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can i repot cacti any time of the year?
Posted: Mon Mar 22, 2021 4:37 am
by softestpants
later on i will be picking up a gymnocalycium damsii i requested from a seller. the seller sent me a picture and her soil is mostly inorganic. after acquiring her, should i unpot, wash, and air dry her immediately or wait for a week before that? i will be potting her in a 70/30 pumice and vermicast mix. i live in a tropical country and summer is already here, so im guessing some winter growers are already asleep.
Re: can i repot cacti any time of the year?
Posted: Fri Mar 26, 2021 10:18 pm
by The_Nikon_Guy
Gymnocalyciums are pretty hardy species compared to some of the others I have been growing. Cacti can be repotted anytime of the year, the question is - Should you?
Most cacti tend to become dormant in winter and based on my experience, repotting them in winter does not give me any indication as to whether any damage has occured during the repot (broken roots etcc). I try and reserve all my repotting for early summer (or when they start to become actively growing) - this way I can guage whether the repot os a success.
Re: can i repot cacti any time of the year?
Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:12 am
by 7george
Yes, especially in a tropical country.
"Vermicast mix" sounds like an extra nitrogen rich substrate. If you have, replace it at least partially with coco-fibre, leaf mould or something else. Some vermiculite addition will also boost water retention properties of the mix if you have to worry about this in your area.
Re: can i repot cacti any time of the year?
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:51 pm
by softestpants
The_Nikon_Guy wrote: ↑Fri Mar 26, 2021 10:18 pm
Gymnocalyciums are pretty hardy species compared to some of the others I have been growing. Cacti can be repotted anytime of the year, the question is - Should you?
Most cacti tend to become dormant in winter and based on my experience, repotting them in winter does not give me any indication as to whether any damage has occured during the repot (broken roots etcc). I try and reserve all my repotting for early summer (or when they start to become actively growing) - this way I can guage whether the repot os a success.
how do i know the repot was a success? i repotted her earlier this morning and shes gonna be staying in the spot that receives morning sun then just bright light for the rest of the day. shes gonna stay there for more than a week. also, how do i know if shes producing new roots? will they, cacti in general, become wrinkly a little faster than usual? thank you so much for the answers!
Re: can i repot cacti any time of the year?
Posted: Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:53 pm
by softestpants
7george wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:12 am
Yes, especially in a tropical country.
"Vermicast mix" sounds like an extra nitrogen rich substrate. If you have, replace it at least partially with coco-fibre, leaf mould or something else. Some vermiculite addition will also boost water retention properties of the mix if you have to worry about this in your area.
would loam soil work as a replacement? i've seen people in here use loam soil with pumice using the same ratio, and i've also been planning on using the same mix because loam soil is easier to find and also cheaper. i dont have access to vermiculite at the moment both due to lack of budget and research. thank you for the advice tho!
Re: can i repot cacti any time of the year?
Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2021 12:36 am
by jerrytheplater
If I could answer your question regarding how to tell if your plant is growing after repotting: I just wait to see if any new growth starts. It can take a month or more to notice anything. Look right in the center of the plant. That is where new growth will start. You could try taking a photo of the plant now and compare the central areoles for growth later on.
Re: can i repot cacti any time of the year?
Posted: Fri Apr 02, 2021 1:59 am
by 7george
softestpants wrote: ↑Thu Apr 01, 2021 3:53 pm
7george wrote: ↑Sat Mar 27, 2021 12:12 am
Yes, especially in a tropical country.
"Vermicast mix" sounds like an extra nitrogen rich substrate. If you have, replace it at least partially with coco-fibre, leaf mould or something else. Some vermiculite addition will also boost water retention properties of the mix if you have to worry about this in your area.
would loam soil work as a replacement? i've seen people in here use loam soil with pumice using the same ratio, and i've also been planning on using the same mix because loam soil is easier to find and also cheaper. i don't have access to vermiculite at the moment both due to lack of budget and research. thank you for the advice tho!
Heavy loam soil usually is not very well aerated but up to one third of the mix might work. You have to try it and decide for yourself.