Rainbow said:By the way...your adenium seedlings are looking really swell.

Thank you

Thank you for sharing all of the wonderful info. Audrey!!! They sell their products at 6 different locations nearby. I might have to go pick some up.

You almost had me E-mailing Ladybug! Then you mentioned heavy soil, and it occurred to me that that there is no perfect solution for different regions....even in pots. I've tried numerous potting mix, citrus/cactus mix, acid mix etc. and hate it when the one I like disappears from the market. I even broke down and tried MG moisture control, against my better judgement. I couldn't get weeds to grow in that pot! I did use a cactus mix for my Adenium, and so far, so good, but it's only been a month or so. We shall see...

For sure a cactus mix would be excellent for adeniums...for obvious reasons, it shouldn't/wouldn't have any moisture retention elements (surfactant) in it. But I have a lot of adeniums and cost-wise, cactus mix is too expensive. So I am striving to come up with a good DIY potting mix.

I think MG's "generic" potting mixes and fertilizers would be okay for growing practically anything else...but not for cactus and succulents. Too much added nitrogen and surfactants!

I have nothing against their fertilizers except the lack of micros, but I refuse to by their planting mixes.

ctcarol said:I have nothing against their fertilizers except the lack of micros, but I refuse to by their planting mixes.

Totally agree and don't ever buy their Orchid bark. It turns to mush in a few months.

I buy very few MG products. Like AT&T, they're trying to take over. I'm sick of seeing every bag, box, and bottle with the MG logo in most gardening centers. Gives me an excuse to go nursery crawling.

I agree carol. I hate seeing all the varieties of MG taking over and replacing all of the other good brands and small companies. They're like the Walmart of soil.

I stay away from MG products also. HD seems to be the only one here that carries their products, other garden centers have better quality stuff, thank goodness!

I try my best to avoid all major corporations that have a shady history now with their lobbyist in government or past dealings in war(agent orange). If we do not make a stand now with our wallets all that will be left is getting your grand kids degrees at Costco. I have seen so many great companies shut their doors because of major corporations.

Supporting smaller companies with great soil supports us all in a way. I reuse my soil all the time and need to know where, who, and what ethics they have. I will not get started on MG products. I would like to think that my adeniums thank me for providing a natural living real soil to a chemical based substandard soil that in the long run hurts us all.

Sorry for the rant, but...... why prop up a plant with chemicals when the beauty that we admire came naturally. On that note, I braided some of my mature adeniums last week

Audrey, please show your braids!!!

Nice! What are you using for media? I forgot, and I'm sure you've said it many times.

Mind-blowing! Amazing!

Esperanza said:

Chris your joking right? Ladybug vortex or rose soil. I mix some lava rock with it as well. These past two springs of record breaking rain has me being more cautious than I used to be.

Thank you Joseph. I'm going to tighten up the white blooming one next week. I don't really like the way it looks right now. Really looking forward to seeing how they look at the end of next year.

Have you guys seen the pics of the sculpted ones on the web? I would love to make some like that. I'm going to try some fun stuff with my seedlings

Esperanza said:Chris your joking right? Ladybug vortex or rose soil. I mix some lava rock with it as well. These past two springs of record breaking rain has me being more cautious than I used to be.

No I wasn't but I guess I should have looked back a ways. My memory along with everything else is going

Chris, it's ok you will not remember that you forgot for long .......JK

Hey, Audrey, nice going on the braiding! If you can do it, I can do it too!