Jan, There’s this brand of raised bed container mix that is soilless but has guano, manure, peat, and junk mixed in. That’s my base. I do about 1/2 that and then the remaining half-ish I do a cactus soil mix (gravel, sand, etc) and pumice. It dries out pretty fast so I then added a top dressing of river pebbles to maintain humidity in the soil. I use this mix for seedlings but with substantially more pumice and perlite than the other mediums. I’m new to growing bulbs from seed, but I’ve already had a few seedlings pop up so I’m feeling pretty good about it. I have to water the seedling pots regularly. For summer growing bulbs, tubers, cacti, and aloes, I add more pumice and/or perlite and/or cactus soil to the mix and add the top dressing to that as well. I’m growing Paramongaia, Rauhia, Aloe, Sinningia, Stenomesson indoors, in that amended mix and they seem happy. Although, my Griffinia and Caliphuria are struggling a little bit. As for summer growing bulb/tuber seeds, I use takeout trays full of 90% perlite 10% pumice. I cover them and put them in the sun in my south facing window. If it’s not sunny, I add a heat mat. Once they’re big enough, I remove the heat mat (if I’m using one) and then slowly open the top of the container. Grow that point on I pretty much pour water into the takeout container because it evaporates and/or is sucked up by the roots relatively quickly. I had nearly 100% germination rate with this method for 4 month old Phaedranassa carmiolii seeds. Same success rate with Sinningia. I just have to add food once in a while. Hope that helps! Dan On Sat, Oct 9, 2021 at 14:29 Jan Jeddeloh via pbs < pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > Do tell about your fast draining aerated mix. Commercial on hand mixed. > Do you use it for seedlings too? > > I’m always on the look out for a better idea. > > Jan Jeddeloh > > > On Oct 9, 2021, at 1:50 PM, Dan Pogust via pbs < > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > > Hi Cody, > > > > I’m in Portland, OR and I’ve seen personally where Olsynium douglasii > grows > > and I also know a handful of people who grow them as well. I used to have > > one but I was very cautious with my winter watering regimen my first > couple > > years growing bulbs and I lost a handful of things including (I think) > the > > O. douglasii. As an East Coast transplant, it feels a little wrong to > water > > something in the winter haha. > > > > I also grow Lewisia rediviva which grows naturally amongst O. douglasii > in > > the gorge in some locations. I have found that if I didn’t water > > extensively during the winter, my Lewisia would have tiny flowers that > > lasted a day or so. My bulbs and rhizomes usually didn’t pop up until > > December/January and then May/June/July dormancy was right around the > > corner. > > > > I’ve since realized that I need to begin watering as soon as the weather > > turns. As soon as the days are in the 70s, I water things. If we get a > day > > where it’s over 82, I skip watering and mist everything to cool down the > > soil + pots. I now water almost every sunny/partly cloudy day with a > > watering can (for even distribution) and things do amazingly including > that > > Lewisia. > > > > So whether or not my Olsynium douglasii made it through dormant and > > unlabeled, I like to think that my Lewisia (very drought tolerant) may be > > that Canary in the Coal Mine to tell me that the changes I’ve made since > > have been good. > > > > TL;DR: I water when we /should/ be getting rain which is in later > > September/early October /and/or when the weather turns and that is the > > ideal time to begin watering in the PNW. > > > > I also use a very fast draining, aerated mix that I discovered randomly > > over the years. I would adjust the frequency of watering for your own > > needs. Start date should be the same for you if not maybe a little > earlier. > > > > I know some others in the PNW have not started watering as much as I > have, > > but I have excessive, baking southern exposure that dries things out like > > crazy. > > > > Hope this helps! Good luck! > > Dan > > Inner Portland, Oregon, 2.5 miles from the Willamette > > > > On Sat, Oct 9, 2021 at 13:31 Cody H via pbs < > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> wrote: > > > >> Hello bulb experts, > >> > >> I acquired a few forms of Olsynium dousglasii this spring, all > originally > >> from the Columbia gorge region. They went dormant in late June, and I > kept > >> them in the shade and most mostly dry for the rest of the summer, with > just > >> a very occasional splash of water—same treatment I use for my > >> summer-dormant Tropaeolums. The Tropaeolums are already showing signs of > >> life. The Olsyniums look healthy (small buds atop little clusters of > >> healthy looking roots), but I don’t expect them to break dormancy until > >> late winter. > >> > >> My question is: do any of you grow Olsynium douglasii in pots? What do > you > >> do with the plants over the winter? The Columbia gorge is wettest in the > >> winter, but I hesitate to let them get too wet in their pots while > they’re > >> dormant. I have lost things in the past though from desiccation during > >> dormancy as well. Curious what works (or didn’t work) for others? > >> > >> Thanks in advance for your advice! > >> > >> Cody > >> Rather moist maritime-premontane zone 8a-ish > >> Western Washington at the foothills of the cascades > >> _______________________________________________ > >> pbs mailing list > >> pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > >> http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > >> Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > >> > > _______________________________________________ > > pbs mailing list > > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > > _______________________________________________ > pbs mailing list > pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net > http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… > Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net> > _______________________________________________ pbs mailing list pbs@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net http://lists.pacificbulbsociety.net/cgi-bin/… Unsubscribe: <mailto:pbs-unsubscribe@lists.pacificbulbsociety.net>