At 20:13 20-07-2005, Alberto Castillo wrote: >"You will get a million different answers to that question. A friend of mine >in Ireland told me last year to use compost, so that is what I have used the >past year, and it works fine. This is compost made in the summer of 2003 >(last year) or 2004 (now). >> >>Carol" > >Hi Carol and Doug: > People is usually cooperative and well intentioned >and eager to share what they find gives them good results. But, anything >with a very high content of organic matter does necessarily not remain >stable for long, including coir, bark, peat, compost, or leafmould. As >bacteriae act on them, they gradually turn into dust that retain dangerously >increasing amounts of water and ultimately becoming a sponge. Watering must >be very cautious with such materials. It is also common that people forget >to mention how the use of such materials turns out after a season of growth. >Regards >Alberto I might add, that both my Irish friend and I are amateurs and don't have to grow to sell! However, the method does work indoors. I add compost on top and/or repot after hibernation. My garden soil (sans compost) is dust - it is very nutrious clay silt left over from a few glaciers around 8000 B.C. Farther inland you get gravel pits, farther still you find large rocks. Anyway, I tend to underwater my hippeastrum. Carol