I totally agree with you.Richard is showing his humour now that he has gotten used to talking too a camera( and eventually us). Cant imagine this is easy.
Hi. Billie fromUS. You are the best teacher. You have taught me so much. I have turned my dinning room into a room full of plants. Thank you for being you. Take care of yourself.😇😀
The common Tillandsia I see here in the Netherlands are pretty boring imo, but if you check a video with a Thai grower for example... all sorts of interesting species :)
My local garden centre has a rack of bitty plants - they may get pretty big eventually, but that's likely years away. Bonus: they're cheap! (Recently raised prices to 🇨🇦$5 - still a great deal.)
For plants where no substitute can be found, keeping them in smaller pots by cutting roots as demonstrated on this channel could be the only real option. I am solving my issue by hanging some plants from the ceiling at differing heights, but I get that is not a solution for everyone and every plant. I get the struggle:)
I live in Texas and made the mistake of planting the Purple Heart - tradescantia - outside. I spend all summer trying to weed it out. Unless you want a sea of purple forever, never let it out of the pot! Love your channel and your sense of humor! Well done!
Most of the soil breaks down into more sandy soil and is ran off whenever you water the pot. This can be seen if you place a plate underneath the pot for the duration of its life
You know how every time you water, a bit of soil comes out? And every now and then you add some soil to the top because the roots are showing in places? That's what happens! You lose a tiny bit every time you water, and eventually the bottom is all roots. I learned that from Planterina 😊
I love watching your videos....I can be in the middle of something and my notification will pop up for your video and I stop right then to watch... you're awesome and hilarious 😂😂😂...
I've wondered where the soil goes, too. I assume it decomposes and the decomposed matter gets washed out bit by bit when we water. Since you bottom water and I don't, it would be interesting to see if the soil "disappears" more quickly in my plants than yours, since my plants get watered until water drains out, then set aside to finish draining. I bet there are a lot of soil bits in my wastewater! Lol.
HAHA the orchid pot part!!! TOO funny! you crack me up AND educate me everytime! SO entertaining. I used to think about getting orchid pots until I saw those prices haha
Absolutely agree that it's not essential to repot a plant once the roots begin to poke out of the drainage hole. Also, it's nice to see that you're a convert to Sybasoil as well. I've been using his stuff for over a year and the plants have loved it
I have tradescantias from random cuttings. Most of mine are purple hearts. Want to be a fan but, yes, they get long and leggy and break off and just are not worth it. Originally, I put them in hanging pots with my spider plants for a nice colour mix but I've given up and I stopped planting them. Every time one breaks off I stick it in with its siblings in a big glass pickle jar full of water hanging on the railing of my balcony. They seem very happy. Sometimes I even remember to water them. 🤭Save your sanity with the pots and soil.
Purple hearts love full sun in 110°f. I used to live in Arizona and I just threw them outside. They exploded with the sun and heat. Even now in the midwest in my apartment I give them 6 hours of direct sun in the window and they have been growing and blooming nonstop. I'm probably sticking them in a heated terrarium over winter to keep them happy.
I recently sniffed my Alocasia Portadoras roots, it's in Leca, and they smelled like fresh corn husks/ freshly shucked corn. I was very confused. And to those who can afford Orchid pots, I'm jealous, sitting here with my yoghurt cups xD
I confess. I watch you for your comedic narration. I have a black, very black thumb so at this point it's all about your wit. This here is one of your best. With my dry sense of humor I actually LOL more than once. That's impressive.
Great video, thanks! I was just making toast when you cut the rootball with a bread knife..😂😂😂 Can you do a video on what plant would look best in what pot? I’ve got a gorgeous new pot and trying to choose what plant would look best in it. Next time you get a new fab pot or wall hanging let us in on the fun of voting for our favourite?
I think Tradescantias are on the verge of winter hardiness in the South of Britain. When I lived in Essex, a long time ago, I planted my Tradescantia in the garden for the summer, forgot about it, and found new growths the following spring. I have heard that a banana has developed actual bananas in Hackney this year, so we might be surprised by what some of our little house guests are capable of in the near future.
