Interesting you mention sand—I tried that route once and found it compacted too much over time, actually making drainage worse. Switched to just perlite and compost, and my rosemary's been solid ever since. Guess it depends on your local climate and soil type, but sometimes simpler mixes do the job better. Gardening definitely keeps you guessing...
I've noticed the same thing about sand compacting too much, especially in containers or raised beds. It seems like a good idea at first, but after a season or two, it just turns into a dense mess. I had better luck mixing in coarse builder's sand (not the fine playground stuff) with peat moss and compost, but even then, drainage wasn't ideal long-term.
Your perlite and compost combo sounds pretty solid though—simple usually does win out. I've been experimenting lately with adding some pine bark fines to my mixes. They're chunky enough to keep things loose and airy, but they also hold onto just enough moisture without getting soggy. My lavender seems to love it so far.
But yeah, gardening is definitely trial and error...and what works perfectly one year can suddenly flop the next. Keeps things interesting at least.
"I've been experimenting lately with adding some pine bark fines to my mixes."
Interesting you mention pine bark fines—I tried something similar last year after struggling with drainage issues. Worked great initially, but I noticed they broke down faster than expected. Did yours hold up better over time?
Tried pine bark fines myself—here's what I noticed:
- Initially, drainage was awesome. Plants seemed happier, neighbors seemed jealous (bonus points).
- After about 6 months though, things got mushy. Like cereal-left-in-milk-too-long mushy.
- Had to remix and refresh more often than I wanted. Lazy gardener problems, right?
Maybe climate or batch quality makes a difference? Curious if anyone else had better luck long-term...
"After about 6 months though, things got mushy. Like cereal-left-in-milk-too-long mushy."
Haha, perfect description! Had a similar experience myself—pine bark fines start off promising but tend to break down quicker than you'd expect, especially if your area's rainy or humid. I've found mixing in some coarse perlite or gravel helps keep things airy and prevents that soggy cereal vibe. A bit more upfront work, sure, but it saves you from constant remixing later on...lazy gardener approved.
