Frailea

[Chris L]

I am trying to grow a few Frailea better this year.

As they are so small, and in small pots I think they dry out too quick. I am planning on putting a few of the same species in a slightly larger pot.

Do they like a more mineral soil, or one with more organic stuff in?

[fatich]

I keep my Frailea plants in pure mineral, they grow very well.

[SpikyMike]

Looking good! Do you feed them? And if so - how often and with what?

[ragamala]

Hi Chris

I assume you have seen frailea.com

Although the "cultivation" link has no content, the articles link gives several references including cultivation tips.

From the BCSS March 2008 there is an article by Angie Money. Her main recommendation is of lots of watering, in a nutshell, without reference to compost except for seedraising.

All the articles I have read referring to cultivation suggest Fraileas are quite easy-to-grow plants.

This ties in with my own experience. I don't think they are fussy when it comes to what they grow in. Most found is the recommendation to grow in the "usual" preferred cactus growing medium. (But I am not a Frailea cultivation expert, nor with any particular desire to give them the best conditions to have them flower). I also don't want to bloat them with overwatering. If you look at descriptions of Frailea in habitat they are seen as growing under relatively hard conditions, and bloated, also multiheaded specimens (except through damage) don't fit into the habitat pattern at all. So I guess you have a choice about cultivation technique as well as substrate.

As an aside, I was very very impressed with the results this year of my Frailea sowings of seeds purchased from Volker Schaedlich. His turnround of order was excellent, and his Frailea seed (although his speciality is maybe Gymnocalycium) had terrific germination rates (purchase Oct 2018).

[Chris L]

I've seen Frailea.com, but not looked at it in depth, something on the to do list.

Seems there are a couple of articles I can dig out of the the journal. A quick skim through the Marlon C Machado article suggests heading towards a more mineral growing medium.

Suppose I can always try some in my usual cactus mix and some in pure mineral and see which they like best in my Greenhouse.