caapi soil medium

[DeadStar]

I notice that a recently aquire caapi is awake and about to put on some new growth, so I thought I should repot it into a bigger pot.

Its my first Banisteriopsis caapi and I want to give it the best chance to survive in melbourne.

I was thinking of using a good quality potting soil and some diatomite for water retention, drainage and lightness compared to river sand. Im not sure at what ratio I should mix them though. Has anyone used diatomite before and if so, how did it go?

[gtarman]

To be honest I'd just go with a good potting mix out of the bag, as it is, and just make sure you mulch it with stones/pebbles. That's all you'll need to do for water retention IME, and I don't think caapi is particularly picky about it's soil. I've always seen it do exceptionally well in just a standard decent-quality potting mix. I used to use Scott's Osmocote Premium, but then stopped using it once I found out they use fertilizers that contain traces of nasty heavy metals. I then switched to an organic mix...can't remember which one.

But when choosing a mix, just remember you'll get what you pay for - buy the more expensive one. And inspect the bits of bark in it - you want one based on pine bark which tends to be very angular and triangle-y. Avoid native bark which tends to be stringy, it'll just repel water and eventually turn to mush in my experience. I think a lot of the "rocky point" (?) brand are native or non-pine potting mixes, I've always found them to be kinda rubbish.

[gtarman]

And your challenge in Melbourne is not going to be soil - like I said, caapi isn't fussy, as long as it has the basics which a decent potting mix will provide, and you give it enough water and fertilizer.

The problem growing it in Melbourne is going to be almost entirely one of protecting it from the cold in the winter...just gotta keep in mind caapi is not suited to such a climate. It'll be an uphill battle, but I'm sure many members on here will be able to help in that regard. In fact I think there's already a whole bunch of threads on here about growing caapi in cold climates - just UTSE and you'll most likely find all you need.

Good luck

[DeadStar]

Thanks for the advice on the soil requirements gtarman. I will just use some quality soil and see how that goes.

I have read that the caapi might not do to well here in melbourne. I have had the caapi in a greenhouse with some nepenthes that hate melbourne winter also. The nepenthes did alright over winter, so I hope the caapi will keep them company over the colder months.

Also I enjoy the challenge of growing something outside its natural environment:)

Thanks again gtarman

[gtarman]

All good!

And yeah - caapi just doesn't belong in cold climates naturally is all, which is why folks say it's problematic - but if it's in a greenhouse you should be sweet

Personally I'm kinda the opposite - I don't like growing things in climates they're not suited to or that they can't easily adapt to. Too much work IMO, and somehow feels wrong to me. But each to their own.

[FancyPants]

I used a single layer of river rocks on the bottom of a not huge pot, layer of sphagnum (drenched), then good potting mix+little perlite+seed raising mix, then layer of drenched sphagnum again then layer of small pebbles on the top. We water pretty much every second day just a little and the caapis are going bonkers. But then I put one in regular sydney ground a few years ago and it went even more bonkers until the lawn mower guy hacked it up grrrrr.

[DeadStar]

All good!

And yeah - caapi just doesn't belong in cold climates naturally is all, which is why folks say it's problematic - but if it's in a greenhouse you should be sweet

Personally I'm kinda the opposite - I don't like growing things in climates they're not suited to or that they can't easily adapt to. Too much work IMO, and somehow feels wrong to me. But each to their own.

Dont get me wrong. I visit the local natives nursery and buy way to many tube stock and enjoy growing them just as much. At the moment I am growing a bunch of local she oak and acacia also along with a growing cactus collection. But they basically take care of themselves. So gowing some rainforest plants keep me on my toes :-)

[DeadStar]

I used a single layer of river rocks on the bottom of a not huge pot, layer of sphagnum (drenched), then good potting mix+little perlite+seed raising mix, then layer of drenched sphagnum again then layer of small pebbles on the top. We water pretty much every second day just a little and the caapis are going bonkers. But then I put one in regular sydney ground a few years ago and it went even more bonkers until the lawn mower guy hacked it up grrrrr.

I will definitely keep that soil recipe in mind. I would love to plant the caapi in a protected spot in the ground but my ground soil is rock hard during summer and water logger for the rest of the year.

Defently grrr to the lawn mower man

Edited October 11, 2014 by DeadStar