What is the best potting mix to use for plant propagation and potting on?
There are probably as many different potting mixes as there are propagators. With experience, most propagators develop their own variations to suit the conditions that they have available. For seed raising and for striking cuttings it’s hard to go past the often recommended sand-peat moss mix in the ratio of about 7:3 as a starting point. These days many growers are turning to the artificial peat mosses which are becoming available and which are made from such waste products as coconut fibre. Experience so far indicates that the artificial products are capable of excellent results. The sand used should be clean and should have a high proportion of grains in the 1 to 3 mm range. Once the seeds have germinated and the cuttings struck, the time will come for transplanting the small seedlings or cuttings into larger pots. For potting on, the mix should be of open texture so that it will drain freely. Potting mixes that have been used successfully include a coarse river sand/coco peat moss
