I would use a richer mix. I got my mine as a small plant in 2004 and I've always used a mix of 2/3 JI3 and 1/3 perlite in which it has grown well. In the earlier years I repotted it every year into a pot that was double the volume of the previous one. I feed with full strength High Nitrogen feed (I ...

I read that they need to be kept moist in summer. Mine only started to flower after I kept them standing continuously in about 2cm (3/4 inch) of water all summer. This goes against one's instincts and then some! In winter I give a little water to prevent the tubercles from shrivelling prematurely. A...

Thank you for your kind comments Ernie and Tony. It's a pleasure to assist! The name 'rang a bell' with me so I went to Ernst's book. Having found the name, I went to the International Plant Names Index https://www.ipni.org/ to find the publication that has the original description. Then I copied an...

Hi Ernie The name looks like it is a scrambled version of Gasteria variolosa which is one of the gasterias described by John Baker of Kew which are now regarded as synonyms of other species. He described it in the Refugium Botanicum; Volume 5, June 1873 on Tabula (aka Plate) 347. One of the wonders ...

Ernie, Re "According to the RHS the name has been tentatively accepted." 'Sandra Mottram' is a valid name. It was described in 1997 in the Sedum Society Newsletter 42, page 72. It arose as a self-sown seedling in a tray of S. lucidum 'Obesum' ISI 1497 which was growing "quite close to...

OK. Well, to me all variegated plants look sick! Very sick...!

I have no experience of growing under lights, but I presume you saw the article on growing echeverias under lights in a recent CactusWorld?

HaoBao A layer of grit is not necessary under the caudex. It is quite happy sitting in the potting mix. Bottom watering is not necessary either. Watering around the base is perfectly fine - in fact, each time I water, I just pour rapidly a couple of litres of water straight onto the surface of the p...

Maximum light IS needed. I think the shape of the leaves on your plants is ok (compare them with images on the Web). But the yellowing and darker patches of the outer leaves are not good - it appears those leaves are starting to die prematurely. Do you keep them dry in the winter? Pachyphytums do ne...

As long as you don't let water get into the top where the shoot emerges, they are not rot prone. A rich potting mix is best, so an inorganic potting mix is less good. As Chris says, your plant starting to grow unusually late but I think if you act soon you can repot it. Get a pot double the size of ...

Hi Peter I suggest you get hold of a copy of this book which has the answers for you "Pachycaul and Caudiciform Plants" by Phillipe de Vosjoli (of California). ISBN 0-9742971-1-9. It was published in 2004 by Advanced Visions Inc. There's a lot of information about how to cultivate Kedrosti...