Lithops Growing Medium

[meka]

I've seen so many suggested mixtures for Lithops potting media. From what I've gathered, they like sand, gravel, and just enough soil to hold it together. With that said, would this combination work?

1 part sand
1 part cactus/succulent mix
1 part pea gravel

I want to make the best use of the giant bag of sand that I'm going to have to buy since I need it for a Fenestraria mixture anyway.

 

[31drew31]

I made a mix of silica sand/perlite/APS/peat in even quantities and they seem to be happy. Ive only had them in this mix for about 6 months though.

 

[meka]

If the price of silica sand at Home Depot is typical, I don't think that's going to be a plausible option. Does regular sand work?

 

[Brie]

I bought cactus soil and added more pumice and large grain quartz sand to it until it barely held together when squeezed in your hand.

 

[meka]

The sand I'm looking at is coarse sand, but I don't know if it's quartz or not. I don't think the Home Depot around here has pumice, so would perlite work? I know they're not the same thing, but I'm trying to work with what's available.

 

[Brie]

If the price of silica sand at Home Depot is typical, I don't think that's going to be a plausible option. Does regular sand work?

The silica play sand is pretty dang cheap.. Is that what you were looking at? Try Lowes too..

Just make sure whatever sand you are using is either silica or quartz... if it doesnt say, then don't use it.

I use E.B. Stone Organics "Horticultural sand", found at most of my local garden shops.

http://www.ebstone.org/ebstone.php

 

[meka]

I'll take a look at the different types of sand that they have. I'm sure one of them will be what I'm looking for.

 

[Brie]

The sand I'm looking at is coarse sand, but I don't know if it's quartz or not. I don't think the Home Depot around here has pumice, so would perlite work? I know they're not the same thing, but I'm trying to work with what's available.

yeah perlite works too, it just floats so sucks when you're watering, esp how you water lithops(submerging whole terracotta pot).. Eventually(or quickly) all of the perlite will rise to the top of the media. Pumice still floats a bit but not as much as perlite.

Large grain size is good in sand, but yeah, just gotta check and see if its silica or quartz.

 

[meka]

Isn't the purpose of pumice/vermiculite/perlite to create aeration in the soil? If so, wouldn't pea gravel have the same effect without the floating problems?

 

[Brie]

You could give it a shot.. *shrug* Your plants. Experiment away.

 

[31drew31]

IMO it wouldn't work nearly as well. Perlite and pumice are both very porous where as pea gravel is not.

 

[meka]

Thanks for your help. Is there a certain species of Lithops that you can recommend for a beginner?