Hello Linda,
My 25%/75% free-draining mix is composed of the following:
25% compost
+
25% coarse sand
25% granite chicken grit (#2 size)
25% horticultural grade perlite (particles are light, just a bit larger in size as #2 chicken grit)
This translates to:
1 part compost - 1 part coarse sand - 1 part #2 chicken grit - 1 part perlite granules.
I've never witnessed such an extreme summer period as 2018, broke a number of records, it poured rain nearly every day for 6 weeks, and unbearably hot and humid, plants never had a chance to dry out. I guess it all averages out, the summer of 2016 we had record-breaking drought, with just 1.5" rain in 2-1/2 months.
