Echinopsis Subdenudata

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JonNo
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by JonNo »

Ross M wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 1:33 pm Depends on your substrate, pot size/type, locality and greenhouse aspect but for smallish plants in a clay pot it would be weekly depending on the weather
Noted, thanks Ross, maybe I need to up my fortnightly watering just now... Might explain why my "fluffy balls" keep dropping off?..!
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by JonNo »

JonNo wrote: Thu Jun 17, 2021 12:04 am
Mine is sporting seven "fluffy ball" buds at the moment. I'm taking bets with myself as to how many will go full term. Going on past experience the odds on favourite is - none of them... You've done well!
"Three wheels on my wagon, and I'm still rolling along..." Four down, three to go, looks like it won't be long until I win that bet with myself! Sadly doubling up on the watering appears to have made no difference...
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Ali Baba
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by Ali Baba »

A close look at the photo shows rather thin ribs with fine wrinkles, suggesting it is short of water. If you have increased the watering then I would have a look at the roots , something is going on below ground ! It is also rather pale green which suggests shortage of nutrients which again is likely to be a root issue. My plant is always fat and purple tinged this time of year , and flowers nicely
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by JonNo »

Ali Baba wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:12 pm A close look at the photo shows rather thin ribs with fine wrinkles, suggesting it is short of water. If you have increased the watering then I would have a look at the roots , something is going on below ground ! It is also rather pale green which suggests shortage of nutrients which again is likely to be a root issue. My plant is always fat and purple tinged this time of year , and flowers nicely
Interesting, thanks. As well as having upped the watering it is also regularly fed (with Chempak) so perhaps there is something going on... What do you think it might be (i.e. what should I be looking for if I take it out of its pot)?
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Ali Baba
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by Ali Baba »

Root mealy bug or just rotten roots
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by edds »

JonNo wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:02 am what should I be looking for if I take it out of its pot?
Little or no roots, possibly dark/black roots that come off in your hands, check the base of the stem is solid and, as Ali said, possibly root mealy bug.

If it's happy the roots should be fairly firm and you should see some evidence of new root growth.

Post some pictures up on here and I'm sure the experienced hands will be able to give you a very clear idea of the problem.

What substrate is it in?
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by esp »

JonNo wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 12:02 am
Ali Baba wrote: Mon Jul 12, 2021 9:12 pm A close look at the photo shows rather thin ribs with fine wrinkles, suggesting it is short of water. If you have increased the watering then I would have a look at the roots , something is going on below ground ! It is also rather pale green which suggests shortage of nutrients which again is likely to be a root issue. My plant is always fat and purple tinged this time of year , and flowers nicely
Interesting, thanks. As well as having upped the watering it is also regularly fed (with Chempak) so perhaps there is something going on... What do you think it might be (i.e. what should I be looking for if I take it out of its pot)?
There's upping the watering, and there is total drenching. I normally water fairly lightly, although fairly frequently, with a very fast drying mix. For healthy, "easy" plants in mid summer, I find this can become extremely frequently, so I find a periodic total drenching is useful, perhaps leaving plants outside during a spell where it rains heavily over a few days.

Of course, this is likely to exacerbate any problems with roots, but I rarely have problems as a result of this, and plants often seem to enjoy unlimited access to water for a spell.
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by JonNo »

Thank you for the responses, this is useful to me.

I am fairly confident (he said, holding his breath) that the problem is not Root Mealy Bugs, so I am wondering about my watering regime.

The plant - indeed, like all of the plants in my small collection of thirty or so - is in a terracotta pot. There are crocks in the bottom, and the mix is 2/1 John Innes No. 2/ horticultural grit. Kept as houseplants, on a South facing window. My usual regime once watering re-starts in earnest in Spring is to water from below once a fortnight, i.e. the pots are stood in trays and stand in water for about two hours, then any water not taken up is thrown away. During Spring/ Summer Chempak is added to the water. Also once a fortnight on alternate weeks to the watering I spray them with SB plant invigorator. For the last few weeks I have upped the watering of this plant to once a week, and as well as sitting the pot in water I have also watered the surface of the compost around the plant (but not over the skin of the plant itself). All water seems to be taken up in a couple of hours.

Looking at my other plants, they all seem OK (if not bursting with vigor) apart from two others, which also look slightly emaciated, one of those two being another, smaller E. Subdenudata. Indeed, thinking back, I have had "trouble" with these before as they have become shriveled...

The fact the plant is producing buds at all suggests to me that it can't be entirely unhappy?

So, is there anything I am doing obviously wrong? Should I be watering differently? Advice will be much appreciated.
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by Phil_SK »

Depot and have a poke about. You'll almost certainly work out what's wrong, if there is anything wrong.
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Ali Baba
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Re: Echinopsis Subdenudata

Post by Ali Baba »

JonNo wrote: Tue Jul 13, 2021 1:17 pm Thank you for the responses, this is useful to me.

I am fairly confident (he said, holding his breath) that the problem is not Root Mealy Bugs, so I am wondering about my watering regime.

The plant - indeed, like all of the plants in my small collection of thirty or so - is in a terracotta pot. There are crocks in the bottom, and the mix is 2/1 John Innes No. 2/ horticultural grit. Kept as houseplants, on a South facing window. My usual regime once watering re-starts in earnest in Spring is to water from below once a fortnight, i.e. the pots are stood in trays and stand in water for about two hours, then any water not taken up is thrown away. During Spring/ Summer Chempak is added to the water. Also once a fortnight on alternate weeks to the watering I spray them with SB plant invigorator. For the last few weeks I have upped the watering of this plant to once a week, and as well as sitting the pot in water I have also watered the surface of the compost around the plant (but not over the skin of the plant itself). All water seems to be taken up in a couple of hours.

Looking at my other plants, they all seem OK (if not bursting with vigor) apart from two others, which also look slightly emaciated, one of those two being another, smaller E. Subdenudata. Indeed, thinking back, I have had "trouble" with these before as they have become shriveled...

The fact the plant is producing buds at all suggests to me that it can't be entirely unhappy?

So, is there anything I am doing obviously wrong? Should I be watering differently? Advice will be much appreciated.
If the buds are dropping off and it is getting plenty of water then something is clearly wrong. Have a look at the roots!
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