Why don't you think 50/50 perlite C&S mix is good enough? It's fine, plenty of folks find it so. Even better for some things might be more perlite like 60-70%.

Did you try it? Not like the results, what's the issue for you? What is it you're trying to grow?

There really aren't good, ready-made mixes (& I've been on here hearing about this since 2001). If there were, we wouldn't have so many folks here making their own. Pumice is also good if you can get it.

But respectfully, unless you're trying to grow gold or something, I think you may be overthinking this.

I forget where (in general) you live. Is it really humid there? The 50/50 mix does not work for me, either. It never dries out well enough, especially in the summers, and I have problems with rot. I should reiterate - I am in SW Florida and it rains every day in the summers. My winter humidity is still in the 60-70% or higher and I keep my plants outside all year long.

I have gone from MG c&s soil, to a 50/50 mix (and even higher % of perlite), to a gritty mix with NAPA - perlite - and bark. The NAPA product broke down to clay and the bark decomposed to soil - both to be expected eventually. But with my heat and humidity, both broke down in about 12-18 months.

I finally found Manna Pro granite chicken grit and Turface. I decided to leave out the bark unless I have a very large pot. Then I add Reptibark to the mix of granite, turface and perlite. I cannot find pumice or I would use that instead of perlite. I can tweak the components for the water retention that various plants may need. This is pretty much by trial. In general I use 2 parts grit, 2 parts perlite and 1 part turface.

This has been MY experience. Your experience may differ because your growing conditions will differ from mine.

Hope that helps! =)

I took my time typing and didn't see Karen's reply. I agree that there isn't a ready made mix to purchase. Some folks have mentioned using Bonsai Jack's succulent mix with success. You may want to look into that.

Also - when I talked about the NAPA floor dry product I was talking about recent bags. 4-5 years ago I used the product with good results. The last bag I purchase turned to sludge rather quickly. Either I got a bad bag or they have changed the product. Turface is much better anyway. Just harder for some to find.

I despise the soil prophet so out of pure contrariety when I first started messing with succulents I used the 20 yr. old potting soil that I scraped out of my old wine barrels. Perfectly successful. These days I use HD's Sunshine c&s mix with added perlite. I must say however that my plants are just as fabulous in what most would consider junk as they are in my now more acceptable mix.

As Crenda said a lot depends on your climate-humidity, moisture, light intensity, blah, blah, blah. What works for me would probably not for Cren da in Fla. or Rina in Ont.

With all that said, do you think your plants aren't growing right; are you having problems with rot or has the constant background noise about gritty mix just made you think you need to do it? Plnts are for pleasure and if it pleases you to change the soil-gofr it.

General Pumice has a really good products, and free shipping in the US. http://www.generalpumiceproducts.com/order-here/

I can't use perlite/ C&S soil 50/50 here in Alabama. Right after watering it is too wet and THEN if it gets too dry it turns into a concrete like substance. I've literally had to dig it out of a pot with a sharp instrument.

I LOVE my mix now that I make with coarse sand that Lowes sells . It actually takes about 3/4 coarse sand and 1/4 soil. Nice loose mix and the soil part is small enough not to retain too much moisture. It's made a huge difference in my plants survival

Haha, fair enough Dave. I used to grow lots of Aloe in pure C&S mix with barely any problems at all!

Well, then I moved and nearly everything died in the different conditions. Living in the same city less than a highway exit away was completely different.

It is all about customization of mix to conditions and plants. And I suppose your main point is figuring out what needs to be changed/improved and why.

I'm still playing with my mixes. Only vastly different component that I haven't worked with enough yet is akadama. Maybe that will be a spring/summer project.

If it's a straight-out c and s mix you want, I heartily recommend black gold c and s mix. It's peat-free, lime-full, pumiced, and perlited.

i really made that last sentence work, against all odds. It's so easy if you just make the words up.

After about a day of repotting, the mix gets way too dry. I mean, it moves so easily and it doesn't support the plant well. Warm, indoors, humid. I'll take a second look at y'alls comments, I'll try to find a suggestion that will work best:)

Also, with my propagation. Roots always land on wood chips in the soil I put them on, so should I sift soil next time?

