What is the perfect Alocasia mix?

I acquired my first Alocasia sinuata from one of the stalls at the now-defunct (or destroyed) Manila Seedling Bank Foundation in Quezon Avenue, Quezon City about 2006 or 2007, though my first Alocasia was likely an A. boyceana, from 2001. Back then, I maintained the plants in the soil they were in, which was mainly coco 'peat' and rice hulls; this is the default potting mix across thousands upon thousands of nurseries in operation within the Philippines, then and now. The plants perished not long after. Already at that period, I was already studying plants in their native habitats and knew that I was missing something. I had to get an idea of how they were growing in their habitats if I wanted to put an end to those episodes when the plants would suddenly fade to smelly goo despite my adoring attention. The opportunity to observe A. sinuata in the wild came in February 2010: all the plants in the wild were growing on rocks, specifically limestone, with very thin layers of detritus. The plants were growing on slopes, which meant that drainage is exceptional, and the porous nature of the rocks meant that the roots are almost always on the dryish side, even during the rainy season (I have had at least two more observations of this species, one was during the 'wet period', in August). The plants get a few hours of filtered morning sunshine, otherwise it's bright shade for the rest of the day. For more information, proceed here. The lessons were clear. By mid-2010, I was ready for A. sinuata again, and I acquired a couple of plants from, I believe, in Baclaran, Pasay City. One is shown here, from my own post back in November, 2010. The plants were put in an extremely free-draining mixture of mainly rocks, including limestone, with only very little organic matter. It has been more than ten years now since I had it figured out. This protocol of using a rock-heavy mix has since been applied on other Alocasia species too, with the exception of a small-growing clone of A. macrorrhizos which I kept until I moved to a new address in 2014. Admittedly, I tweak the mix a bit for some species, especially for those species which I know are hailing from heavier substrates, but the principle remains the same: excellent drainage is Criteria Number One, and this can only be accomplished by the use of rocks.*  

 

The reason I am writing this is to address the question: what constitutes the perfect Alocasia mix? To which my steadfast reply would be: there is no such thing. Because...

Because our conditions differ. I really cannot ask you to change your potting mix and get a truckload of gravel because what works for me may prove disastrous for you. A heavily organic mix** might work in drier areas or in a greenhouse, but not in plants that are maintained outdoors and exposed, to some degree, to the whims of nature. Be leery of people who advocate their own recipes openly on social media- these for me are plain ego-tripping by beginners who are yet to taste that bitter and humiliating yet learning concoction that only years of experience can bring. People who have been collecting plants for a respectable period of time will tell you what their mixes are, but will often remind you that your own climate and conditions will ultimately decide whether a soil mix is advisable for you or not, no matter how effective it is for him/her. So be observant of your own climate and micro-climate, and suit your growing techniques, including soil mixes, according to it. Familiarize yourself with the properties of these ingredients and do not be afraid to experiment. Read, read, and read some more. Learn how to cross reference. If you are keen enough, you should be able to figure it out yourself. As a side note, imagine if you asked me in 2001 what I think what the 'best' soil mix for alocasias was. My own inexperience during that time would only tell you the extent of what I know then, which you might think was worth emulating, but what I knew in 2010 was very different from what I knew nine years before. And to be very honest about it, my soil mix for alocasias is still evolving to this day, almost twenty years later, because I find that I continually have to acquire new knowledge and throw away established ones if I really wanted to succeed with these often very touchy plants. The wisdom of "I know that I know nothing" applies perfectly here.

Oh and by the way, I never resorted to Facebook for answers. Never have, never will. If you are a beginner, be reminded that Facebook groups are the worst sources of information you could ever run to. You'll get many different answers for just a single question, and you likely cannot tell which of the paragons truly know their stuff and which ones were not loved by their moms while they were growing up. There are myriad sources out there for legitimate information. Start with IPNI and the Kew Monocot List to see if the names you know truly exists or not, then hunt down plant fora and online publications if you are thirsty for more information. Many vlogs and blogs are pure junk food for the brain (except this one, but you already know that) so tread carefully. And steer clear from people who claim that experience is not a prerequisite for one to be successful. Treat them like you would treat plague.

*For such plants, the soil mix is more than 90% rocks (basaltic AND pumice, then layered with crumbly clay and/or laterite at the top. My current go-to, all-purpose mix is a combination of basalt (that's construction gravel, my friend) and pumice and augmented with coco chunks. I'm not into ratios but the end result is something like 95% rocks. For prima donnas, I might lessen the basalt and add leca as well as leaf mould, but only as a sparse top layer. My plants derive their nutrition from commercial fertilizers (not vermicast and certainly not monosodium glutamate like some cretins would espouse!) and they are showered with fungicide once a week.

**I know I said that there is no such thing as a perfect mix for alocasias, but one that is brimming with organics (including a healthy serving of vermicast) sits at the top of my Dumbest Alocasia Mix category. Que horror. People who advocate this abomination do not have the patience and zen of true gardeners and would like their plants to shoot up to make these as IG-worthy as soon as possible. Excessive nitrogen will make your plants weak- think of your awkward and gangling high school or college classmate who's tall enough to play basketball but cannot because, well... he can't even jump or run. He can't even scream loud enough to cheer his 'mates on the court as he warms the team bench. Plus, once all those ingredients have decayed to an amorphous mush, you will have to repot and disturb your plants' roots because if you don't, then those same roots will burn from a progressively acidifying soil which also deals you the double whammy of impeded drainage because it's turned to nothing but muck. As a fair warning: alocasias. Do. Not. Like. Root. Disturbance. But if you still wanna insist, then do as you please. See if I care once your plants transmogrify into smelly goo.

'right, I'm outta here.