't know about the potting mix (I know zeolites apparently hold nutes, but do they also hold water?). Never actually used vermiculite, but I would definitely be adding a decent amount of perlite.

 

[Trippa]

Where's your wormly goodness...!?

Don't know if any of those products contain some kind of wormly goodness or not, but it's definitely something you want in your mix.

One thing I would be a little cautious of too is moisture retention. Three of those products mention water retention (coco-peat, 5 in 1, and Organic Link) and don't know about the potting mix (I know zeolites apparently hold nutes, but do they also hold water?). Never actually used vermiculite, but I would definitely be adding a decent amount of perlite.

Cheers Gas

Searles 5 in 1 has worm castings in it.

Organic Link is simply a fert no additional water retention there, although all of the other things hold/conserve water but are also highly aerated mediums in optimum conditions so as long as you are sensible with the watering I can't imagine it will be too bad.

EDIT: I may even throw a few handfuls of coarse river sand or Coarse Crushed Walnut Shell into the mix to aid in drainage.

 

[Wildfire Chilli Australia]

I would choose perlite over vermiculite. As said before just be careful with the coco peat cos it can really hold the water. But i guess if it is just a small amount and distributed and mixed in properly then it should be ok.One other thing to watch for with the cheap bricks is that they aren't treated for fungus gnats and weeds like the big expensive bags. Fungus gnats/scarid fly are the main problem and are attracted to moist soil and then they feed off the roots of your plant and breed like crazy.

 

[Trippa]

I would choose perlite over vermiculite. As said before just be careful with the coco peat cos it can really hold the water. But i guess if it is just a small amount and distributed and mixed in properly then it should be ok.One other thing to watch for with the cheap bricks is that they aren't treated for fungus gnats and weeds like the big expensive bags. Fungus gnats/scarid fly are the main problem and are attracted to moist soil and then they feed off the roots of your plant and breed like crazy.

Cheers Wildfire

Hmmm didn't realise that about the Fungus Gnats/Scarid fly ...maybe I should put some neem oil into the soaking solution when swelling the bricks?

 

[Wildfire Chilli Australia]

I think it would happen more with a more concentrated amount but who knows. There is a drench you can use but I can't remember what it is called. Does neem cover them, I think it does? Perhaps boiling water may also help, but it would cool down fairly fast after pouring it over them.

 

[harry]

I think it would happen more with a more concentrated amount but who knows. There is a drench you can use but I can't remember what it is called. Does neem cover them, I think it does? Perhaps boiling water may also help, but it would cool down fairly fast after pouring it over them.

It would be something containing Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis. I used it to rid my pots of fungus gnats last season. I found it at Bunnings as Yates Nature's Way Caterpillar Killer.

 

[gasificada]

Searles 5 in 1 has worm castings in it.

Hmmmm... that's awesome to know!

Organic Link is simply a fert no additional water retention there

But the description on the website says it contains "Natural Water Retainers"....

 

[Trippa]

Hmmmm... that's awesome to know!


But the description on the website says it contains "Natural Water Retainers"....

Yeah it does say that but I am not sure what they are referring to there maybe something to do with the humates?? In any case at a rate of 2-3 tablespoons per container I hardly think it will retain enough to be worried about

 

[harry]

My 15th Rocoto sprout popped up today in the garden. This brings the total live Rocoto sprouts to 14 when I discount the one that succumbed to a stuck seed cap.