I would use a very gritty soil comprised of larger particulates. If you want a controlled release fertilizer, Osmocote 17-5-11 with micronutrients is a very good choice, or, if you want a smaller measure, try 15-9-12. You probably should read about how to maintain the roots & do full repots, if you plan to maintain this plant for the long haul. Try the link below. Al Here is a link that might be useful: About woody material in containers .....

Not all is as you might imagine it to be. I save a lot of the stuff I write as a document when the question comes up over & over. Coffee & tea as plant 'tonics' is a frequent topic. Here's what I discovered: Forum discussions frequently center on the question of adding dilute coffee/tea or grounds to plants as a 'tonic', but Arabica (coffee) and Camellia (tea) are known for their toxic alkaloid (caffeine) content and their allelopathic affect on plants as well as autotoxic (poison to their own seedlings) effects on future generations. Caffeine interferes with root development by impairing protein metabolism. This affects activity of an important bio-compound (PPO) and lignification (the process of becoming woody), crucial steps for root formation. We also know that the tannins in both coffee and tea are known allelopaths (growth inhibitors). There are ongoing experiments to develop herbicides using extracts from both coffee and tea that cause me to want to say they might serve better as a nonselective herbicide than as a tonic. I would not use either (stale coffee or tea) by applying directly to my plants - especially containerized plants; nor would I add tea bags/coffee grounds to my container soils. Rob - you can use white vinegar or citric acid (and other acids, but stick with the safer stuff) to lower the pH of your irrigation water (for the acid lovers) to about 5.5. Note how much acid is required per unit (like a gallon or 5 gallon unit) and repeat as needed. Note that pH of freshly drawn water rises as the dissolved CO2 gases off over a 24 hr period, so let the water you'll use rest for a day before adding the acid (first time only) for an accurate read. You'll need some pH paper - like what is used for ponds or aquariums. Al

Will you be growing these under lights for a while? If you have them indoors, you might want a different mix to absolutely ensure it's bug free. I used the cactus mix one year, and it is great for outdoors. This year, I've moved my seedlings in to coco coir/perlite, they are very happy and I haven't had a single fungus gnat or critter on them. I'm not a fertilizer expert, but I think the Vigoro bone meal might be better, it's slow release but the MG numbers have a lot of N. If you are growing organic, you might want to get some seaweed based fert, Espoma or Dr. Earth to supplement the fist fert to give them something extra later in the season. Personally, I'm blown away by the coco/perlite combo with some GH flora series chemical fertilizers. I'm sure they could be transplanted to soil later on. You could also use a peat/perlite/vermiculite mix which is light and sterile and with a little bit of fertilization, they can grow indoors until transplant time. A lot of this depends on your climate, and how much attention you can give them during the day. If you are in a mild climate and can move the plants around during the day, you can bring them outside much earlier and might be fine going right into the cactus mix. Good Luck, you've got a great mix of peppers lined up. I'd recommend adding Thai chilies to that list next year. Very hot, vigorous and bear fruit for a long time.

A very wise woman with a lot of Sans experience told me that most Sans grow in grantie soil. She uses crushed granite and pumice her plants are impeckable and lovely. You do not want coir since ti holds too much moisture, it will only lead to rot. I would make my potting soil comparable to the native soil.