Piante grasse cactus spine

Tag: repotting

Six identical cacti in three different soils: a cultivation test with Mammillaria hahniana

Here is another test of mine. In the cultivation of cacti, a bit like with many other passions in life, there are two different approaches: a “static” approach, let’s say “contemplative” and “collecting”, and a “dynamic” one, experimental and inspired by an ever greater understanding of these plants. In this second approach (which is the one that has inspired my passion for years) the study of reliable texts, the comparison with other growers and, above all, the experimentation in the field, for example, working on potting media, exposure, cultivation techniques and more, are fundamental. Just growing plants – succulent or not – for years and years, in the same way, never changing the type of soil, exposure or method of cultivation is fine, mind you. Clearly, it’s perfect for those who only appreciate plants from an aesthetic or collecting point of view and have no particular demands. In short, it’s valid for those who are not interested in learning more and are not willing to take risks to improve and better understand the plants themselves.

Instead, the aim of “wild” cultivation is to obtain specimens as robust as possible, and with the same look to those that grow in the habitat (I write about this cultivation’s philosophy here). In addition to the documentation and possibly travel to observe the plants in nature, it is essential to engage in some experiments and be willing to question continuously, even if it could lose some specimens (not the valuable ones, of course). (…)

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Marl as a substrate for cacti: is it really so good? How to use it and with which plants does it work

The use of marl as a substrate component for the cacti’s cultivation has been widespread for years, especially in Italy. Thanks to the studies and research conducted by my friend Andrea Cattabriga – grower, researcher and succulent expert at the international level. But what are we talking about, when we discuss marl? Quite simply, a greyish and highly friable rock, to the point of breaking up into flakes until it becomes powder. It’s used to create substrates for the cultivation of many cacti and some succulent plants when combined in some dosages with other materials such as quartzite, pumice, sand, gravel, lapilli, peat, field soil (clay).

In this article we explore the benefits of using marl in cactus cultivation, we see how to make a valid marl-based substrate, and we try to understand, above all, with which kinds of cacti this material can work and with which ones it should be avoided. (…)

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Repotting cacti in winter: here’s why and what are the advantages of this choice

Given that it is possible to repot cacti and succulent plants in almost all months of the year, for more than fifteen years I have been carrying out this operation during the winter, between December and February. If necessary, for example in the case of a suffering plant or a new purchase, I repot even in spring or in the middle of summer. I almost never repot in autumn, because in this period the plants begin to slow down their growth to start the winter stasis and I prefer to avoid “disturbing” this natural process, since repotting is always a small trauma for a plant.

We look at the benefits of repotting cacti and succulents over the winter in the article that follows. (…)

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Cactus without roots: how to save the plant and which soil to use to get it back to full health

Cacti can be capricious plants, expecially because of their roots. It can happen, in fact, that despite all the cares we dedicate to one of our succulent plants, it stops growing, stops producing thorns and flowers and, in the space of a few weeks (or months, in some cases), begins to deteriorate, deflating and turning yellow. At the origin of this phenomenon, not always a pathology exists, as a bacterial attack that can cause the rot. In the same way, the cause may not necessarily be due to a parasitic attack. If you look closely at the plant, for example, you might not find any traces of spider mite or mealybug, the two main pests of succulents. With experience I have learned that when a plant, even apparently healthy (i.e. not affected by parasites or bacteria) and grown in the best conditions (light, air, watering, soil, etc..) begins to deteriorate deflating and yellowing despite watering, it is always better to remove it from the pot and check the health of the root system. More often than we might think, the problem can hide just there, below the collar.

In this article we will see everything we can do to save a cactus or a succulent plant in evident difficulty or when, after having flared it, we realize that it has lost all or part of its roots. (…)

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Repotting cactus: the classic mix of pumice, lapillus and peat to speed up growth

I generally start repotting from mid-December onwards, to finish within the first few months of the new year. This year, considering the number of plants I sow that need repotting, I started well in advance. Despite the still high temperatures for the period, in fact, the plants are already in stasis and it is possible to proceed without problems. The repotting period is one of the most debated topics, together with the composition of the growing soils: there are those who repot only plants in vegetation, those only in spring, those during the winter and those who repot at any time of the year. Let’s say that there isn’t a fixed rule: over the years, I have repotted practically in all seasons, according to needs, and I have never encountered any problems. The important thing is to stick to that only really useful precaution which is to avoid watering immediately after repotting. It is necessary to give the damaged or cut roots time to heal in dry soil during repotting, so as to avoid the risk that they may trigger rot. The rest is a matter of choices. Personally I prefer to repot and change the soil to the plants during the winter season, or in any case when the cacti and succulents are in vegetative stasis, for example just before spring, so that several weeks elapse between repotting and the first watering. I’ve been following this “rule” for years and have never had a problem. Of course, it may happen that some plants find it difficult to restart after repotting, to the point of being stuck even for a whole year, but this can happen by repotting at any time. Let’s not forget that repotting is in any case a significant “stress” for plants. This is also why I prefer winter, when the cacti are at rest and the effects of repotting are less “traumatic”.

Let’s explore the topic of repotting and substrates for cacti, in particular the “standard” soil based on pumice, lapillus and peat in equal parts, in the following article. (…)

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