How to replant correctly?

[Raimundas]

Hello nice people here!
When you helped me to ID my 3 little cacti, now I believe I need to repot them, because they don't have any space in little pots. I found that simple repotting method: before repotting I need to water them (but how much need to wait after watering?), then I should take cacti out, a little shake up for removing grounds from root, and put in new pot, where 1st layer is the clay soil marbles and 2nd layer should be cacti ground. Is that true? Maybe there is more better way? And I want to put some nice little stones on the top, can I? And what stones are right for cacti? My cacti list: Mammillaria, Faucaria, Neoraimonda herzogiana. Waiting for your answers! Thank you very much for being nice to me! It's a hard to find a right place where people communicates but not screaming and trolling all the day .

There is a photo:

[Raimundas]

anyone please?

[mdpillet]

Please check out the cactus care guides on the website and Google.

[DaveW]

See:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l_HyYqpW5bg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AtPwbenDp6Q" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Raimundas]

Thanks for the videos! I'll try and then show some photos or video about my result . How about stones on top of pot? It could be any nice stone or special? And maybe there is more info about layers of ground and etc?

[DaveW]

Stones on top = Top Dressing. Apart from looks it's a matter of choice, some use potting grit or small stones since it helps stop the soil washing out when watering, or splashing up the plant and dirtying white spined cacti etc. It also acts as a condensation trap to stop plants drying out too quickly in hot weather. I prefer natural looking top dressing, since sometimes brightly coloured stones or other material can look a bit gimmicky.

As to different layers in the pot (= stratification) don't use them since contrary to simple logic a layer of grit in the bottom of the pot, the old gardeners recommendation, actually impedes rather than helps drainage. Keep the soil in the pot uniform from top to bottom.

http://www.sustainable-gardening.com/ho ... containers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

See how soils with different layers in this video, even layers of coarser material, actually hold up drainage rather than help it, and for our plants good drainage is essential so the soil dries out quickly:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ego2FkuQwxc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Raimundas]

Stones on top = Top Dressing. Apart from looks it's a matter of choice, some use potting grit or small stones since it helps stop the soil washing out when watering, or splashing up the plant and dirtying white spined cacti etc. It also acts as a condensation trap to stop plants drying out too quickly in hot weather. I prefer natural looking top dressing, since sometimes brightly coloured stones or other material can look a bit gimmicky.

As to different layers in the pot (= stratification) don't use them since contrary to simple logic a layer of grit in the bottom of the pot, the old gardeners recommendation, actually impedes rather than helps drainage. Keep the soil in the pot uniform from top to bottom.

http://www.sustainable-gardening.com/ho ... containers" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

See how soils with different layers in this video, even layers of coarser material, actually hold up drainage rather than help it, and for our plants good drainage is essential so the soil dries out quickly:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ego2FkuQwxc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

WOW! That was an awesome information! Thank you so much! Couze when someone says use google, so about layers (thats a great idea in google) i found it.. But as we see its not so good idea! Thank u so much!

Well i have some more questions :p

If cacti is more bigger then its more danger to repot it or not?
And if i plant my other cacti childrens in wide train pot, everything okay? I mean if in one pot will be more cacti then one?

[DaveW]

Should have added this one:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J729VzB ... 36.7397183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Generally the size of the cactus does not matter for repotting, although some plants when very old can be a bit more reluctant to re-root. We all slow down our metabolism when we are geriatrics, cuts take longer to heal and bruises disappear etc, but that is unlikely for plants under about 20 years old or more. However there are a few plants that don't like being re-potted too much and sulk through root damage when they are. After all nobody re-pots a seedling in nature, it lives for all it's life in the soil it germinated in. Some Pyrrhocactus do not take to kindly being disturbed and repotted as seedlings. However most cacti are OK if you take the normal precaution of not watering for a week or so after repotting to allow any broken roots to heal.

By "children" I presume you mean offsets (sometimes also called "pups") or young seedlings? You can grow cacti equally as well many together in seed trays as if planted individually in pots. In fact some grow better initially when small offsets or seedlings in a tray together as in very small individual pots, since the larger area of soil does not dry out so quickly.

[Raimundas]

Should have added this one:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J729VzB ... 36.7397183" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Generally the size of the cactus does not matter for repotting, although some plants when very old can be a bit more reluctant to re-root. We all slow down our metabolism when we are geriatrics, cuts take longer to heal and bruises disappear etc, but that is unlikely for plants under about 20 years old or more. However there are a few plants that don't like being re-potted too much and sulk through root damage when they are. After all nobody re-pots a seedling in nature, it lives for all it's life in the soil it germinated in. Some Pyrrhocactus do not take to kindly being disturbed and repotted as seedlings. However most cacti are OK if you take the normal precaution of not watering for a week or so after repotting to allow any broken roots to heal.

By "children" I presume you mean offsets (sometimes also called "pups") or young seedlings? You can grow cacti equally as well many together in seed trays as if planted individually in pots. In fact some grow better initially when small offsets or seedlings in a tray together as in very small individual pots, since the larger area of soil does not dry out so quickly.

but if pot is large and its bad couze tis dry not so quickly so maybe then i can water it more little then?

[greenknight]

You need to water less often if the pot is larger, but need to water thoroughly - water should come out of the drain holes. This makes sure water gets to the deep roots, also reduces build-up of mineral salts in the soil.

Best not to use pots too much bigger than the root ball of the cacti. If you need to, you can put rocks in the bottom of the pot to take up space as long as the potting mix goes between and around them to the bottom of the pot. As long as the same type of soil goes all the way to the bottom of the pot water will drain through freely.

Don't put a layer of gravel in the bottom, but larger rocks won't hurt drainage as long as the potting mix goes around them. It won't improve drainage, but it will reduce the amount of water the soil will hold because there's less soil. If you need a wider pot, but the only ones you have are too deep, you can make it work this way.

If you have more than one plant in a pot, keep a close watch on them - if one starts to rot, remove it quickly before it can spread to the others. Also, only plants with similar watering need should go together in a pot.

[Raimundas]

You need to water less often if the pot is larger, but need to water thoroughly - water should come out of the drain holes. This makes sure water gets to the deep roots, also reduces build-up of mineral salts in the soil.

Best not to use pots too much bigger than the root ball of the cacti. If you need to, you can put rocks in the bottom of the pot to take up space as long as the potting mix goes between and around them to the bottom of the pot. As long as the same type of soil goes all the way to the bottom of the pot water will drain through freely.

Don't put a layer of gravel in the bottom, but larger rocks won't hurt drainage as long as the potting mix goes around them. It won't improve drainage, but it will reduce the amount of water the soil will hold because there's less soil. If you need a wider pot, but the only ones you have are too deep, you can make it work this way.

If you have more than one plant in a pot, keep a close watch on them - if one starts to rot, remove it quickly before it can spread to the others. Also, only plants with similar watering need should go together in a pot.

thank you! i cant believe im in the right place where people gives good advices! thank you!