FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

I like to mix up a few gallons of growing medium at a time. Since I rinse my ingredients it's easier for me to do a large batch at one time rather than several smaller batches on several occasions. I then use what I need and store the rest, usually in white buckets or possibly a clear box container. The mix is usually a 1:1 mix of peat moss and perlite...sometimes a 1:1:1 with the extra being sand. I'm currently storing the extra in a clear (white top) container sitting outside on the north side of my garage in the shade. It gets rained on, but it's sealed so no rain or debris getting inside.

It's possible that the extra, moist mix might sit there a couple of months before using it. I've thought about rinsing it again before using it to possibly rinse away anything that's starting to grow in it. Should I be concerned about the mix degrading within this period of time...maybe souring or possibly pathogens, algae, mosses, dinosaur eggs, etc., growing inside the containers?

Just another worried rambling from the mind of "OCD-Me".

I have found that the wet mix in a sealed container will sour over time, mostly depending on how cold it is. You can dry the mix and then store it to rehydrate at a later date.

Oh well, I've got about a half container...probably 3-4 gallons made up. Do you go by smell on the souring? Of course, my smeller ain't what it used to be...maybe I can sucker, I mean "convince" one of my granddaughter's into smelling it for me.

ETA: Drying it to be rehydrated later is a good idea!

Yes, there is a definite smell when it goes sour or it may start to smell musty. I would mix it and spread it in a long shallow tray (aka plastic kids sled) and let it dry out. Then I stored it in a container with a lid until I needed it.