Product description

Artisanal Blend Pinguicula Media — Fast-Draining, Alkaline, Ready to Use

This mix has a built-in moisture gauge: using the tray method, one glance at the media color just below the surface tells you you’ve achieved the perfect moisture balance for Pinguicula — a vibrant, saturated coloration confirms this.

Most “Ping soil” on the market is heavy peat or sand — neither reflects how Pinguicula actually grow. They’re not bog plants, and they’re highly sensitive to organics breaking down in the substrate. Peat releases excess nutrients and dissolved solids their shallow, roots can’t tolerate. In the wild, Mexican Pinguicula root into limestone cliffs and gypsum-rich soils — fast-draining, alkaline, mineral-rich, across Mexico; Central and South America; and parts of the US.

This mineral based Artisanal Blend Pinguicula Media matches that habitat: pumice, zeolite, black and red lava rock, perlite, calcium carbonate, sphagnum petals, and maifanite. The calcium carbonate keeps it alkaline. Pumice, zeolite, black and red lava rock and perlite help wick the correct balance of moisture that helps prevent crown rot — the leading cause of Pinguicula loss. The sphagnum petals hold just enough moisture without waterlogging. Unlike many carnivorous plants, Pinguicula don’t feed through their roots — they need low TDS in both substrate and water. This lightweight, ready to use, no mixing required mix provides balance while incorporating the features from nature.

Sizes & Pricing

•Pint — $8.00

•Quart — $14.40

•Half Gallon — $25.60

Instructions for Use

1.Thoroughly rinse the substrate with distilled water before first use to remove dust from transport.

2.Fill a well-draining pot 23–34 of the way with an inert, non-organic absorbent media (vermiculite highly advised).

3.Fill the remaining 14–13 with Custom Artisanal Pinguicula Substrate, crown sitting just above the substrate line.

4.Place the pot in a tray of distilled water (tray method) and let the media fully absorb it, refilling as needed.

5.Keep distilled water in the tray at all times for consistent moisture wicking.

6.Under LED lights year-round, plants typically skip winter dormancy — keep the tray method as usual. Under natural sunlight, plants may go dormant as days shorten — stop keeping water in the tray full-time and switch to reduced watering frequency during this period.

7.No need for annual repotting — instead, monitor runoff periodically by watering thoroughly from the top and measuring with a TDS meter, keeping levels below 150. Only refresh the substrate entirely with new Custom Artisanal Pinguicula Substrate if sphagnum petals break down (typically every 2–3 years) or if moisture below the surface drops, indicating a wicking issue from substrate breakdown.

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