Ideal substrate for Mexican Pinguicula and their hybrids

[Rodrigo]

Hello friends CPUK, I am with a question and I need your help to to solve it; come, for a while, i specialize in growing Pinguicla Mexican and its hybrids, but i use sphagnum moss + sand to cultivate them.

I have obtained good results with this mix, but i fear that excess moisture will hinder their development in the long term and so would like to know what you use as a substrate for this type of CP and where to find the materials needed to prepare the same?

If you can help me i will be grateful.

Best regards,

Rodrigo

[kisscool_38]

I'm using a mix of cat litter and sand.

[Dave Evans]

Hello Rodrigo, do you have access to vermiculite? This makes a very good mix when blended with sphagnum moss and other components.

[Richard Bunn]

I've heard the cat litter thing before. Does it have to be a certain type? Or are there types to avoid?

[Ruben Resendiz]

Hi Rodrigo

I use 1 part of each with particles smaller than 5 mm

-Pumice rock

-Lava rock

-Perlite

-Peat moss

-Silica Sand

-small amount of Clay or mud

If you have it you can use Vemiculite and for the gypsum species you can use some dolomite.

I read in my FB group some use a bit of iron oxide

Best Regards

Edited June 13, 2013 by Ruben Resendiz

[Rodrigo]

Aymeric - Does this "cat litter" would be this:

Dave - I bought vermiculite to form the substrate of my CPs, but never used it. The reason was that advised me not to use it due to the fact that it release of toxic substances into the long term plans. I tried find something about this subject, but never found anything that discredit their use. True or not, in Brazil, i know no one's hobby uses this mineral.

Richard - If the sand is equal to that of the photo above, I believe that one should avoid those that are fragrant.

Ruben - A pumice stone is a good thing, but around here (Brazil) and it is hard to find when it is, this mixed with cement . Lava rock is also rare, nonexistent here. Peat is out of the question too, because here this substrate is only sold fertilized.

The other substrates i can manage without problems.

Best regards,

Rodrigo

Sources:

http://prmomambassad...w-and-giveaway/

Edited June 13, 2013 by Rodrigo

[Richard Bunn]

Rodrigo, vermiculite is totally fine to use with Pings. It's just other CP genera that hate it. I posted a topic here about pumice and stuff for pings a few weeks ago. See here http://www.cpukforum.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=49526&hl=pumice. I'd go with what Gardenofeden said as he knows his stuff well. If you can't get peat can you get coco peat? I reckon you would get away with a grit, perlite, vermiculite and cat litter mix without a problem.

[Rodrigo]

Richard, thank you for pointing out the link to your topic. The information contained therein is of great value to me.

Note:

1) I've been doing some research and found the following substrate:

It is gravel cichlid fishes, found in aquarium shops, but the question is, is that it can be used to compose the substrate Pinguicula?

2) In addition to the sand, vermiculite and perlite, have the ease of finding dolomite, aragonite, cinasite (expanded clay), bentonite and laterite. These last five minerals could also be employed, or is there any restriction on its use?

Best regards,

Rodrigo

Source:

http://www.mundosubmerso.com.br/detalhes.asp?id_produto=1029

[gardenofeden]

Coco peat, perlite, grit. From the variety of recipes above you will note that mex pings are not fussy! I have even used normal (fertilised) houseplant compost mixed with perlite.

[19Silverman93]

for my cyclosecta's (only mexican pings I have at the mo) I've gone a little bit off piste as it were. big lumps of limestone in the base of the pot to help with drainage and limestone grit mixed with perlite and peat for the rest. so far so good...

Edited June 14, 2013 by 19Silverman93

[kisscool_38]

I've heard the cat litter thing before. Does it have to be a certain type? Or are there types to avoid?

You have to take care that it doesn't contain any perfume or adjuvant. Then, the shippest cat litter you find is quite always the best to use.

Aymeric - Does this "cat litter" would be this:

"100 % natural" sounds good (just check the ingredients considering what I've said just up there). "110% performance" just sounds exceptional

[Gaz]

Hi Rodrigo, I think the cat litter needs to be the non-clumping type not clumping as shown in the picture.

I used the World of Pinguicula site as a starting point and currently use:

• Coir (2),
  
• Sand (2),
  
• Perlite, seed grade (i.e. fine) (1),
  
• Vermiculite, fine (1),
  
• Calcerous clay (alternative = cat litter) (1.5),
  
• Pumice (1.5) large lumps removed
  

To this I add some dolomitic lime additive and for some such as P. gypsicola some crushed gypsum. As Stephen says they don't seem too fussy so some of these ingredients could be left out without doing any harm.

