Some potting challenges!

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Cactus Kid
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Some potting challenges!

Post by Cactus Kid »

This should be fun :shock:
Pot chal.JPG
Potchal3.JPG
Potchal2.JPG
Potchal4.JPG
Joined Havering branch 2006, although have been growing on and off since the age of ten!
Have a large balanced collection of both cacti and succulents but enjoy growing cristate, monstrose and generally anything a bit weird!
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Brian
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by Brian »

First two look quite a challenge. Two people and thick gloves. Plus careful preparation of the new pot.

Good luck, it will be interesting to see the repotted plants.
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cactuspip
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by cactuspip »

Good luck with the repotting!

I repotted a large Parodia Scopa v. Ramosus some years ago and it didn't like it. It failed to thrive and eventually began drying up.

All I have now are 2 small plants in 3" pots!

Hope you have better luck!
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Tony R
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by Tony R »

I'm sure Janice will help you - four hands are better than two in these situations.
Tony Roberts
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(Gasteria, Mammillaria, small Opuntia, Cleistocactus and Sempervivum are my current special interests)
Cactus Kid
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by Cactus Kid »

Cactuspip, that's a shame. I've also found the older they are the less they like to be messed with. Some of these are from a deceased members collection and are growing in some very strange media. I have no choice but to try and convert them to mine! I don't know how they survived in many of the mixes. He obviously had the knack.
Joined Havering branch 2006, although have been growing on and off since the age of ten!
Have a large balanced collection of both cacti and succulents but enjoy growing cristate, monstrose and generally anything a bit weird!
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Ivan
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by Ivan »

Cactus Kid wrote:... the older they are the less they like to be messed with...
Why mess with them? Just figure out the watering schedule. I like them.
KathyM
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by KathyM »

I bet the first one looks amazing in flower. Maybe not the second one. I thought the plant in the 3rd pic wasn't that big until I saw the foot for scale! Is that a Rebutia too?
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DaveW
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by DaveW »

You can often tip the plant on it's side on layers of bubble wrap or expanded polystyrene and ease the old plant pot off and clean the roots. If it is a case of damaging the plant or cutting off or breaking the pot I always sacrifice the pot for the plant. Thankfully I have not succumbed to the American shows mentality where the pot is often more valuable than the plant in it and certainly have no plants suffering the indignity of being planted in teapots.

See:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8RuEDsHFbDk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDUTf6w4Osg
Nottingham Branch BCSS. Joined the then NCSS in 1961, Membership number 11944. Cactus only collection.
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Phil_SK
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by Phil_SK »

Cactus Kid wrote:Some of these are from a deceased members collection and are growing in some very strange media. I have no choice but to try and convert them to mine! I don't know how they survived in many of the mixes.
Having struggled to keep plants like this alive for long in the past, I came to the conclusion that this was the way to go. Plants did much better when I removed a good proportion of the old soil. When plants are potted on in different mixes over the years you often get compost russian dolls and, if they're of quite different mixes, it becomes impossible to hit upon a watering regime that work because one layer will be too wet when another is too dry. I take it one step further these days as my soil mix is now just grit and cat litter: I strip off every crumb of soil, even if it means taking 95%+ of the roots off as well and treating the plant almost as a (sometimes giant) cutting. I did the same with my own plants in my old mix as I phased in the change. It certainly helps knowing that all my plants are growing in only my mix.
Phil Crewe, BCSS 38143. Mostly S. American cacti, esp. Lobivia, Sulcorebutia and little Opuntia
Mike
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Re: Some potting challenges!

Post by Mike »

Excuse me for wandering slightly off topic, but can someone tell me what the plant in the third picture might be? It looks similar to a (similarly large but unlabelled) plant I have, which I think is an Echinopsis (Lobivia).
Cheers
Mike
Based in Wiltshire and growing a mix of cacti and succulents.
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