When to stop repotting?

[fanaticactus]

My repotting frenzy is still underway, getting rid of what I thought were good mixtures at the time, but have turned out to be still too heavy for cactus roots. I'm pretty sure that's why I noted very little growth generally in my collection this summer. I'm using no soil at all this time (just one part of earthworm castings) and, for those that prefer a slightly more nutritious substrate, a little sprinkle of a regular potting soil. My main mixture is about 60% pumice, 20% coir, 10% castings and 10% DC. On top of all that, I add another part of a combo of grit and porous aquarium plant substrate to assure free drainage. My question is, with our first-of-the-season cooler weather already filtering in, how much longer is it wise to continue repotting so that the roots get established? I do have a greenhouse and I can also bring a number of cacti indoors for the late fall and winter so they won't go into complete dormancy.

[iann]

I've pretty much stopped, even though this September is nice and sunny. Well spiky things anyway. I've already lost a good fraction of Ortegocactus seedlings that I transplanted, but then I did boldly water them the day after. It will give the rest more room to grow

[fanaticactus]

So you're saying I should taper off very, very soon...?

[DaveW]

Some re-pot at any time of year, but in dry soil when the plants have stopped growing and don't water until the start of the growing season the next year. It is always safest in the growing season however, but in an emergency you can re-pot at any time, though don't water late in the year and over winter until the next growing season.

[fanaticactus]

Thank you, Dave, for this info. I guess I can't really call ALL my repotting an "emergency", especially if the cacti are dormant for the winter. I'm only concerned that I lost a number of cacti last winter through dessication, since I didn't water and they were in the GH with temperatures in the 'teens (F). It was disheartening to see so many brown plants in the spring. Can't this be a risk if not watered minimally--at least once a month?

[DaveW]

Try mist spraying the plants in winter instead using one of the punp up sprayers, it does not soak the soil as much as watering in the pot. Though having said that a friend tells me a nurseryman that used to be a top grower in our branch always used to give his plants an occasional dribble of water into their pots in winter since he claimed it kept the roots alive, however he did grow quite a few winter growing Other Succulents.

I use one of these sprayers for insecticides as well as giving the plants an occasionally clean water spray to remove the dust, I am sure you have similar in the USA:-

http://www.hozelock.com/spraying/standa ... -4507.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

You are obviously warmer in winter than we are in the UK however so may need to give a bit more water. I believe Fred Kattermann used to spray his Eriosyce to imitate the Chilean mist climate conditions rather than water in the pot, but I don't know how heavy the spray was and whether it completely wet the soil in the pot during the growing season.

[adetheproducer]

I have repotted through out the year but if its done in the colder wetter months I either have left until spring to water or brought the plants indoors to my light box, leave them a week or two to recover and wake up then. I once they have had water keep them in the light box until the soil is dry again then back out to the green house to go dormant again.

[fanaticactus]

That also seems like a sensible approach, adetheproducer. Thanks for mentioning it. Because of my rather compulsive nature to finish a task, that might be what I'll try--unless I end up potting inside the house and it gets too messy.

[cactushobbyman]

Winter comes quick to the east coast. Here on the west coast, I can go until late Nov. and we may not get any frost until late Nov. I stop watering in Nov.

[fanaticactus]

You are obviously warmer in winter than we are in the UK however so may need to give a bit more water. I believe Fred Kattermann used to spray his Eriosyce to imitate the Chilean mist climate conditions rather than water in the pot, but I don't know how heavy the spray was and whether it completely wet the soil in the pot during the growing season.

With all due respect, Dave, this statement seemed off the mark to me, so I took the liberty of looking up some average temperatures. I found year-round records for our neighboring town, but Nottingham is not listed in the reporting stations from England. The nearest I could find was Grantham, which appears to be at about your latitude, not too far away and still inland (opposed to being on the coast). Here is what I found for average temperatures in Dec./Jan/Feb. (in Celsius): us= -3.8/-8.3/-6.1; you= 3.8/2.7/3.3; average HIGH, same months: us= 0.5/-2.7/-1.1; you= 6.6/5.5/6.6; average LOW, same months: us= -7.2/-11.6/-11.1; you= 1.6/0.5/0.5. I think your climate wins the "heat" trophy for winter. Last winter we were even considerably colder than these averages.

[DaveW]

I am in a bit of a frost pocket in a dip between four hills rather like a volcano crater and my unheated greenhouse goes well below freezing most winters. Mapperley is on much higher ground therefore far more exposed than Nottingham which is about 4 miles away and I am told looking in one direction from Mapperley Top the next higher ground is the Urals in Russia, so we are a bit exposed in winter!

We don't have a weather station here, the nearest used to be Watnall 7km away:-

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/E ... stics.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[adetheproducer]

That also seems like a sensible approach, adetheproducer. Thanks for mentioning it. Because of my rather compulsive nature to finish a task, that might be what I'll try--unless I end up potting inside the house and it gets too messy.

I do the dirty work outside just bring the finished products back indoors to warm up.

[greenknight]

I am in a bit of a frost pocket in a dip between four hills rather like a volcano crater and my unheated greenhouse goes well below freezing most winters. Mapperley is on much higher ground therefore far more exposed than Nottingham which is about 4 miles away and I am told looking in one direction from Mapperley Top the next higher ground is the Urals in Russia, so we are a bit exposed in winter!

We don't have a weather station here, the nearest used to be Watnall 7km away:-

http://www.yr.no/place/United_Kingdom/E ... stics.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The big difference is that Britain has a West coast marine climate, whereas Vermont is in the Eastern U.S. and doesn't get the marine influence. When weather systems drop down out of Canada, it can get bitterly cold there.

Where I am in the Pacific Northwest, on the other hand, the climate is much milder - though it's about the same latitude. However. I stop watering about Sept. 20, because the rainy season is about to start. With much less sun then, and much higher humidity, the plants take forever to dry out if I water them any later - they wouldn't be ready when cold weather did arrive.

[7george]

My question is, with our first-of-the-season cooler weather already filtering in, how much longer is it wise to continue repotting so that the roots get established?

I try to finish all my cacti repotting during the dormant season, winter time. Urgent things may be any time. Roots will get established during the next growing season. I do not water most of my grown up cacti during the winter at all. Even almost all of them are inside the house. Watering when plants are not in growth can cause rot and other loses. I do some spraying occasionally but I am not sure if they really need this or not. Conditions in nurseries and the habitats might be quite different but I don't try to simulate it. My general soil for cacti if fully artificial: perlite, zeolite, vermiculite, sand, small rocks, small % or no peat or leaf mould. No garden soil.

[7george]

My question is, with our first-of-the-season cooler weather already filtering in, how much longer is it wise to continue repotting so that the roots get established?

I try to finish all my cacti repotting during the dormant season, winter time. Urgent things may be any time. Roots will get established during the next growing season. I do not water most of my grown up cacti in winter at all. Even almost all of them are inside the house. Watering when plants are not in growth can cause rot and other loses. I do some spraying occasionally but I am not sure if they really need this or not. Conditions in nurseries and the habitats might be quite different but I don't try to simulate it. My general soil for cacti if fully artificial: perlite, zeolite, vermiculite, sand, small rocks, small % or no peat or leaf mould. No garden soil.