Re-potting And General Health

[DanielH]

Hi everyone,
I'm sure this question gets asked a lot but anywhere i look for help with re-potting it doesn't say anything about the size of the plant, I cant see the roots through the bottom but the cactus takes up 2/3rd s of the pot, so should I re-pot it? And if so what size pot?
Also is it ok to water it about every 2-4 weeks (spring/summer), I also have some food for it, do i put that on instead of water (mixes with water) or do i water it in between feeding it?
Thanks

PICTURES
http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... 1403_n.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... 7652_n.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
FOOD
http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... 1240_n.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://i1263.photobucket.com/albums/ii6 ... 2090_n.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[DaveW]

I don't think there is any need to fertilise every watering, or if you do use it at reduced strength.

At 1.4-0.7-2.7 it's not that dissimilar to one third strength Tomarite tomato fertiliser, which is 4-8-3.

Strange what different firms think cacti need since Maxicrop Cactus fertiliser is 4.3-5.1-6.8, whilst the American Schultz Cactus fertiliser is 2-7-7 and Cactus Juice 1-7-6, so all firms seem to think succulents need different NPK ratio's:-

http://www.succulent-plant.com/fertiliser.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I don't know who selected the cacti for their advert but most look etiolated or bloated:-

http://www.growthtechnology.com/product/cactus-focus/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[cortez753]

I think that size of pot is fine.

[oldcat61]

Check your soil mix - looks like lots of peat/organics. Read up on soil mixes here on the guide. If your plant is in a well draining mix, I would water more often. If actively growing, it's pretty much "water, let dry, water again".

[apfire]

To post pictures from photobucket use the IMG link.

It looks like this in your post:

[Saxicola]

Strange what different firms think cacti need since Maxicrop Cactus fertiliser is 4.3-5.1-6.8, whilst the American Schultz Cactus fertiliser is 2-7-7 and Cactus Juice 1-7-6, so all firms seem to think succulents need different NPK ratio's:-

They don't really put much thought into it I think. Maybe about as much as soil producers do in making a bag of "Cactus Soil". We had a someone from the people that make Cactus Juice come give a talk at our local cactus society and it was pretty terrible. For one thing I think I knew more about the actual chemistry and function of fertilizers than he did (to be fair he was a salesman not a chemist, but still...). It was very clear he knew nothing about cacti and succulents and was quite surprised when one of the more knowledgeable people in the club started commenting on how an N of 1 was much too low. It really seemed like they based their product on information from the 1960s.

[DaveW]

Probably as you say just one of their local salesmen Saxicola they send out to do club talks rather than one of their chemists. I suppose cacti and succulents are too small a market to do much scientific research on what is the best formulation for them, they just probably guess! In any case it depends what type of growth you consider desirable? As I said earlier if this firm below consider the plants at the bottom of their advert is the desirable type of lush growth produced by their fertiliser they don't know much about succulents in habitat therefore are trying to produce something more akin to over fertilised rank growing garden plants:-

http://www.growthtechnology.com/product/cactus-focus/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Mind you many beginners or old ladies with plants on their windowsill would be delighted with lots of pale green etiolated growth on their cacti indicating they are growing and certainly would recommend such fertiliser!

[Steve Johnson]

Saxi, you and Dave are spot-on about this -- since cactus and succulent cultivation is such a small niche hobby, it stands to reason that fertilizer chemists won't be devoting themselves to the study of normal growth patterns based on how these plants behave in the wild. While casual hobbyists may enjoy seeing lush, overfed cacti, more dedicated enthusiasts should know that they have a choice between that and growing their cacti hard to approximate what they do in habitat. I prefer the latter, and IMO ferts with a ratio of N, P, and K that's roughly the same are best for fairly natural long term growth in cacti and succulents. Of course there are plenty who will disagree -- just my opinion for whatever it's worth, and people are free to come to their own conclusions.