Question
Hi, I'm new to Cacti & Succulents and someone was kind enough to send me a bunch of clippings of both Cacti & Succulents.  I know that they need minimal watering but I wanted to see if I can make my own soil as I am on a tight budget.  I know that C&S soil is fairly inexpensive but I'm looking to make a large batch that will last for quite a while.  Would you have any tips on helping me with this?  I know perlite is good and I have some of that but I also heard coarse sand or builders sand is good too.  Also, I received a Stapelia cutting.  Is this the plant that has blooms that smell of rotting meat?  
I appreciate any help you can offer me.
Tricia

Answer
Hi Tricia, Most commercial cacti soil has peat moss or compost, sand, perlite, a little lime, sometimes gypsum and a wetting agent. To make your own, I'd use 1/3 composted humus, 1/3 coarse sand and instead of perlite, I'd use 1/3 Espoma soil perfector. This is basically a fine lava rock.  It's very coarse, very porous and will not break down to dust like perlite will with time.  A cheaper alternative to the Espoma product is a light weight aggregate. If you have a concrete block manufacturer nearby, they may have a baked clay aggregate used to make lightweight concrete material that will work very well. Mix a cup of lime per wheelbarrow full and you're good to go.
Yes, the Stapelia or "carrion flower" has a fragrance you will not soon forget!  Jim