Great video Richard, you had me hooting with laughter - honestly!😂annd btw the water conditioner hack you gave us a little while ago has made a great difference. I made a small piercing with a knife, did a small twist of the handle, so that the stress coat comes out in droplets. 1 or 2 drops max in the watering can and job done ✔️ 👌🏾
Tradescantia need a few hours of full sun. Direct sun. I've been rehabbing quite a few for friends. The only difference is I stick them in the window where they get a few hours of direct sun every day.
a purple + green Tradescantia was my very first plant gifted to me (Zebrina?). I thought mine was just ugly with tons of crispy brown leaves/ bare leaves bc I was a terrible, uninformed, neglectful plant parent who went between never watering + over watering while also leaving her in 4-6hrs of daily direct sunlight lol. Turns out I was a pretty terrible plant parent to her, but they still tend to act badly even with perfect care! Your dislike of them has started rubbing off on me lol. They're somehow so low + high maintenance all at once I don't get it! congrats on 200k woooo hooo!!!!
I’ve had a plant collection since green mid 1970’s. I used to think the soil “disappeared” too. In reality the majority of the roots grow around in circles inside the pot. This compresses the soil inside the root “cage” that forms. 🪴❤️
Anyone who is familiar with this tradescantia, I have a question. Mine was a deep purple when I got clippinging and got it rooted. It has grown magnificently and is very healthy but it's lost all its purple! I do sort of like it actually, it's almost a bright lime color and has a beautiful velvety, sparkly sheen on top of the leaves but now I'm just curious....I thought maybe it was light but I keep it directly under a plant light. Then I thought maybe heat, but the place in my house is usually around 85 Fahrenheit...how much heat does it really need? Lol. Also, great job with the video. I love the humor, the info, and the audience you have cultivated in general. I watch your videos just as much for entertainment as I do education.
One of the reasons soil seems to disappear into thin air is, well, exactly that - the organic portion of a soil mix is broken down by soil microorganisms, which convert cellulose, lignin, and other components into CO2 during their respiration.
I just repotted and root pruned my two magnificent philodendron Xanadus because I saw big roots and PANICKED. Now the gorgeous green leaves have all turned yellow 🤪🤪🤪 they were so happy I should have left them
You can actually get temperatures stable above 12 deg C in an igloo if you live in it. The plants may start complaining about a lack of light though...
I use a chunky aroid mix I make including some bark, coco coir, perlite, ect. And I almost never worry about overwatering. I also use moss poles so I’m sure that’s another reason I don’t get overwatering problem. Well not entirely; I do have an alocasia black velvet that got overwatering and now it just looks horrible.
I've often found succulent type plants I much prefer to be root bound so long as I use a weak liquid fertilizer occasionally(I use an orchid liquid fert). I think its actually way worse to put plants in oversized pots with a potting mix composition which doesn't drain extermely well. You're always setting yourself up for root rot in those sort of situations.
I have stopped replanting to larger pots when I get a new plant, I have killed many a plant doing that or my plants don’t prosper. I am also using a water meter on my bigger plants , I can tell when the soil is screaming for water on my little pots 😂
I am so on the point you can do a repot anytime bc i did this last winter 😂. Only a defanbachia sufered bc i repoted to many times. But they hate me this plant 😅. I have a few plants wich toke some time to manage but this plant ah....
I very much enjoy your fun videos :-D "The roots eat the substrate" - exactly, where else does it go? With some plants I feel like they are forcing me to repot them by growing like weeds... when I refuse to do it again (2nd time a year), they push out the top layer of the substrate out of the pot and push to all directions like a rocket getting ready to fly out :-D So then they get repotted again :-D My personal record holder is stromanthe triostar, which forced me into 3 repots a year (since then I´m scared to take her out of the pot because she spreads and doesn´t fit back in :-D ). She grows so fast that it makes me worried that she will take over the whole space 😀
Now, I'm pretty sure that you know where the soil goes! It goes on your floor wherever you have your pot sitting! The plant roots push it out of the top and out of the bottom drainage holes.
This is what I’ve got www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-Art-DuraClear-Polyurethane-Varnish/dp/B002VPKTQC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=241B18S6V05SE&keywords=terracotta+glaze&qid=1694067808&sprefix=terracotta+glaze%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1
That weird thing is a bloom lol it usually opens up but doesn’t look like a normal flower just some weird fluorescence thingy (I think that’s what it’s called?) my alocasias put out several and I just left them till they died.
