Adenium Obesum - Request thoughts on setup

[FaeLLe]

Hi folks,

Would like to get your thoughts and experience on the following,
(1) Comments on planting mix I am going to use for my for Adenium Obesum
(2) Location of Adenium Obseum in my house

(1)

I am planning to use this mix -> http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/251845934027
It is basically cocopeat, coco husk chips, rice husks (perlite replacement), coco shell charcoal.

They have included chicken pellets as organic fertiliser but I am not going to use it since it will make the soil basic, planning to replace it with Gro Sure Slow Release Fertiliser Granules (12-7-19).

Appreciate your thoughts.

(2)

It will be sitting on the first floor of my house near a East facing window (sometimes covered by a curtain) maybe 50 cm from a radiator that is on for a few hours a day at 24 C.

Any thoughts on if this should be okay for a 40 cm tall plant few years old.

[MartinDK]

I started growing adeniums back in 2004-05. What matters is temperature and sunlight (and adequate nutrients). In my experience, they grow really fast at temperatures of 30+C under intense light, and growth stops when temperatures drop below 20C. But otherwise adeniums are quite forgiving plants and you could probably grow them in 100% mineral soil. I grow them in coir (40-50%), vermiculite and grit and feed them a balanced cactus fertilizer (with micronutrients, 1/4-1/2 of the labeled concentration) every watering, 2-4 times a week (depending on size).

Some arabicums:

Obesum hybrid (about 9 months old):

Obesum hybrid with flower buds (about 9 months old):

[Aiko]

Nice trunks.

[FaeLLe]

Thanks Martin. Do you grow them under artificial light?
Btw whats that huge brown truck in the background it looks amazing.

Below are photos of mine. I am really confused if to mix in slow release granuals (Miracle Gro - NPK 12:7:19) into the potting mix and sprinkle some on top or to go with liquid fertilizers (Cactus Focus Succulent one - NPK 1.4:0.7:2.7).

Appreciate your thoughts on the point above.

[Aiko]

Btw whats that huge brown truck in the background it looks amazing.

Probably a Crassula, Crassula ovata?

[MartinDK]

Yes, it's a Crassula ovata.

And yes, I grow my adeniums under artificial light. Under strong LED light in heated ventilated grow tents.

It looks like that the flowers of your tree will be quite different from the standard obesum type. Keep us updated!

About the soil...I would definitely change the current one you're using. It looks too organic with poor drainage, which could cause "waterlogging" and root rot (especially if you live in a mild climate with cool short summers).

I have only used liquid fertilizer. No slow-release granuals.

[FaeLLe]

Yes, it's a Crassula ovata.

And yes, I grow my adeniums under artificial light. Under strong LED light in heated ventilated grow tents.

It looks like that the flowers of your tree will be quite different from the standard obesum type. Keep us updated!

About the soil...I would definitely change the current one you're using. It looks too organic with poor drainage, which could cause "waterlogging" and root rot (especially if you live in a mild climate with cool short summers).

I have only used liquid fertilizer. No slow-release granuals.

Thanks for your advice mate. The plan is to repot them into the new soil base I have posted above in my first pot, especially since I can see roots poking out below.

Will repotting them now cause flower drop? I wonder if it is too cold to repot as well....
Will share back photographs for sure!

What NPK is your fertiliser please and which brand? Is it a good idea to go for a balanced one or high K value now that I have flower buds all over.

[MartinDK]

Yes, repotting your adenium could cause flowers to drop, but you never know. Some adeniums are quite sensitive to changes in their environment, others are not.

I buy a locally produced cactus fertilizer, which is not available in the UK. I use a fertilizer low on N. 3-2-6, that is.

[FaeLLe]

Hi folks,

Just wanted to share an update.

My Adenium leaves have started going yellow pretty much all around he plant.
So I have now moved it under a 300W LED grow light in a room that stays around 20-24 C all day around.

Hope it pulls through, not sure if repotting now is a good idea despite me not being happy with the potting mix (which seems to be some sort of fluffy airy stuff which feels like cotton - any idea what that might be?).

[FaeLLe]

Its me again, I flipped the pot upside down and found that the roots had basically massacred the pot drainage holes and were basically being suffocated.
Due to the way they were growing wide *after* the drainage hole the plant could not be pulled out and the entire pot had to be cut away.

Some pictures of my repotting exercise as below. The flowers basically dried up almost immediately and I had a lot of small roots that got cut in the process.

I applied mycorrhizae fungi to the roots all over and repotted it in the medium I mentioned in my first post. Hope it pulls through now....

Links to image - https://imgur.com/gallery/8qpfF