B,

Use the soil you have, but cut it with lots of grit / perlite and make sure your drainage holes are unblocked.

The second cactus, do you mean Echinocereus inermis?

That sounds like a nice combination of plants - will it winter outside entrough?

It is good to get the larger perlite. Sometimes that perlite that they sell is like sand. We often use a humus at 1/3 the total content. Many of us don't like peat moss because it can become hydrophobic once it dries out and ages.

Thanks Jeff. I used 50% soil, 50% grit. Thinks that's enough? I put a piece of landscape fabric over the three large drainage holes. And yes, I did mean Echinocereus inermis....it's since been identified as E. triglochidiatus v. inermis, hence my late-night jumbling of syllables.... I'll post a picture of it once it is complete....maybe today if my baby boy cooperates!

Wantonamara,
The perlite was included in the mix I purchased, it's about 2-4 mm pieces. And I also don't like to use peat moss, but it is impossible to buy and potting soil around here without it...still looking!!!

Beth,

No, I don't - that would be 60/70% grit / perlite and 30/40 % soil, IMO, particularly since it's a trough. I've not used landscape fabric as a hole cover, but would have thought it would be not as good as a square of window screen, but it will drain.

Thanks Jeff. I added a bunch of perlite to the mix and repotted the trough...only to find that the last plant to go in, an Orostachys spinosa had root mealies. This is despite the soapy water soaking I gave it last week. So of to the soaker for it, and the trough is not yet finished. The mosquitoes and darkness drove me indoors last night before I could finish it..

Tonight, perhaps, it will be completed...

When I have a plant that has mealy bugs and I think the plant is going to die, I wash it, roots and all, in a solution of 1 part bleach, Clorox, and 15 parts water and then rinse in clear water and let dry and re-pot. I've had 100% success with any plants I've done this with. In fact if I buy a new African violet I take off some leaves to start new plants and wash them like this and throw away the new plant. Stops me from getting other people's bugs.

Is that some sort of embalming method (Crassula Mummies!) or does the plant not die 100% of the time?

Beth,

I'd remove the root ball, or most of it, getting rid of all of the soil and some of the roots, anyway, and then an alcohol bath for the roots to kill the mealies.

Who wants root mealies? I'll be able to show them to you soon, too.

Yep, I did actually remove most of the soil and roots, and gave it an alcohol bath too. Don't know why forgot about that method, I've used it in the past... Trough might actually get completed today!

Will remember the bleach soak, thanks for the idea, Ron!

Happy succulenting, everyone!

If you start with an orchid mix for soil one will not get the peat, I THINK. I usually make up the soil portion to avoid the peat.. I use bark Fines and native soil.

UPDATE for Jeff
I can't believe it , but my Echinocereus inermis rotted out completely in my trough in September, despite the 60-70% grit content. Argh! Even most of the offsets had rot into their bases by the time I noticed.. A few offsets have survived, we'll see if they survive the winter. The rest of the plants look okay, though several O. spinosa rosettes didn't survive the root mealy treatment...

happy growing...