Soil Mixes

Soil Mix for Seeding and Potting

40% Peat

40% Course Sand

20% Perlite

As this mix contains no soil a program of liquid fertilizer will be required following pricking out.

Al Smith

Compost for Potted Alpines

1 1/2 Parts sterilized loam

1 1/4 Parts coarse Sand

3/4 Part Peat

To each gallon of mix add:

1/4 oz superphosphate of lime

1/8 oz sulphate of potash

1/8 oz dried blood

Mansfield

Soil Mix for Most Lime Loving Plants such as -Physoplexis Comosa -

Phyteuma Comosum

1 litre Loam

1 litre Oak Leaf Mold

1 litre acid or Granite Rock

1/2 litre limestone grit

2 tbsp Oyster Shell - pulverized

1 tbsp Bonemeal

Ernie Lythgoe

Potting Compost

7 Parts sterilized loam

3 Parts Peat

2 Parts Coarse Sand

To every 10 Gallons of Mix add:

2 tbsp Bone Meal

2 tbsp Superphosphate of Lime

1 tbsp Sulphate of Potash

1 1/2 tbsp Gr Lime

John Innes- Horticultural Inst

Soil Mix for Saxifrages

1 Part Soil - not too fine, gritty preferred

1 Part Coarse Sand

1/2 Part Peat

1 1/2 Parts Stone Chips-1/4 inch & smaller

1/2 Part Mortar Rubble

Dusting of Limestone (ground)

Rex Murfitt

Mix for Soil Conditioning

1/4 Peat

1/4 Coarse Sand

1/4 Soil

1/4 Crushed Stone

Spread mix 2-3 inches thick and dig in.

Al Smith

Soil Mix for Primulas

2 Parts Potting Soil (Not with peat)

1 Part granite grit

Per 4 litres of mix:

1/4 Cup Dolomite Lime

1 tbsp Bonemeal

Tony James

Soil Mix for Lewisia Tweedyi

60% Forestry Sand ( Info)

35% Coarse Sand

5% Leaf Mold

Water regularly with high phosphate fertilizer (NPK - 14-10-27)

George Nation

Seed Planting Compost or Scree Mix

6 Parts Sharp Sand

2 Parts Peat

2 Parts Perlite

1 Part Granite Chips

1 Part fine Limestone Grit

Cover seeds wtih 1/4 inch #2 granite grit

Siskiyou Rare Plant Nursery

You can also download this information by clicking on the link below

Soil Mixes

Finding Alpine Plants on Vancouver Island

There are no garden centers on Vancouver Island that exclusively sell alpine plants. Wrightman Alpine Nursery in Ontario (https://www.wrightmanalpines.com/ ) sells a wide variety of plants and seeds by mail order. Alpines can sometimes be found at local garden centers in among other plants if not in a special section of rockery plants. We have also purchased from Alplains in the US but there are numerous other seed houses in the US and beyond.

Here is a list of garden centers on Vancouver Island which belong to the BCLNA

(https://bclna.com/plantsomethingbc/search-local/garden-centres/?regionid=334).

One of the best ways members of alpine clubs such as ours find alpines is through attending club meetings and plant sales. We usually have a small selection of alpines and rock garden plants to sell at every meeting. Getting to know other members will often provide opportunities to acquire something you’re looking for directly from them. Also, members who are looking for something specific can post a request in the (almost) monthly newsletter.

You might also find interesting plants at other alpine club sales such as those held by

VIRAGS (http://www.virags.com/) in Victoria and AGCBC ( https://www.agc-bc.ca/) in Vancouver.

Many of the plants that alpine gardeners grow are started from cuttings as well as seeds that we share among ourselves.
Our membership in AGC-BC allows us to contribute and order a wide variety of species, both local and from afar.

Everyone is very welcome to attend any of our meetings where there are not only plants from members for sale
but many speakers also bring plants to sell.

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