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Buying Granular Potting Media: Check More Than the Name

A potting ingredient needs more than a familiar name. A bag labelled akadama, kanuma or granular peat does not establish whether that particular grade suits your plant or container.

Check particle size, condition and the intended use. Fine dust, large pieces and a mixed grade can behave differently in the same pot. A recipe that omits the grade is missing useful information.

Decide what the mix needs to do

Think about moisture retention, drainage and stability, then choose ingredients for that job. Copying a list of fashionable materials without understanding their proportions can produce a mix quite unlike the one you meant to recreate.

Record the product and grade when you make a batch. If the pot later stays wet or dries unexpectedly, that record gives you something specific to review.

Test a small quantity before repotting an entire collection. Watch how water enters and drains from a pot of the actual mix. The name on the bag is a starting point; the behaviour of the mix in your container is the practical evidence you need.

Related reading: Akadama, Kanuma and Granular Peat: Potting Media Compared.