Conophytum watering Solved

[Terry S.]

In the latest BCSS newsletter, it is recommended that we stop watering species of Conophytum in late November, early December and then start again in March, thus keeping them dry through winter. I actually continue watering during this period, partly because of the conditions under which I know they grow in the wild. The big town of Springbok is very much in the middle of cono distribution and if you check average rainfall you will see that their wettest months are May - August. Which translates to November - February in the northern hemisphere. And don't think that it is hot there, average night time temperatures are around 4C at this time with occasional frost. I checked the weather in Springbok today and it is 7C with drizzle. The only big difference in climate compared to our greenhouses is the amount of sunshine that they get in the wild.

I also tend to disagree with the author about watering conos when temperatures in our greenhouses are high. They tend not to react to watering until night temperatures in particular are relatively low. I normally start watering conos about mid-July but this year I was very restrained with the watering can until the heat-wave had subsided. I water the plants more or less weekly until about mid October; then start cutting back on the watering until it might be once every three weeks through December and January and then start increasing again about mid-February until they get weekly watering again in March. Watering stops at the beginning of April but they soon get some Cool Glass painted over the top of them for the summer. The frequency of watering in mid-winter really relies on the amount of sunshine, more sun leads me to more frequent watering.

We all develop our own methods of cultivation and individual greenhouses can have rather different microclimates. Many of you will have seen my conophytum plants at e.g. the National Show and it is up to you to decide whether or not my methods work.

[rodsmith]

I have followed your advice, Terry. I have fewer than a dozen conos, as I have restricted space for them but my regime has been close to what you are suggesting. The temperature in our conservatory is kept at a minimum of 3 deg C during the winter and gets no sun from late November till early February. I water roughly monthly during the winter months. This year I gave them a watering in late July and most of them responded by bursting through their old leaves within a couple of days. C. flavum has been flowering for about a week - the first of the year.

[steviewang]

Thank you very much for the advice.I will try it.

Best,
Si

[David1971]

I don't have many conos either, but if I stop watering them two or three months in winter here in Southern Spain most of them probably would dehydrate seriously.

[Terry S.]

The weather forecast this week indicates a fair amount of overcast conditions and night temperatures in the 11 - 15C range; perhaps even cooler in the north. So I suggest that this is now a good time to get your can and start watering conos again. I do have a couple of plants which still have green leaves from last season, so I will leave these dry for a bit longer.

[el48tel]

The weather forecast this week indicates a fair amount of overcast conditions and night temperatures in the 11 - 15C range; perhaps even cooler in the north. So I suggest that this is now a good time to get your can and start watering conos again. I do have a couple of plants which still have green leaves from last season, so I will leave these dry for a bit longer.

Oooooh--errrrr .... in the frozen waste here in GOC (Yorkshire) I've been watering for a few weeks .... I take it that I have done wrong.

[Geri88]

Thank you for the advice, will do!