planetcactus
Crushed Limestone 1/8-1/4 1kg
Crushed Limestone 1/8-1/4 1kg
Regular price
$5.00 CAD
Regular price
$6.00 CAD
Sale price
$5.00 CAD
Unit price
per
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Containing limestone!
Cactus plants that require a compost containing limestone
Limestone a requirement or a poison ?
Many cacti and succulents grow exclusively in limestone areas, often within the cracks in the rocks themselves. Some, such as Aztecium and Geohintonia, take this to an extreme, apparently growing in a decomposing limestone or gypsum soil exclusively. What is not clear is whether they "require" this in order to flourish or are just better able to tolerate the conditions than other species, such that in their native habitat they survive where others perish. What does appear to be clear in greenhouse cultivation is that many cacti do not do well in acidic composts and do appear to benefit from some added limestone in the compost (limestone, NOT lime).
To this end, adding some granular limestone or limestone chips (3-5mm) to your compost and avoiding peat-based composts for some species, is generally accepted to be of benefit.
Cactus plants that require a compost containing limestone
Limestone a requirement or a poison ?
Many cacti and succulents grow exclusively in limestone areas, often within the cracks in the rocks themselves. Some, such as Aztecium and Geohintonia, take this to an extreme, apparently growing in a decomposing limestone or gypsum soil exclusively. What is not clear is whether they "require" this in order to flourish or are just better able to tolerate the conditions than other species, such that in their native habitat they survive where others perish. What does appear to be clear in greenhouse cultivation is that many cacti do not do well in acidic composts and do appear to benefit from some added limestone in the compost (limestone, NOT lime).
To this end, adding some granular limestone or limestone chips (3-5mm) to your compost and avoiding peat-based composts for some species, is generally accepted to be of benefit.
