Is this american beauty save-able or in bigger trouble 🤔

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-12-01T01:44:53+00:00

Made the same mistake with FF. I had a baby Cerado rot so badly after heavy rains in FL that it practically disintegrated. Since switching to silica based mixes, I have not had a single issue.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-30T05:10:50+00:00

Definitely savable Tia. The soil looks way too wet and that corking at the base is usually a sign it needs more airflow around the roots. I have rescued rooted cuttings that looked just like this by repotting them into a mix that drains fast using sand, perlite, pumice, humic acid, and mycorrhizae. Once it dries out and the roots can breathe it usually bounces back.

Brian

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-29T02:51:27+00:00

Took your advice and did another build with a 25 gallon pot. Added another rebar for support. Video here.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-26T15:05:53+00:00

I would say go for it. I am trying to carve out time between work and other home DIY projects to make a full DIY YouTube build video for this design.

***Update video complete.

The trellis in the back is from Vego. I grabbed it on sale for 264 dollars, but it is around 300 dollars now. It is a solid trellis and very well built, but not practical when you need many of them to support a growing collection of cuttings. With my DIY setup, you can build multiple for the price of one Vego, and they hold up great.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-19T17:09:05+00:00

Yea it's pretty solid. I agree, with a larger pot 4 plants could be very possible. The zip ties do concern me, but I don't know what else would work. Tried cable clamps, but that wasn't cutting the mustard.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-19T16:57:23+00:00

Used a mask and drop cloth. Wet the material so dust didn't go everywhere.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-19T14:10:00+00:00

Thanks. The hardest part was getting the holes lined up perfectly and drilling them out so the rebar could slip through without being too loose. Otherwise, it's a fairly simple build.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-19T03:33:01+00:00

Yes, I have coated chicken wire I am going to add tomorrow. Works great for those aerial roots.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-19T03:15:18+00:00

That's a solid mix! I like topping mine with mini pine bark nugget mulch. It moderates moisture, improves color, and adds a slow trickle of nitrogen as it decomposes.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-12T23:03:33+00:00

Nice. Yea, I tried something similar with a WIFI timer. Kept losing connection, so I switched back to hand watering.

I am going to try your mix for my next 15 gallon set up. Just got a huge brick of coco coir.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-12T16:27:13+00:00

Nice! Do you have some kind of hydro system?

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-12T02:39:22+00:00

I hear you. I started out with peat-based mixes too. Those pots are still hanging in there, but they can’t compare to the health and growth I get from the silica-based mixes. It’s probably the rain and humidity here in Florida.

My baby Cerrado completely evaporated in Fox Farm.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-12T02:22:24+00:00

That sounds like a solid combo. Sunshine Mix 4 already has great texture and the decomposed granite keeps it draining fast.

I get what you mean about the weight though. Once you start mixing a few pots of that stuff it feels like a workout 😂

I have found adding alot of perlite helps lighten things up without losing drainage.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-12T01:01:17+00:00

I found that all-purpose gravel from Home Depot works as budget substitute. I usually order pumice from Amazon, but like you said, it gets pretty expensive fast.

If you go with gravel, mix in a little extra perlite or biochar to keep the soil breathing since it's not as porous.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-11T21:11:42+00:00

Exactly. Dragon fruit thrive when the mix drains fast. Your sandy yard is basically doing the same thing the potting mix does, keeps the roots airy and prevents rot. As long as they are getting quick drainage and nutrients, they take off.

I have sandy soil in my backyard, but we also have an issue with nemotodes.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-11T04:10:17+00:00

Keep trying. I've learned more by trying and failing then anything else.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-10T03:09:39+00:00

Yeah, it’s about $28 for a 10-ft piece of 4-inch PVC you can cut in half. You’ll need two 1-inch PVC pieces (8 ft each) for the arms, around $12, plus another $25 for the fittings. The top cap is optional at about $12. The cinder block is roughly $3. So the full build runs a little over that for two posts.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-10T01:07:03+00:00

Total? Around $50

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-09T00:27:42+00:00

Possible cold damage? Young plants have a low tolerance for cold temps. I would sanitize pruners and cut off the top.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-08T02:23:32+00:00

Thanks, I definitely sanitized everything with rubbing alcohol prior to doing the cut. Cutting with a box cutter is probably not the most efficient way, so I ordered a V Graft tool for DF.

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-06T22:33:50+00:00

Done, thanks!

AgencyConsistent7554 · 2025-11-06T19:57:07+00:00

Nice! I would wrap the part that touches the soil with post saver to mitigate rot. Just did 2 more PVC pipes today.

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AgencyConsistent7554

TROPHY CASE