I don't know about Peach Brandy, but Magic Carrousel was hybridized by Mr. Ralph Moore. On his own web site for Sequoia Nursery he says how he pots his minis. I put a link for you to it it that helps you out any with your question.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sequoia Nursery

Thanks! I'll take a look! Migic Carrousel is doing beautifully (fingers crossed), no sign of transplant or heat trauma after 1 month, and has started blooming like mad.

We often mix common potting soil, compost and cactus mix for a potting medium. The cactus mix gives the mix some weight and allows good drainage. It also makes it a tiny bit easier to transplant to amended native soil here.

Hi moroseaz!

Sorry it took so long to respond, haven't been on for awhile. I should have been going to you in the Arizona Gardening Forum for advice-only a few miles from here, our climates are close enough to be the same. I just found another AZ forum post from 14 July 05 regarding non standard uses of cactus mix-good stuff!

People who have a small local nursery here say to forget most everything I knew in the NE, because gardening in the desert is a way different beast. And not stewing the roots in containers when it's 118 out is a challenge, but I'm learning (drainage, aeration, wrapping pots, established strong plants, burning incense, dancing around them... ;-)

Since the weather has turned marvelous, I'm getting into high gear and getting a couple of new roses started using what you all have shared on these forums.

Thanks!

moroseaz,
You stated that "We often mix common potting soil, compost and cactus mix for a potting medium."

I am thinking of using this kind of mix when I repot my mini in Sept or Oct. Could you give me the ratios of the components, or is it just mixed 1/3 of each? I am in Tucson, so basically the same kind of climate as you.

Would MG organic potting mix be ok to use for the "common potting soil"?

This will be used for a mini that will live in a container permanently. Too hard to dig through the hard pan, caleche, and mountains of rocks here. lol

Thanks!

I live in Cochise County, AZ which is a little cooler than Tucson. I have about 100 roses permanently growing in containers, about 75% mini/minifloras and the rest hybrid teas. I'd have a hard time coming up with the incredients necessary for Al's gritty mix discussed on the container forum so I needed to come up with something else. This mix works for me. I've been using a mix of regular Miracle Grow potting mix and Supersoil Palm and Cactus mix at a ratio of about 60% MG to 40% SS. I also add some pumice and perlite but don't have a specific ratio for those. This has been working well for me for several years. I've also read of people using cactus mix straight with great results but don't know which brand and there is quite a bit of variablity among them.

dave

dave,
Thanks for your reply.

Where would I find pumice? I don't remember seeing it anywhere. The rest I know where to get.
Also, are you able to use your mix long term, or do you have to renew it every year?

Right now I am using
4 parts Gardner & Bloom Rose planting mix
1 part Reptibark (fir bark)
1 part Perlite

I also had trouble coming up with Al's 5:1:1 mix ingredients, so this is my experiment. lol

If this doesn't work, I may use what you have had success with.