Brachystelma plocamoides

[david_phil]

Hi all, I bought the above as a nice looking caudex about a year and a half ago from Toobees. There were a few others for sale so others have them too. My problem is, it refuses to root. It grew last year and flowered but it will not produce roots from the caudex. Soon it will dry out completely to a husk. Any ideas on how to persuade it to root?
I have even tried rooting compound all over the base of it.
I have other Brachys' and they are fine as they all had roots on them when I bought them over the years. Why the people took all the roots of is a mystery.

Many thanks

David Richards

[Martin]

These caudex's can be a pain to get going I have one thats sat their for 5 years !

What I have found can work is put it in pumice or cat liter/grit mix but something that drains very well but has a little bit of moisture retention (hence not pure grit)

Then soak it realy well let it drain and put on a suacer to retain a little water and place it over a bottom heat source

I put them in my propogator over a heating matt

Then and this is where its a clhallange if your not in the greenhouse every day

Let it dry out and then soak it again........dry out .......soak it again

You want to try to keep it warm with an enticing moisture under it but not soggy otherwise it will rot !

I have had this work well and I have just had a Namibian bulb start to grow which has also sat there for the last 3 years and done nothing

If the base is very corky and dry you may need to remove this first so that roots can get through

[ralphrmartin]

Try softening it up by putting it in a jar of water for a week, then replanting?

[david_phil]

Thanks to both of you. I have it in a pumice and compost mix. It grew well last year and flowered but it just didn't produce any roots. It does soak in the water. I will leave it soak for a while. There isn't much corkiness to the base. I even scraped off some but that didn't make any difference.

[Sylvia]

I have experienced the same as you with my Brachystelma plocamoides David and have grown these plants for many years and never had a problem with rooting them down before. I am going to try Ralph's recommendation.