Hi,
We just bought at a local Cactus show, about 6 cactus and succulents in small plastic pots, probably about 2" in diameter. Should I move these to slightly larger clay pots with a good quality cactus mix, or should I wait until they are bigger?
Thanks!
Beginner question- repot newly purchased plants?
Re: Beginner question- repot newly purchased plants?
I would always repot. Check for pests, see if they have any roots, get rid of the likely solid plug of peat. If nothing else, getting them into the soil you're used to is a good idea.
--ian
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Steve Johnson
- Posts: 4528
- Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
- Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
Re: Beginner question- repot newly purchased plants?
Ian has it right, although I'll expand on his comments with a few recommendations:
1. While I can't give you any advice on succulents, I can tell you that many desert cacti grow really well in straight pumice. (You may need to add some soil for better moisture retention if you live in a climate that's both hot and dry in the summer.) In case you need a source for pumice, try this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5-GAL-PUMICE- ... 3384a94694" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2. Whenever you change from someone else's mix to yours, you should always clean the roots of your plants as thoroughly as possible before repotting. Then give them 1-2 weeks to settle in before watering.
3. As to pots, I'd avoid cheap terracotta since it's fired at a low temperature. Porous clay pots really aren't the best for cacti or succulents over the long term. If you like the look of terracotta, waterproofing actually works well. But it won't last forever, and I've been transitioning my collection over from waterproofed terracotta to glazed ceramic so I didn't have to bother with upkeep on the waterproofing. Without knowing the specifics of the plants you have, I'd say that whatever pots you go with shouldn't be much bigger than your 2" nursery pots. In fact there's no reason why you can't reuse them for the time being, although that's up to you.
If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!
1. While I can't give you any advice on succulents, I can tell you that many desert cacti grow really well in straight pumice. (You may need to add some soil for better moisture retention if you live in a climate that's both hot and dry in the summer.) In case you need a source for pumice, try this:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-5-GAL-PUMICE- ... 3384a94694" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
2. Whenever you change from someone else's mix to yours, you should always clean the roots of your plants as thoroughly as possible before repotting. Then give them 1-2 weeks to settle in before watering.
3. As to pots, I'd avoid cheap terracotta since it's fired at a low temperature. Porous clay pots really aren't the best for cacti or succulents over the long term. If you like the look of terracotta, waterproofing actually works well. But it won't last forever, and I've been transitioning my collection over from waterproofed terracotta to glazed ceramic so I didn't have to bother with upkeep on the waterproofing. Without knowing the specifics of the plants you have, I'd say that whatever pots you go with shouldn't be much bigger than your 2" nursery pots. In fact there's no reason why you can't reuse them for the time being, although that's up to you.
If you have any further questions, don't hesitate to ask!
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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greenknight
- Posts: 4819
- Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 4:18 am
- Location: SW Washington State zone 8b
Re: Beginner question- repot newly purchased plants?
All good advice. If a plant has totally filled the pot it's in with roots, a slightly larger pot would be a good idea - but if it hasn't, it should go back into the same size pot. Rather than treat them all the same, decide for each plant based on what its roots look like when you unpot it.
Spence 