Should I separate these columnars?

Post by **Echinops32** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:52 pm

I bought these from my local florist and have since been told (on this forum) that they are more than one plant in each pot (although the one on the right has just sprouted an offset just visable in the photo???) anyway would it be best to separate these with only one individual in a pot or is it OK to leave them as they are? And if it is best to separate them should I cut them off and treat as cuttings or split them up with roots on?

Post by **Peter** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 9:12 pm

It's very much up to you, either leave them to grow as they are, or split them. You will however, find that they are growing in a peat compost. Most of us growers prefer a soil based compost such as John Innes 2 or 3 with around 50 percent alpine grit. That's not a mandatory requirement as there are folk who use a peat based compost. But, if you do wash off the existing peat, you will find that the plants come apart from each other and it will be difficult to get them to look realistic when repotted together in one pot.

Note that most of these particular plants should not be allowed to get below 10c or thereabouts.

Post by **Echinops32** » Sun Jul 13, 2014 2:59 pm

I have separated them (the extra plants will go to my local charity shop). I would like to grow them as they would grow in the wild (not sure if they would grow in clusters if a bunch of seeds grew together in the wild?). And the one that I thought had an offset turned out to be another small plant (must have been a seed that germinated recently). And besides my window sills are narrow so they would take up less space as single specimens too.

Post by **Echinops32** » Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:38 pm

Update: as you can see they have grown

BTW that is a 2 pence piece at the bottom to give some sense of scale.

Post by **juster** » Mon Jun 20, 2016 9:59 pm

They have done really well and look good healthy plants. Well done!

Post by **Tony R** » Tue Jun 21, 2016 7:12 am

Excellent, keep potting them on when required and you will have some excellent specimen plants.

Post by **rodsmith** » Tue Jun 21, 2016 7:32 am

A super result. You're obviously giving them the right treatment.

Post by **Lyn** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 8:21 am

They have grown so well thanks so much for the update on them :-)

Post by **Greenlarry** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 11:45 am

Echinops32 wrote:Update: as you can see they have grown BTW that is a 2 pence piece at the bottom to give some sense of scale.

Ah i had one like that blue Pilosocereues on the right. Lovely cactus it was.

Post by **iann** » Wed Jun 22, 2016 12:07 pm

Going to need a bigger window ledge!

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