The fundamental factors for the growth of a plant are many: from exposure to watering; from fertilizations to temperatures. Among these factors, one of the most important – at least for cacti and succulent plants – is the substrate. The ideal soil for cacti must have at least two properties: it drains well and it dries quickly. (…)
Tag: soil
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). (…)
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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Spartan cultivation in full sun, and the results can be seen: healthy plants and robust thorns
Temperatures are still above the seasonal averages, but summer has faded and autumn is on its way. Like every year, at the end of September I started preparing my greenhouse for the cold months. Nothing major, just some cleaning work, moving plants from outside to inside, a check on the heating system and two coats of copper oxychloride on plants a preventive measure. The plants themselves will do the rest, dehydrating following the suspension of watering from mid-September (from now on I will water just a few leafy succulents and, sporadically, Copiapoa and Eriosyce until the end of October) and starting to produce their natural “antifreeze” within the plant tissue of stems.
This is a good time to check the state of health of the plants and, in my case, to “draw some sums” on the results of the Spartan cultivation to which I subjected several specimens, as I explain in the following article. (…)
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