$ 35.95
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Mix #7 is one of the most open, air-dominant formulas in our collection. It was developed for epiphytic and lithophytic plants that demand exceptional root-zone oxygen and rapid drainage.
Its ultra-chunky structure allows water to move through quickly while maintaining tremendous air space around the roots. This is deliberately a lower-moisture mix for plants and growers who would rather water more frequently than keep roots surrounded by a wetter substrate.
It's easily one of our favorite formulas in the entire collection.
Drainage: ★★★★★
Aeration: ★★★★★
Moisture Retention: ★★☆☆☆
Structural Longevity: ★★★★½☆
Texture: Ultra Chunky
Built-In Nutrition: Essentially None - Regular Feeding Required
Peat Free: Yes
There is something incredibly satisfying about this mix.
The first time it was handed to me, every instinct I'd developed over 40 years of growing plants said, "This is it."
It feels rugged, open and almost impossibly airy. More importantly, it creates the kind of root environment we wanted for plants naturally accustomed to growing on trees, bark and rock rather than buried in dense soil.
Mix #7 is all about oxygen first.
This mix drains quickly and retains considerably less moisture than many of our other formulas. Water thoroughly rather than giving it small sips, and expect watering frequency to increase in warm, dry or highly ventilated conditions.
Because #7 provides essentially no built-in nutrition, regular feeding is important.
This is not the mix I'd choose for someone specifically looking to reduce watering frequency. It's for growers who consider exceptional root-zone aeration the priority.
Excellent for Cattleya, Dendrobium, Brassavola, Encyclia, many Phalaenopsis and other epiphytic orchids.
Also particularly well suited to Hoyas, Dischidia, Platycerium, Rhipsalis, Vanilla and epiphytic or climbing Aroidsthat appreciate an exceptionally open root environment.
This mix works exceptionally well with our completely natural Booster Pack (Myco+ Essentials). It is NOT a fertilizer. Instead, it helps bring the mix to life, supporting your plant as it establishes and helping create a better environment for the fertilizer you apply.
Adding the Booster Pack gives your plants an extra helping hand, especially during establishment, but it is absolutely not necessary for success. This mix is designed to perform exceptionally well on its own.
Every bag is prepared by hand to order rather than mass-produced and stored as finished substrate.
Plant performance depends on environment and cultural practices. We are not responsible for outcomes resulting from improper lighting, watering, feeding, pest pressure, or mismatched plant selection.
These mixes are tools. Results vary based on how they are used.
Title I'd pair with it:
Orchid & Epiphyte Potting Mix - Maximum Aeration, Fast Draining & Peat Free (Mix #7)
I prefer that over “Orchid & Aroid” for this particular formula. Aroids are legitimate users of #7, but the formula's strongest identity is its suitability for epiphytic/lithophytic root systems and extreme aeration. Making "Aroid" a co-equal title term risks making #7 look like another version of #8 when the two mixes actually occupy meaningfully different niches.
One technical correction from my own old copy: I would not retain “perlite completely eliminates the risk of saturation.” No component can guarantee that, and it's an unnecessary absolute claim.
