Aha, finally a question I can answer! (I'm new here but I've read just about every post on potting mix I could find.) Head on over to the "Container" forum and read the series of posts about this very topic from a very knowledgeable poster named Al/Tapla and the many many many other people who have had success with his potting mixes. There are also other folks who use different mixes, but there's definitely concensus about the idea of creating a fast draining but well aerated mix for containers to grow successfully long term. The key thing I've learned about potted citrus is they don't like soggy roots. Basic potting mixes have too much organic material and that not only stays wet too long, but it breaks down and collapses quickly, accelerating root rot and the poor nutrient uptake. When I got here a couple weeks ago, the idea of "home brewing" my own potting mix sounded so revolutionary and a bit crazy, and now, I'm a convert. I do a slight variation of the mix Al recommends, because I want to grow using a bit more organic material than he uses. You might also want to read his fertilizer posts... all very helpful. Good luck with your citrus! Here is a link that might be useful: Al's Container Potting Mix Post

> Soils for containers should drain 2 to 3 times faster than native soils. > Soils must drain quickly, but still retain a reservoir of water. > Commercial bonsai soil mixes are available and for the beginner with just a tree or two, this may be the easiest way to go. > If you wish to mix your own, keep in mind that good bonsai soil needs basically three elements: *Organic matter to supply nutrients, such as peat moss, or composted pine bark with all of the big chunks removed and the dust sifted out. *Inorganic filler such as coarse sand (swimming pool filter sand), chicken grit, turface, perlite or small, uncoated aquarium gravel. *Water holding material, such as compost, peat moss, untreated kitty litter, crushed brick or vermiculite. > Many enthusiasts incorporate a time release fertilizer, such as Osmocote, into their mix. > Preparing your own soil doesn't have to be complicated, and a basic soil recipe like 50 percent crushed granite or kitty litter or turface or pumice and 50 percent sifted pine bark mulch is easy enough to put together. > A slightly more advanced mix would be organic matter, inorganic filler and water retentive material in equal parts by volume. This mix would suffice for most conifers. > Custom mixes can be made by varying any of the basic elements. Many bonsai growers have their own special formula. One part of the mix given in #7 with one part of a good, commercial potting soil is good for all broad leafed trees and most tropicals.

Hot Lips has wintered over very well for the last three years in my Shoreline garden. As for soil, large pieces in the mix. In the spring and summer don't water unless soil is really dry - about half way down the pot. Fast drainage is the key - even more important than full day sun. Fortunately, the plant is not very expensive so if it does freeze buy a new one in the spring. You can grow lots of different salvias if you consider them annuals. The hummers will thank you and give you hours of joy watching them. You could also try Grevilleas and fuschias.

There is a 'threshold' based on size that in large part determines how much change you can expect in soil porosity, which is as essential as moisture retention. Imagine a 2L flask half filled with peat, and a 1L flask filled with 20mm BBs. In your minds eye, you can see all the wonderful air spaces between the BBs. Not so much between the peat particles. If you thoroughly mix the BBs into the peat, what do you see? You see ALL the air spaces between the BBs completely filled with peat and the o/a air porosity per given volume diminished significantly. It's only when the volume of BBs is so large there is not enough peat to fill all the large spaces between the BBs that we see any notable gains in air porosity. The images below of the 2 types of media I grow in embody consideration of that 'threshold' concept to reduce water held between soil particles. If we were theorizing what a perfect container media might be, it's difficult to argue against the idea that physically, the soil would hold all of it's water inside and on the surface of soil particles, and at the interface where soil particles contact other particles, leaving the macropores between soil particles full of air, even at container capacity (a measure of the amount of water a soil holds when it has been fully saturated and passive drainage (caused by gravity) has just concluded). The only way to achieve this, or even come close, is to start with a large fraction of coarse material like pine bark or any of several inert ingredients and be cautios about the volume of fine material you include in the medium. Al