Hallo, schöne und wichtige Informationen, kann ich bitte beschneiden die monstera wurzeln auch?? Weil ich habe es gemacht letzte Woche..Danke dir im voraus . Vielen Gruß
My heart shape Philodendron lemon lime now has overgrown the seven foot bamboo, having come on a two foot moss pole about 4 months ago. Similar story with the Philodendron Brasil. I'm pretty happy as I don't want the plants to grow beyond my ability to care for them well. So now I'll be chopping and sharing with friends. Propagation is not feasible as I already have far too many plants.
@@SheffieldMadePlants not at all, as a bog species, they just need sun, peat moss and distilled/rain/RO water. They can get from the size of a button to a small melon depending on the species, but the smaller ones look more like succulents, and you never need to fertilize them as that's what the bugs do.
Hi, can anyone tell me if the snake plants get sunburnt after keeping in the sun for 2 hours and appear droopy? If yes, can I revive it or how can I save the plant from dying because only 3 leaves are sunburnt
Become a better plant parent 👉 sheffieldmadeplantsacademy.com
You've graduated from delivering plant advice to delivering plant advice with humor! The two best things, laughing and plants ❤ thanks plant guy 😊
Wow, thank you!
I totally agree with you.Richard is showing his humour now that he has gotten used to talking too a camera( and eventually us). Cant imagine this is easy.
Hi. Billie fromUS. You are the best teacher. You have taught me so much. I have turned my dinning room into a room full of plants. Thank you for being you. Take care of yourself.😇😀
Great job! Thank you 😊
Video Idea: Smaller alternatives to the giant plants for those who live in small spaces.
I can't recommend air plants enough. I've been asking him to get some and take us on the journey for several months now.
The common Tillandsia I see here in the Netherlands are pretty boring imo, but if you check a video with a Thai grower for example... all sorts of interesting species :)
My local garden centre has a rack of bitty plants - they may get pretty big eventually, but that's likely years away. Bonus: they're cheap! (Recently raised prices to 🇨🇦$5 - still a great deal.)
For plants where no substitute can be found, keeping them in smaller pots by cutting roots as demonstrated on this channel could be the only real option. I am solving my issue by hanging some plants from the ceiling at differing heights, but I get that is not a solution for everyone and every plant. I get the struggle:)
Yeesss, I have a few small spaces that I'd like to fill with some small plants that will stay small
I live in Texas and made the mistake of planting the Purple Heart - tradescantia - outside. I spend all summer trying to weed it out. Unless you want a sea of purple forever, never let it out of the pot! Love your channel and your sense of humor! Well done!
Same in Georgia.
Oh no! Thanks for watching 😁
Happens in Phoenix as well. They love it here.
Richard I have never chuckled from a video more than this one. Loving your laid back and humorous style.
Have you ever had a purple passion plant?
Thanks! I’ve not had that one. Looks a bit weird to me to be honest
Thanks for the good humour and useful videos 😊
You bet!
I too have always thought: where does the dang soil go???
Most of the soil breaks down into more sandy soil and is ran off whenever you water the pot. This can be seen if you place a plate underneath the pot for the duration of its life
You know how every time you water, a bit of soil comes out? And every now and then you add some soil to the top because the roots are showing in places? That's what happens! You lose a tiny bit every time you water, and eventually the bottom is all roots. I learned that from Planterina 😊
Mind blown 🤯
Your videos are so amazing! Educational while being charming and funny
Thank you 😊
I love watching your videos....I can be in the middle of something and my notification will pop up for your video and I stop right then to watch... you're awesome and hilarious 😂😂😂...
You're the best!
You seem to be having more fun creating, editing, and splicing you plant videos. Very entertaining indeed! I love it!
Thank you very much!
Thank you Richard, for another fantastic plant vid. Always enjoyable and informative 😁 Love your sense of humour! 😄
Thank you kindly 😁
i repotted my ficus moclame and about 2 weeks later the roots were going on an adventure again!
love the plant, its growing so quickly :)
Nice plant. Never had that one
I've wondered where the soil goes, too. I assume it decomposes and the decomposed matter gets washed out bit by bit when we water. Since you bottom water and I don't, it would be interesting to see if the soil "disappears" more quickly in my plants than yours, since my plants get watered until water drains out, then set aside to finish draining. I bet there are a lot of soil bits in my wastewater! Lol.