[Rodrigo]

Stephen - Your comments are very welcome. I confess that you are not the first who tells me that this genus carnivore can live in a substrate with some fertilizer.

19Silverman93 - The use of limestone is something that needs to be reconsidered by the mere fact of having an easier time getting the dolomite. As this mineral has lime in its composition, i believe it to be an excellent substitute. In any case, thanks for the tip.

Aymeric - The cat litter is not bought this photo i posted, my own clay in its composition. The image above is illustrative only, because he needed to know if estaamos talking about the same sand. Anyway the product you have here is not fragrant, so i believe that it can be used to form the substrate of my Pinguicula.

Gaz - Except the pumice, the other ingredients to make the ideal substrate for Mexican Pings and their hybrids, i'm easy to find here. Thanks for helping.

Best regards,

Rodrigo

[mobile]

I've heard the cat litter thing before. Does it have to be a certain type? Or are there types to avoid?

In the UK, either Tescos Low Dust Lightweight Cat Litter or Sophisticat Pink (available from Pets at Home) - both are a sort of pink/orange colour and I find that the Tesco one has smaller particle sizes. Make sure that it is specifically this type, as both stores stock other similar, but not suitable, types. Bonsai growers use both as an alternative to Akadama.

Sophisticat Pink on left, Tesco Low Dust Lightweight on right:

Personally I use multipurpose compost, with added John Innes for my few Mexican Pings.

[fly guy]

Well, I used to use mix which consists of: pumice, lava rock, perlite, silica sand, vermiculite and Seramis. Sometimes I addded diatomite, but it didn't look it helps my pigs to grow better.

I experimented a bit and I find out, that some of my Mexican Pings grow better in pure living LFS.

The problem with the mix without peat or LFS is that it can dry very fast in sunny days. As the Mexican pings can grow in dry conditions, it seems to me that they prefer to have constant access to humid (not wet) substrate.

[Rodrigo]

Friends, this is something that confused me leaving this story; after all what is this Lava Rock that everybody says, because never before heard about this mineral ?

Best regards,

Rodrigo

[fischermans]

Aymeric - Does this "cat litter" would be this:

Hello Rodrigo

I think you better take a non clumping cat litter.

Alexander

Edited June 16, 2013 by fischermans

[Rodrigo]

Alexander, thank you for the warning. I believe that I can not use cat litter that I bought because it is composed of bentonite and this mineral tends to agglutinate. Now as the question about the Lava Rock, to scour the web I came to this:

And then friends, I can use this basalt gravel?

Source:

http://www.minasit.com.br/?portfolio=granitina-basalto

[Gaz]

It might be worth enquiring whether this basalt gravel is going to affect the ph of your mix in any way. My understanding is that Pings prefer (or at at least can tolerate) a higher ph than many other CPs.

[Rodrigo]

Gaz, this mineral is described as being inert, ie it does not alter the pH where the substrate is added. The same is relatively common in aquarium shops in the country where I reside.

It is for this reason that I believe that the basalt gravel can be used instead of Lava Rock, because he is a type of volcanic rock.

Best regards,

Rodrigo

[Gaz]

Rodrigo, yes it does sound like it should be OK then, I guess the particle sizes should be fairly small (it didn't give this information when I used the online translator). Good luck with your mix (and your plants).

[jimscott]

I use Aquatic Plant Soil.

[mobile]

Rodrigo, I believe that these might be the cat litters available in Brazil: http://www.solminera.../presentac1.htm

Here's a direct link to some information on the product: http://www.solminera...iter/caract.htm

I have read that the brands used for bonsai are Absorsol and Tidy Cat. Unfortunately I'm not sure which one of the Absorsol ones it is - as there are several pictured in the first link.

I use Aquatic Plant Soil.

Jim, I presume this is the clay type? I guess prices in the USA are reasonable, but last I checked here it was ~£35 for 9 litres, plus postage.

[Rodrigo]

Gaz - This basalt gravel that i intend to use to replace the Lava Rock is sold in different particle sizes. To me it is just choose the one whose size is compatible with the substrate that intend to create.

Jim and Mobile - I think I indicated that this product is zeolite. I sought information about it and found that it is used by aquarists as a remover of ammonia and other toxic water. Even some cat litter are made of this mineral that, unlike bentonite, does not agglutinate.

Best regards,

Rodrigo

[jimscott]

The popular brand is Schultz APS. I picked up a bag, whose brand name I have forgotten, from a local greenhouse. It is definitely clayey. I'm not sure that it is any better or worse than the combinations I have used, such as perlite / egg shells / crushed coral.