If you plan on leaving it in full sun in the summer (depending on the size/type of container, some plants can't handle this as I found out this year with my Michelia Figo), it helps to have a heavier, more water retentive mix. I throw a little clean clay soil into the mix when I'm making the soil for containers that will be in full sun.

The most important thing for my smaller container plants that I leave out in the summer is that they are getting slowly watered 2 times a day from a drip system. I had a plant tip to the side from the wind and its emitter fell out of the container and it's already looking pretty bad from only about 24 hours without its usual watering.

Fun discussion! Definitely keep iAndy's advice in mind, that a lot of "full sun" plants want more shade here. That being said, I generally mix 75% soil less potting mix (I like Miracle-Gro potting mix without the moisture granules) with 25 % pumice or perlite. I DO like the idea of tossing in some peat moss too, although I haven't been doing that. Like you mentioned, for cacti/succulents I increase pumice to 50% and would never add peat moss to those. It's fun to hear the different recipes! Happy gardening!

Grant - do you have a shop to buy pumice at in bulk vs most the garden shops that sell overpriced small bags?

The only place I've found to buy bulk pumice is Acme Sand and Gravel in Tucson. I bought a half yard (14 cu. ft.) for $42 as opposed to $20 for one cubic foot in Phoenix. They also have the best price for coconut coir I've found. When I go to Tucson for the spring and fall plant sales at Desert Survivors and Tohono Chul Park, I stop at Acme first. Acme also has other soil amendments, it's a shame Phoenix doesn't have someplace comparable.

The Central Arizona Cactus and Succulent Society in Phoenix also has bulk pumice sales a couple of times a year. Last time I went they were charging members $5 for a 5 gallon bucket. Here's a link forAcme

^ that's what frustrates me that there's not a lot of options to buy things in bulk here in Phoenix. Plenty of rock yards only sell mulch and manure soil mixes. There's plenty of options for compost but prices per yard on those are a bit outrageous. I can't help but feel jealous when I see in other states or cities have places that offer so many different types of soil amendments that can be bought in bulk.

So it isn't just me that thinks our soil and compost selections here are abysmal?

I don't have a good answer for what to do for potting mix here. My basil likes the patio plus organic potting mix. I have several peppers in that too but I can never decide if I'm under or over watering them. Probably under watering. They're not dead, so I'm not failing. But, I think the perfect mix for the summer here may not exist. If you discover one, please bag & sell it so I can come buy some.

I truly can't believe how few options we have with how many exist. I've found some higher quality soil/potting mix products at local Hydroponics stores that blow anything from nurseries out of the water. I don't know why it's impossible to find pine bark fines with pine forests being less than 2 hrs away in multiple directions. Nobody happens to know of anywhere to get them by chance do they?

Maybe a few of us should just figure out how to supply much higher quality and much needed products and make some money doing it!!!!

Does anyone have any advice for potting mixes to grow sub-tropical fruits in containers or for cherries or citrus? I've only done some citrus in the ground but really want to branch out into some container mango, cherry, banana, and additional citrus.

I have a kaffir lime in a pot. It's in a mix of cactus/citrus potting mix, builder fill and who knows what the prior owner put in the pot. Oddly, the tree is happy.

Have you asked Tropical Mango what they suggest? The potted kaffir lime I got there came in a mix of clay, sand and pine bark and did great in the mix. So great it grew out of the pot.

Tucson on supposedly has some good material sources. That's not a surprise since gardening is more their style. I make my own compost in a rat-proof container. Real compost makes such a difference, excellent mulch for my citrus.