Suitable rooting medium for this Echinopsis?

Multiplying your cacti vegetatively.
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fanaticactus
Posts: 3194
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
Location: Grand Isle Co., Vermont

Suitable rooting medium for this Echinopsis?

Post by fanaticactus »

This past week I discovered my E. deserticola had rotted at the soil line. I cut off the bad section and let the top part callous over. I've just placed it--not too deeply--in a mix of pumice and crushed stone with a bit of coir thrown in. With the relative coarseness of the mix, all surfaces of the cutting probably do not have solid contact with the substrate. Would this still be possible to root in this situation, or should I put it into a mix that has finer texture so all surfaces will be contacting the soil? The 'white' you may see is rooting hormone.
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Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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cactushobbyman
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Location: Sanger, California

Re: Suitable rooting medium for this Echinopsis?

Post by cactushobbyman »

I have used just pea gravel, sand, my natural soil or a combination of all. My area is hot and dry so soil dries out fast. I try to keep the soil from drying out, so I need to water often. Some cuttings I have to water almost daily. I have left cuttings on the ground and came back some time latter and they were rooting by themselves. I think you will be okay as long as the mix is not too wet.
fanaticactus
Posts: 3194
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
Location: Grand Isle Co., Vermont

Re: Suitable rooting medium for this Echinopsis?

Post by fanaticactus »

cactushobbyman wrote:I have used just pea gravel, sand, my natural soil or a combination of all. My area is hot and dry so soil dries out fast. I try to keep the soil from drying out, so I need to water often. Some cuttings I have to water almost daily. I have left cuttings on the ground and came back some time latter and they were rooting by themselves. I think you will be okay as long as the mix is not too wet.
I will not keep it wet. I only dampened it slightly before standing the cutting in it.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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