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I was separating and potting some pups on Jan 16 and one pup broke.

I decided to take some photos to show that a pup doesn't need to be perfect

in order to grow and planting in coarse sand will improve your chances for success.

I checked the top part of the broken pup today Jan 27 and it has a root and is looking fine.

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11 days later - jan 27

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pukyman

congratulations .... and thank you for the explanation , I learned something.

PR-Giants

One of the keys to potting pups successfully is to use a coarse sand as the medium, not potting soil.

Potting soil if fine after the pup has established roots and is ready for a larger pot.

If a sterile medium is desired, there are plenty of ways to sterilize sand.

If you believe the more money spent increases success, then purchase a really expensive pot.

The next photo is the starting material to make my top soil and my coarse sand.

After it is crushed, a 1/4" screen is used to make coarse sand and a 1/2" is used to make top soil.

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edzone9

So what type of spoil/Sand Found in Home Depot would you recommend for pups ?

Thank You Ed.

PR-Giants

SORRY FOR THE LENGTHY POST.

I would recommend getting the sand from your backyard.

Dig a hole and remove some soil from under the top soil or under the root zone of the grass.

Put the soil in a bucket of water and stir, then pour out the silt.

This might need to be done more than once, but when finished you should have coarse sand.

If you need to sterilize it, then bake it in an oven.

Afterwards let the sand cool or put it in a bucket of cold water.

Using coarse sand also makes it easy to remove the pup to check the progress of the roots.

When it is ready for a larger pot, then go to Home Depot and get your choice of potting soil.

Put the root ball with the sand into a larger pot with the potting soil.

The coarse sand should eliminate any possibility of corm rot due to poor drainage.

I prefer never to use any potting soil if the pup is going to be put in the ground.

When it is ready to be planted in the ground.

I would dig a hole and then fill the hole with coarse sand around the pup.

Within a few days the roots will reach the fertile soil and corm rot should never be a concern.

When it is in the ground there is no need to fertilize and only water the base of the pseudostem until the roots have reached the fertile soil.

Then these things should be done in the root zone area, starting about 12"-18" from the pseudostem.

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edzone9

Thank you for the great info!..

designshark

Interesting. How long does it take you to bust those rocks into course sand?

Nicolas Naranja

I use fafard #2 potting soil all the time to root pups. It is a well drained mixture. Sand can be used, but it is heavy. A 3 gallon container of sand is going to weigh something like 30 lbs, whereas a 3 gallon container of fafard#2 will weigh 5 lbs. When you have to load 30 plants into the back of your truck, the extra 25 lbs makes a huge difference.

You could also use perlite or vermiculite which is sterile and easily washed off. Sand is fine, but it is heavy.

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Some people go bananas, I went plantains.

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Nick you drive a F-150, 900 lbs is almost nothing.

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edzone9

Hello Nick, So i can use 100% perlite or vermiculite ? without any other Potting soil ?

Thank You !

edzone9

You aint kidding about that F-150 , I drive a Nissan Xtera & you should of see it stuffed with 10 Huge Dw PR Plantain Pups That I picked Up By Nick N.'
I have Leaves In My Front windshield , on my head & i had a 2 Hr drive home

I really have to but a Pick-up !

Nicolas Naranja

Except that I have to cross railroad tracks to get into the farm. But it's not so much my truck that I am concerned with, it's me. Lifting 900 lbs into and out of a truck isn't exactly my idea of fun. Not to mention that with 3-4' tall plants in those pots it's heavier than 30 lbs. When you day involves digging holes for those 30 plants every pound matters.

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edzone9

Nick , PR Giant how do you guys deal with this ?
This PR Plantain farmers has plantain bandits raiding his farm !.

PR-Giants

Now you can add me to the list of people concerned for you.

I also wouldn't consider moving things that light as fun either.

Loading a truck with 100 lb sacks of seed now that's fun and if it's half sacks, then one in each hand.

When I'm walking with two 5 gallon buckets of sand, I'll do Shoulder Shrugs to exercise the trapezius and consider that multitasking.

The human body is an incredible machine, the harder you work it the stronger it gets.

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Dalmatiansoap

I recomend perlite

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Abnshrek

What do you say when you catch them? Put the bunches down & get the hands up? lol :^)

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I'm a Nannerhead :^)

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Why Sacrifice The Plantain Pup ? Video...

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PR-Giants

Midnight shoppers are usually carrying a machete, it's kind of the tool of the trade.

I see police cars drive right by shoppers pushing full carts of plantains down the mountain, it's just the way it is.

Psychology seems to be very effective.

Effort verses Reward

The Effort of hacking your way through a mountain jungle isn't worth the Reward of a bunch of plantains. There's no public road near my plantains.

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edzone9

Great ! ....

Dam That Bandit got shoot 4 times over plantains