Astrophytum caput medusae

[giocactus]

Hi,

This is a newly purchased plant, it spent about 2 weeks being shipped. I potted it temporarily in my cacti mix I use for Astrophytums. Seived small particles out so that the soil is loose. This is my first caput medusae. I'm wondering about its care, do I have it potted correctly? Does it need the same soil and watering schedule as other Astrophytums? Any help is appreciated.

[tudedude]

I find my caputs are sensitive to over watering, make sure the soil is dry before watering. Maybe water them half as much as your other Astros. They dont' have the same body mass so need less. That's just my limited experience growing them for 3 or so years in Southern CA.

[giocactus]

Thank you so much for sharing your experience, so I'll be watering it once in two weeks.

[jfabiao]

Watering on a fixed schedule is a sure way to get in trouble. Pay attention to your plants and to the weather: let the soil dry between waterings and avoid doing it when spells of dull weather are expected.

[giocactus]

Thanks for your advice, jfabiao,
But... my greenhouse is about 1.5 hours from were I live, so most of the time of the year I visit it once a week, at weekends. Of course I pay attention to the weather and the soil, but unwillingly I have to water them once a week, and they're in good shape and bloom during active season.

[Aiko]

Thanks for your advice, jfabiao,
But... my greenhouse is about 1.5 hours from were I live, so most of the time of the year I visit it once a week, at weekends. Of course I pay attention to the weather and the soil, but unwillingly I have to water them once a week, and they're in good shape and bloom during active season.

I also live far away from my greenhouse, about 145 kilometers, a three hour train ride / walking combo door to door. I only visit it once a week. If I don't think it is wise to water, I don't water. Your plants will be better off not being watered than being watered at the wrong time / being watered too much. They should survive for weeks, if not months if they have some mass. Watering by the clock could go well for a long time. But it is about the one time it will turn wrong and your plants will stay in soggy soil for too long, rotting as a result. Especially if you are not checking up on your plants more ofthen than once a week, it is hard to give first aid help for you plants by repotting them to a dry mixture if a week later your plants are still in wet soil. It is hard to keep notice of the weather of a place far away. You don't know how much sunlight the plants will get the next week, so it is hard to know if the soil will dry out well enough during your abscence. Better be on the safe side and be more causcious.

[giocactus]

You're right, I'll take it into account not to get too relaxed, especially with Astrophytums. It's really an unpleasant feeling being away and worrying about them. I spend summers with my cacti and check frequently at that time, they really need daily observation.
My greenhouse is shaded but temperatures are very high there, somewhere between 35-40 Celcius. Sunshine is really scorching in Georgia and my greenhouse is like an oven in summer, no one can stay in it for longer that 30 seconds except myself. So almost always they need watering after a week, excluding dormancy periods. I keep my Superkabutos and Asterias in small pots, a little bit wider than the plants are, the soil is very loose, with many big chunks of organic material, coarse send, perlite and coal. This is what I do to prevent them from rotting. In general I check every plant separately, sometimes the soil may remain wet in some pots, while dried out in others.

[tudedude]

Whatever has been working for you I say. It's easy to tell when it's safe to water an A Caput Medusae. When it's either budding/flowering or growing a new stem, or both. When neither of these are happening I'd be extra careful about watering at the wrong time.

[giocactus]

Thank you for advice!

[giocactus]

I have to be very very careful now as it looks so weak, it has growing a new stem but the growth has been hampered due to the shipping. I checked today and it seems it is making some roots. Hope it survives.