Would be interesting to see!
HAHA the orchid pot part!!! TOO funny! you crack me up AND educate me everytime! SO entertaining. I used to think about getting orchid pots until I saw those prices haha
Love it thank you
Absolutely agree that it's not essential to repot a plant once the roots begin to poke out of the drainage hole. Also, it's nice to see that you're a convert to Sybasoil as well. I've been using his stuff for over a year and the plants have loved it
Ah nice one!
I have tradescantias from random cuttings. Most of mine are purple hearts. Want to be a fan but, yes, they get long and leggy and break off and just are not worth it. Originally, I put them in hanging pots with my spider plants for a nice colour mix but I've given up and I stopped planting them. Every time one breaks off I stick it in with its siblings in a big glass pickle jar full of water hanging on the railing of my balcony. They seem very happy. Sometimes I even remember to water them. 🤭Save your sanity with the pots and soil.
Purple hearts love full sun in 110°f. I used to live in Arizona and I just threw them outside. They exploded with the sun and heat. Even now in the midwest in my apartment I give them 6 hours of direct sun in the window and they have been growing and blooming nonstop. I'm probably sticking them in a heated terrarium over winter to keep them happy.
@@evamei9030 perfect! That is what most of mine get. Thanks for the reassurance!
Like it!
I’m sick with the dreaded Covid. This video made me actually laugh out loud. Very good medicine, thank you sir.
Thanks for watching 😁 Hope you get better soon
Your tip for using water conditioner was priceless information. All of my plants are so happy now. Thank you!
That stress coat really do work it's crazy actually
Legend! Thank you 😊
I recently sniffed my Alocasia Portadoras roots, it's in Leca, and they smelled like fresh corn husks/ freshly shucked corn. I was very confused. And to those who can afford Orchid pots, I'm jealous, sitting here with my yoghurt cups xD
Is that a good or bad smell?
@@SheffieldMadePlants I think it's good. Reminds me of when I used to just take corn directly from a field as a kid.
Help a brother out! You're hilarious. I love watching your plant vids. I've learned so much as a new Plant Parent. Thx!
Thanks!
I confess. I watch you for your comedic narration. I have a black, very black thumb so at this point it's all about your wit. This here is one of your best. With my dry sense of humor I actually LOL more than once. That's impressive.
Thank you very much 👍
Great video, thanks! I was just making toast when you cut the rootball with a bread knife..😂😂😂 Can you do a video on what plant would look best in what pot? I’ve got a gorgeous new pot and trying to choose what plant would look best in it. Next time you get a new fab pot or wall hanging let us in on the fun of voting for our favourite?
Thanks for the idea!
Another brilliant display of humor and plant advice...
Look forward to every video...
Thank you 😊
I think Tradescantias are on the verge of winter hardiness in the South of Britain. When I lived in Essex, a long time ago, I planted my Tradescantia in the garden for the summer, forgot about it, and found new growths the following spring.
I have heard that a banana has developed actual bananas in Hackney this year, so we might be surprised by what some of our little house guests are capable of in the near future.
Bananas in the UK! We’ll have monkeys roaming the streets soon
Great video Richard, you had me hooting with laughter - honestly!😂annd btw the water conditioner hack you gave us a little while ago has made a great difference. I made a small piercing with a knife, did a small twist of the handle, so that the stress coat comes out in droplets. 1 or 2 drops max in the watering can and job done ✔️ 👌🏾
Great hack thanks!
Lol the gentle lowering into the trash can 😂
😁
I’m laughing at the bum squishing to get the plant out 😂 absolutely love when you put out a new video ♥️
😂 thanks!
Do you every morning with my breakfast it’s a good way to start the day. Thanks.
Great stuff 👍 😁
Tradescantia need a few hours of full sun. Direct sun. I've been rehabbing quite a few for friends. The only difference is I stick them in the window where they get a few hours of direct sun every day.
👍👍👍
excellent video. Keep up the good work.
Thanks, will do!
😂😂😂
I love my clear pots. I’m glad I’m home alone because I can’t stop laughing.
Thanks for the planty humor.