Not quite sure what you mean by ..."Roots always land on wood chips in the soil..." - is it that roots grow into wood chips or?

If the plant is loose, you can use bent wire to support it until the roots establish. The plant doesn't have to be held firmly when newly repotted. I have about 40 new arrivals that you could easily poke and tip over.

When newly repotted, plants often are apt to be somewhat loose in the pot. Just stake them or use rocks to hold them in place until the roots get re-established.

I don't really understand what you mean about the roots landing on wood chips. I guess I wouldn't use a mix that has a lot of large wood chips in it for rooting cuttings. Or for growing succulents and cactus, for that matter.

Here's a plant I repotted this spring. The top of it its a bit heavy and will start leaning over when potted in a loose, gritty mix (pumice, a small amount of 1/8" bark chips, a bit of Turface, chicken grit). I propped it up with stones.

Lauren, the BlackGold C&S soil was my sisters favorite. Shed order it online through Ace Hardware and have it shipped free to the store to pick up (Amazon was too costly) . BUT then she got in a shipment that was overly wet and even had an odor, she fell out of love

Pieces of wood are in the mix I use(I don't add them in, they're in the soil) and the roots trying to grow end up on them. They can't grow through them so I have to use tweezers and pull the wood chips away before the roots start going around the wood. Should I just sift the dirt next time? Anyways, this current mix just isn't really working out for me.. Maybe a mix of pumice, better dirt, and sand?? I currently use the cheapest C&S dirt you could probably find.

So you've been growing succulents for less than a month and in that time, you've determined that the same exact soil that SO many others use isn't good enough? Trying to understand the question here.

Could it possibly be the "grower" and not necessarily the growing medium that's the problem?

The reason your plants are loose has absolutely nothing to do with "how good your soil is" but rather the fact that you literally JUST put them in the pot. It takes more than a day for the new roots to grow and grab hold of the soil.

Instead of buying more soil, if I were you, I'd buy more plants because you're gonna kill the ones you have if you don't quit messin' with them.

Succulentss, I have said something similar in one of your other threads: leave your plants alone, give them a chance to go about their business, which is growing. Many people seem to grow their plants quite successfully in C&S soil with perlite. The last thing your plants need is more messing with their roots. Learn to know them, to notice when they need water, to notice when they need light, to notice when things are going well. You will lose a few, you will learn a lot. Get out of your helicopter. Your plants will thank you.

Good bonsai trick is to wire plants in place. Doesn't look pretty but is very effective.

Thank you everyone:) currently going to stay with 50/50 mix, you've all convinced me!

I just started a collection of succulents and planted them in what I thought to be proper soil..I bought bags of mc c&s soil. Assumed that was just the right formula for growing succis. I live in Mn. and have a problem with my plants not drying out quickly enough because of rainy weather or having to be inside during winter. Lots of good info here. MY pots have drainage holes and I am careful to only water when the soil is dry. Just wondering if I could use regular nonfertilized potting soil and mix other ingredients such as petite and gravel?? Wonder what ratio. I need to report some soggy plants. Tia.

I would try 60% sifted perlite in your mix. Don't breathe the dust.

If you want to go more involved, a gritty mix with granite grit would be very good. Mn is so cold in the winter!! It'll be good to have a mix that doesn't hold that much water because indoor drying will be even slower than outdoor.

Thanks, could you elaborate a bit on the gritty mix with granite grit..not sure how to buy, or what it is?

It something good to search the forums about and read on. This thread talks about soil components: [https://www.houzz.com/discussions/porosity-water-holding-capacity-cost-of-common-soil-components-dsvw-vd~4061703[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/porosity-water-holding-capacity-cost-of-common-soil-components-dsvw-vd~4061703)

In brief, you can make your own soil mix for your plants and growing conditions. This will do better than anything you buy in a store bag.

If you have specific questions, I'm happy to chime in. But it's certainly not a brief one-post answer.

Thinking and reading about soil is fun! Haha.

Is it okay if I rinse the perlite in a strainer instead of sifting, by the way?

Yes, that does work. Water keeps the dust down. You will get little white bits everywhere, just be warned haha.