Dumb question: what counts as native soil? It is the soil that was out there, with some potting soil mixed in...but mostly the clay-ish stuff, yes. I could see how it could be claylike. Maybe chalky and claylike?
OK! Finally had/made some time this evening to take a swing at this tonight. I moved some plants around and made an area just for these semps, found some cactus soil and mixed that into the area with my remaining potting soil/fertilizer (sorry I'm not good with all the dirt product names/types yet). I also picked up some stuff that was labeled large grain sand as Bev suggested, but the stuff I found was really pricey (the same price for a 2 fist sized bag as for a child-sized bag of cactus soil) and kind of...seemed a bit too colorful? After I got home I looked around the yard and I think I have some gravel that's only a little big than those sand chunks, so I'm thinking I'll collect more of that tomorrow and maybe do a thin layer of that over the top, mixed with the rest of the large grained sand?
Here's what it looks like currently, does this seem better?
The sand is a bit too bright for me, so I'm hoping that once I mix it all in with the grey/black gravel it will be less eye catching.
Closer shots of the semps, including my three new finds (poor arachnoideum does not seem to be doing well):
The jovi heuf 'Gold Bug' in the far right corner is also not doing well - too much sun, I suspect, as the other two from the same batch planted elsewhere in the strip seem fine. So I need to look into that shadecloth next, hopefully next weekend.
I haven't found chicken grit yet - will the pebbles work for that, or is there something special about chicken grit?
[Edit: OK, so I didn't know what chicken grit was...dumb me I was just thinking it was some kind of soil/rock. Thank you google! So, do I want soluble or insoluble?]
Oh, and my new rollers still haven't re-opened. They seem healthy, so I'm not worried but yeah it was jarring to go out there the next morning and see them all pretty much closed up. I'm thinking they were in a much more shaded location at the nursery. Thanks for that bit of reassurance.