Thanks for watching 😁
a purple + green Tradescantia was my very first plant gifted to me (Zebrina?). I thought mine was just ugly with tons of crispy brown leaves/ bare leaves bc I was a terrible, uninformed, neglectful plant parent who went between never watering + over watering while also leaving her in 4-6hrs of daily direct sunlight lol. Turns out I was a pretty terrible plant parent to her, but they still tend to act badly even with perfect care! Your dislike of them has started rubbing off on me lol. They're somehow so low + high maintenance all at once I don't get it!
congrats on 200k woooo hooo!!!!
Thank you very much!
I’ve had a plant collection since green mid 1970’s. I used to think the soil “disappeared” too. In reality the majority of the roots grow around in circles inside the pot. This compresses the soil inside the root “cage” that forms. 🪴❤️
Makes sense thanks!
I just love your videos. So fun and insightful.
Thank you 😊
Growing roots outside the soil seems a smart idea to get more oxygen.
Makes sense 😁
Anyone who is familiar with this tradescantia, I have a question. Mine was a deep purple when I got clippinging and got it rooted. It has grown magnificently and is very healthy but it's lost all its purple! I do sort of like it actually, it's almost a bright lime color and has a beautiful velvety, sparkly sheen on top of the leaves but now I'm just curious....I thought maybe it was light but I keep it directly under a plant light. Then I thought maybe heat, but the place in my house is usually around 85 Fahrenheit...how much heat does it really need? Lol. Also, great job with the video. I love the humor, the info, and the audience you have cultivated in general. I watch your videos just as much for entertainment as I do education.
Thank you 😊. I would have said lack of light for that problem. Is the light close enough to it? Is it a decent light?
@@SheffieldMadePlants I'm wondering if my light just sucks. 😂 It's about 8 inches from it....if that....
@lindsey4178 try moving the light closer :)
One of the reasons soil seems to disappear into thin air is, well, exactly that - the organic portion of a soil mix is broken down by soil microorganisms, which convert cellulose, lignin, and other components into CO2 during their respiration.
Thanks for sharing 👍
Squeeze it a bit!! 😂 ha ha the pot or your cheeky cheeks!got me in stiches there!!!!
😂😂😂
I just repotted and root pruned my two magnificent philodendron Xanadus because I saw big roots and PANICKED. Now the gorgeous green leaves have all turned yellow 🤪🤪🤪 they were so happy I should have left them
Should bounce back
You can actually get temperatures stable above 12 deg C in an igloo if you live in it. The plants may start complaining about a lack of light though...
😁
I use a chunky aroid mix I make including some bark, coco coir, perlite, ect. And I almost never worry about overwatering. I also use moss poles so I’m sure that’s another reason I don’t get overwatering problem. Well not entirely; I do have an alocasia black velvet that got overwatering and now it just looks horrible.
Mix makes all the difference. My black Alocasia succumbed in the end. Not sure why
Another great video, thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it!
You had me at swing a cat 🤣🤣🤣
😁
Your videos have convinced me that I hate Tradescantias.
I really do.
My eyes gloss over just at the sight of them.
😂 oops!
I've often found succulent type plants I much prefer to be root bound so long as I use a weak liquid fertilizer occasionally(I use an orchid liquid fert). I think its actually way worse to put plants in oversized pots with a potting mix composition which doesn't drain extermely well. You're always setting yourself up for root rot in those sort of situations.
Definately 💯
The xmas cactus( mine's an any time it feels like it cactus) likes to be really pot bound, ive found it flowers more when it is.
Interesting 🤔
I have stopped replanting to larger pots when I get a new plant, I have killed many a plant doing that or my plants don’t prosper. I am also using a water meter on my bigger plants , I can tell when the soil is screaming for water on my little pots 😂
Great stuff 👍
I am so on the point you can do a repot anytime bc i did this last winter 😂. Only a defanbachia sufered bc i repoted to many times. But they hate me this plant 😅. I have a few plants wich toke some time to manage but this plant ah....
Exactly!
I very much enjoy your fun videos :-D "The roots eat the substrate" - exactly, where else does it go? With some plants I feel like they are forcing me to repot them by growing like weeds... when I refuse to do it again (2nd time a year), they push out the top layer of the substrate out of the pot and push to all directions like a rocket getting ready to fly out :-D So then they get repotted again :-D My personal record holder is stromanthe triostar, which forced me into 3 repots a year (since then I´m scared to take her out of the pot because she spreads and doesn´t fit back in :-D ). She grows so fast that it makes me worried that she will take over the whole space 😀
Oof 3 in a year. That plant ain’t for me 😂
Now, I'm pretty sure that you know where the soil goes! It goes on your floor wherever you have your pot sitting! The plant roots push it out of the top and out of the bottom drainage holes.
