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tapla wrote: Marilyn - I grow almost everything I expect to go more than a year in the same soil, or that I intend to root-prune annually or every other year, in a coarse and spare mixture that is 2/3 inorganic and 1/3 pine bark. It retains water reasonably well, and you can adjust that by varying the ingredients. I also grow all my houseplants and succulents in some minor variation of this mix. It will certainly retain its structure for longer than an appropriate interval between repotting (different than potting-up). It consists of:
1 part Turface (I screen mine, but you'll find it unnecessary)
1 part grower grit (crushed granite sold at feed stores as turkey grit)
1 part pine bark
Garden lime or gypsum (whichever is appropriate)
CRF (leave it out for hibs)
elemental sulfur (if appropriate)
micro-nutrients
I didn't mention this soil because most are unwilling to look for the ingredients, but they all have multiple uses for building container soils and are wonderful amendments to have on hand, once you understand how they affect your soils.
