I've got some Esperanza seedlings that I'm ready to pot. What's the best soil to use for these? I've got bagged garden soil, sterile potting mix and mix for cactus and other plants of that type. Which of these three, if any, would be the best to use?

Chris, I'm not that familiar with Esperanza but if you're going to keep them in pots, I'd definitely use the sterile potting mix. It has the right balance of aeration and moisture holding qualities, as well as no danger of infecting with a fungus or bacterial plague.

If you eventually put them in the garden, the bagged garden soil would be good to amend the planting area for them, but it would be too heavy and probably pack down too tight in a pot.

Thanks Elaine, I went with my Cactus and Palm potting soil. It's quick draining so I hope it will do ok. They're going to stay in pots as the soil here is just terrible for most all plants except maybe Moon Flowers, Iris and Lantana.

I believe it is a native of Texas and a shrub. May outgrow your pot and maybe with a bit of soil amendments would be happier in the ground.

Probably will be. Currently they're in a pot since they're only about 3" tall started from seeds.

In my part of north central Texas it is nearly always a container plant. It's not reliably winter hardy here and a really cold spell kills them. We usually manage one or two of those spells that would be too cold. Good warm location and heavy mulch helps, but is still not enough sometimes. But I'm located about 4 counties north of Copperas Cove and definitely get some colder temps off and on. I'd still think a good mulch or protection would be in order for some cold systems that blow down from Canada.

Here, a few counties farther south, Esperanza grows very large - easily 10' or more. They often get frozen back in winter but sprout anew from the roots and grow to a large shrub/small tree size in one season. I don't think they are too picky about the soil.

LOL @porkpal! But you could almost grow a banana crop in Richmond! I saw them produce bananas in the Brazosport area on occasion.

Gets pretty cold here at times too Donald. I had to use my heater in the greenhouse quite a bit last winter and this years is supposed to be colder I hear. Once the five seedlings I have in one large pot get bigger I'll move them again. They should be ok in the greenhouse this year, I hope.