That’s what all that mess is!
@@SheffieldMadePlants 🤣🤣
What should i use to glaze terracotta pots with?
This is what I’ve got
www.amazon.co.uk/Deco-Art-DuraClear-Polyurethane-Varnish/dp/B002VPKTQC/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=241B18S6V05SE&keywords=terracotta+glaze&qid=1694067808&sprefix=terracotta+glaze%2Caps%2C86&sr=8-1
Good info. And your jokes cracked me up.
Thank you 😊
Are any of those soil mixtures good for a ginseng ficus plant?
There will be something suitable. They label them specifically but most plants will happily live in any of them
good old chuckle love ur vids pal
Cheers!
That weird thing is a bloom lol it usually opens up but doesn’t look like a normal flower just some weird fluorescence thingy (I think that’s what it’s called?) my alocasias put out several and I just left them till they died.
Yep mine shrivelled up in the end
@@SheffieldMadePlants some ppl cut them off right away to help the plant focus on leaf growth but I kinda like the blooms lol
Thanks again for the laughs and advice
Thanks for watching 😁
I have found that an unglazed clay pot helps keep plants alive that are susceptible to root rot because of my tendency to overwater.
Fair enough 👍
3:34 Fungus gnat!!! 😱😱😱
Little terror
Hallo, schöne und wichtige Informationen, kann ich bitte beschneiden die monstera wurzeln auch?? Weil ich habe es gemacht letzte Woche..Danke dir im voraus . Vielen Gruß
Yes you can 👍
@SheffieldMadePlants thanks alot for ur replay ..
I love a good weirdo! And I love British humo(u)r! You are the complete package. WEIRDOS UNITE (HERMITS UNTIE)
Legend!
As usual, I am at a tangent here. Have your ever tried bamboo to support tall vining plants?
I have. I’ve got my big monstera on bamboo. Works for some plants
My heart shape Philodendron lemon lime now has overgrown the seven foot bamboo, having come on a two foot moss pole about 4 months ago. Similar story with the Philodendron Brasil.
I'm pretty happy as I don't want the plants to grow beyond my ability to care for them well.
So now I'll be chopping and sharing with friends.
Propagation is not feasible as I already have far too many plants.
@SheffeldMadePlants you may want to look into pinguicula if you want a beautiful plant that eat gnats
Are they hard to keep?
@@SheffieldMadePlants not at all, as a bog species, they just need sun, peat moss and distilled/rain/RO water. They can get from the size of a button to a small melon depending on the species, but the smaller ones look more like succulents, and you never need to fertilize them as that's what the bugs do.
I'm betting that the soil is slowly eroded away through watering. It's probably so minimal each time, that it's not noticeable.
Hmm maybe 🤔
Oh no! i have a lot of rootbound plants and i live in an igloo in the winter! I'll try not to panic......😁😁😁
😱
Time to teabag my plants, I guess...
😳
Hi, can anyone tell me if the snake plants get sunburnt after keeping in the sun for 2 hours and appear droopy? If yes, can I revive it or how can I save the plant from dying because only 3 leaves are sunburnt
Snake plants should do well in sunlight and shouldn't droop after 2 hours. Maybe there is something else wrong?
@@SheffieldMadePlants no it was thriving before that but the heat in India is too much (40° C), I didn't realise it would get burnt 😔
Does the same apply to an Umbrella plant? Help a sister out! 😂😂
Sure 💯
Matter is not created, just transformed… soil becomes roots and leaves and the whole plant! 🤔
👍👍👍
Thank you : )
You bet!
wut, but tradescantias are like the easiest plant, they do so fine in a pot, mines look amazing
I think yours is the exception
Been really enjoying your videos lately, cheeky humor gets me every time friend👍✨
Great stuff 👍 thanks
hi
👋
😂🎉
Hi Richard You mention using sybasoil to keep fungas knats at bay, does this product have an ingredient to deter the knats ?
They use coconut coir rather than compost. My compost seemed to be attracting gnats.