Jim our sand is blow sand very fine you need coarse sand builders use some times in different concrete applications it still is a little fine but crushed rock chips are smaller then 1/4 -1/8 in help make a good balanced sand. Glad your ones in ground are doing good it depends where in Florida you live by a Friends house water table is way to high close to green swamp dig down 1 ft standing water. here at my house is good i have dug 5+ feet down and no water but i keep mine in pots i hate my grass and weeding around them dont have time for that. Jim you are right that cheapest is not the way to go most the time. I agree and dont make that point. You can substitute other items that have the same properties to gain the same results.
Cora the coco fiber from pets-mart is what i have used it is referred to as cocoa peat it is to fine to grow the way if you look at pics it has to much small pieces witch retain water to long. That is if you are trying to grow the way best for strong hardened off plants. They grow slower and are tougher plants. seems to me most people just do everything to get there plants to grow as fast as possible and its ok but for the most part it tends to be weaker and more susceptible to disease and other problems. a lot of plants grown correct have natural ways to fend off such things. but if you are taking a tropical or desert plant and growing in a climent not suited you have to make exceptions and deal with the problems.
This is all about growing the hardened way 90% of Americans dont because they dont know how or are only concerned with getting the plant big fast.
