Btw, the link to the chandelier in your original post does work. If you want to add photos to your comment, follow these steps : -copy the link -start a new comment (or edit an old one) -choose Houzz Photo -choose Houzz url. Paste the link in. You want to be sure you have the complete link; if you do the picture will show in the bottom box. Or if you've saved the picture to an Ideabook you can skip the copy and paste and choose the photo from Ideabooks -click Insert I don't know if it's a Houzz glitch or slight user error but I'm seeing a lot of boxes with links in comments lately. The links don't always work but we can get to it by following the More Info tab. Hope this helps :)

Thank you. Karen, I see no advantage in buying C&S mix. Of the four brands of C&S available around here. Three have added sand. Two of those have an obscene amount. One of those was the most dense soil in the store. Pro-Mix has the lowest amount of sand, add peat Humus & limestone, neither I need or want. The fourth is MG, they do not list their ingredients. That bag says it's Cactus, Palm & Citrus Soil. I know from experience those three each have specific needs. Palms are fairly heavy feeders/need rich soil. Citrus is grown for fruit. Does this soil have what is needed to grow fruit. If so, It's not for me. Pro-Mix & Miracle Gro are almost identical to a good potting soil. So, why not spend less on a good potting soil if you are buying already buying extra perlite. I do have a 1 cubic bag of peat for those plants that need a little, but not the succulents. I use to use a container mix with Coir and Composted Fish and Fir that I added both Pumice and Perlite. After two year of testing coir on various plants, I have decided it was made to kill plants. I believe the soil companies are grinding it too fine, try to make it the size of peat. I understand succulent growers grind their own. Good on 'em. I like the size of the Reptibark in your Crenda. That was the size bark of the small bag sitting by the Orchid Mix I grabbed. I just forgot to feel the bag more closely. I am returning it tomorrow. The best price I can find online including the local chain, is Amazon is the 24 quarts for $28CAD. I'm going to return the orchid mix tomorrow and go to the garden centre to look at their bark. They have bags of 57 litres (60 quarts) for $13. Based on the pictures online, I might be able to get away with buying the shredded and separate the various sizes by screening it. I might have to buy the small as well. Once, I got rid of the compost, I was left with just inorganic matter. I know some people grow that alone, but they need to rely more on inorganic fertilizers. I add both beneficial bacteria and fungi to my soil. I know the mycorrhizal fungi will break down the rock into usable nutrients for the plants, but I want some nutrients easier to access. The bacteria prefer to live in organic medium. We don't have the worry of the bark breaking down terribly fast, our average high for July and August are 20c (68f). If we have temperatures around 25c (75f) for any extended period of time, there will be a heat advisory. I don't know of anyone with central air. It rarely Rains in summer. In winter, the south island only get 1/3 of precipitation Seattle and Vancouver both get in the winter. Due to the wet air we do have in winter, most tender succulents are either put in unheated greenhouse or brought inside under lights. The best professional grower I know, one of the best in the province grows in mostly ground bark, shredded bark and pumice. Below are the two sizes I use. The large pumice, perlite & bark are what I use for Agave and similar. I use the smaller for most of succulents. I do have to put a little bit of the large to block it all from coming out of the bottom. I use to use the black lava only as a top dressing. When I did test it as a part of the growing medium the plants were much happier. I can grow succulents in many types of soil. I can grow them very well in peat, but the type of medium is not for me. It is for when new staff at the garden centre are given a hose to water the plants. Or for the first time succulent grower. I am growing the plants for them. Our plants are a part of the larger business, Garden Coach Solutions. We strive for everyone to 'Garden with Confidence.' Anyone that purchases one of our plants at a garden centre receives a lifetime garden coach for their plant through emails including pictures. We are also developing some soils to sell either at the store or direct. Until then the best options at the local garden centres are in the Orchid section of the stores. You can buy small bags of various size bark, lava rock, pumice, & perlite. Epiphytes need very well drained soil. They get their moisture in the air. The plants themselves often sit on the tree, while the roots dangle down. If the plant is not sits in water it will rot. I believe this the reason their are both ground cactus from dry regions and epiphytes cactus are able to grow in wet humid environments. Smaller Mix larger mix Side by Side .

The two are not very compatible. If its not deep shade, you can use a Bermuda type that has some shade tolerance. 'Blackjack' is such a variety.

I'm a total amateur with succulents in the ground. When we moved into this house 4 years ago, we wanted to do something different than the lawn/boxwood that everyone in this fancy schmancy neighborhood has! We had to be a bit careful as it is an historical neighborhood, so we started with our hellstrip. We went to the local landscape materials place and told them we wanted to plant succulents. They gave us a 1/2&1/2 mix of soil and sand. It's been great! We've had many compliments from the neighbors, so we added an island in the middle of the lawn using the same 1/2 71/2 mix (also had the lawn guy adjust the sprinklers so they don't hit that area) Many more compliments! We're hoping to eventually be sprinkler free and teach our lawn guy more about lawn free yards! And learn more ourselves as we are in yet another drought here in California!