My plants are all in pure gritty mix. They have thrived, even in our dry winters. My plants are all outside. I do have to water more frequently during the dry winters, but I don't water at all once the summer rains start. Succulents are more likely to die from being too wet than from being too dry.

I'm sure that some folks add the coir instead of pine bark fines with no problem. Coir does drain well. But I don't think you 'need' to add the coir. Your plants will be fine.

Thanks. My plants are inside though so how often do I water them?

If under natural light, unlikely to be more than once a week?

Wow. I will have to review my geography notes there friend. Have done lines of latitude in years. Good points though. I do think that I will have to water them more often than once weekly.

Question: You were able to buy several bags of Al's Gritty Mix? You bought all the different ingredients, or you bought it already mixed ?

Manuel, I've seen bags described as "Al's Gritty Mix" advertised on Ebay and Etsy. I'm assuming Al isn't the seller.

Hi hell kitchen guy. I bought several bags of Al's Gritty Mix but after I was told that it was too dry I bought 2 blocks of coir to add to it. The product says its from Bonsai Jack, the mix,that is. I also bought a bag of Hoffmann bonsai mix to try with some smaller succulents that I have plus I have perlite. I don't mind buying the pre done mixtures I just need to know that it works. I'll be away for a week and a half and I don't want them to dry out and die.

gritty mix too dry for succulents? That's ridiculous.

Gritty mix is perfect just the way it is designed - IMO. depending on the pot it hold water up to two weeks. Inexperienced users will be the only ones saying it looses water too quickly. That is kind of the point - succulents do not like "wet feet" and will rot in soil that hold too much water for too long.

Thanks for the reply. I have, indeed, seen that mix on the Bonsai Jack website. . I placed 2 Jades, some sansevierias, and a Haworthia in this mix. I did it at he wrong time, winter, so they took a while to get established.

The Sansevierias suffered over the next few months, as I wasn't watering frequently enough. Some of the leaves died out. I now water them all every few days, especially the Jades that are smaller and have been getting lots of sunlight when I bring them to my roof. I think at the beginning we're supposed to water very frequently until the roots get established.

Now my failure: A small spider plant in gritty mix stopped growing, and slowly lost several leaves, even though I was watering it every day. A week ago I moved it to 3/4 Black Gold Cactus Mix, 1/4 Pumice. This mix allows the water to run freely, but retains enough moisture that I already see a new green leave beginning to emerge.

A Peace Lily in 2/3 turface and 1/3 pine bark. It's doing relatively ok. It has lots of new leaves growing, but I have to water it EVERY DAY. If I don't water it every day, it wilts. Also, many of the new leaves grow wrinkly and/or die if I don't water it every day. It's been in this mix for several months, but I'm guessing since it was winter, it took longer to get established.

kallwood

Did you say where you are located or if the plants are indoors or ouT If you did, sorry I didn't see it (even if some think the location doesn't matter - it does. Maybe you can add your general loc or growing zone besides your name?)

I have kept many succulents in colder conditions (just under 50*F) during the winter, watering only 1x in about 3weeks. They are all in gritty mix, made of only grit+perlite and some turface. Obviously, in warmer temps they may need water much more often. Does it ever rain where you are? (will make no difference if they are indoors :)

Deva33 , I still feel that at the beginning they need more frequent watering, while the roots are being established and colonizing the pot. At least that seems to be my experience

Gritty mix has simplified things dramatically for me and kept me interested in plants. But like I said, it's the transition we have to mind carefully.

The transition can be eased by adding fine particles like soil or sand or peat. But if you do that, what you have is a heavy substrate that will not compact but it's not gritty mix anymore. The characteristic airiness will be gone since the air pockets you're trying to create has been filled by those fine particles. It's like saying "Yeah I have a red rose except it's green."

And yes, zone ID is important.

Pagan

Hi Rina, I'm in USDA zone 4a I believe, next door to Canada. The plants are kept indoor.

Hellkitchenguy, did you ever soak your bark overnight to break the hydrophobicity before making the mix? Because you should not have to water that much.

Nil13, I sifted and washed it, but did not let it soak overnight. I guess that's the "fly in my ointment".

It seems that the more I think I know, the more obvious mistakes I make...

However, I'm sure I have read in many other threads that others have had the same issue while their plants are getting established.

Manuel

Soak the gritty mix overnight? Lol. Geez! I didn't know that I was to do that. I'll soak the rest tonight then. Thanks for that.