Hi GP,

Sans. can use almost any mix, but pls. NO, NO, NO peat, it can often harden off & become impossible to re-wet, essentially killing the plant from thirst even though one keeps watering.

Try browsing at Cactus & Succulent Forum (nearby) where we speak about mixes; the aim is that it be fast draining (peat is not fast draining, rather the opposite, it's water retentive until it dries out & hardens like rock).

One could be OK w/ Cactus & Succulent mix w/ maybe 40% more perlite or pumice.

Thank you pirate girl! Sure glad I didn't go buy a bag of peat!!!

Personally, I use peat mixed with perlite exclusively. It comes in bales with the name ProMix-HP. I think I grow nice plants (I live in Tennessee).

Sans are very forgiving - they'll grow in almost anything (shredded tires, anyone) as long as their feet don't stay wet and they get some sort of soil nutrients. As you can infer, ask 100 people, you'll get as many soil mixes, but I'd hazard to guess even a prepackaged cactus and succulent mix, when mixed with 40-50% perlite (pumice preferred but not always available). You can also look for Al's Gritty Mix - it has many adherents to its faith of the nitty gritty of soil.