New plants/ newbie questions.

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JCcares
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New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by JCcares »

Just received my new babies early. I did not know they would come like this my only other experience they came in a plastic pot.

I will not have my soils until this coming Wednesday.

Please someone teach me the best way to care for them as I am waiting for my soil delivery.

When do I need to water them?

Keep them in the shade or sun?

Should I trim any roots? And what is that growth I circled in one of the photos?

THANK YOU for your helps!!!!!
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My name is Joe I Live in Hickory NC USA four equal perfect seasons.
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Aeonium2003
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by Aeonium2003 »

I would leave them the way they are. They can survive for quite a while bare root, waiting until Wednesday should not be a problem. Not sure what the round thing in the last picture is, but I suspect the the plant was started from a young pup. The pup put out an offshoot, and as it grew, the original pup was buried, while the offshoot grew into the green section.

Just my 2 cents.
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greenknight
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by greenknight »

Keep them out of the sun while the roots are exposed, roots sunburn easily. I agree that leaving them unpotted for that long won't hurt them- in fact, best to totally bare-root them. Clean all that old mix off so they don't have a blob of different media around the roots, but a consistent mix through the entire pot, this insures that water can move freely through the media. Totally cleaning them also lets you inspect the roots thoroughly. Wash them clean with a garden hose, then inspect the roots for problems, remove any dead ones. No need to trim any roots that are healthy. Then let them dry in the shade, turning them regularly.

The "what is this" is either what Evan guessed or it's a new offset that started underground.
Spence :mrgreen:
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JCcares
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by JCcares »

Aeonium2003 wrote: Sat Jun 04, 2022 2:41 am I would leave them the way they are. They can survive for quite a while bare root, waiting until Wednesday should not be a problem. Not sure what the round thing in the last picture is, but I suspect the the plant was started from a young pup. The pup put out an offshoot, and as it grew, the original pup was buried, while the offshoot grew into the green section.

Just my 2 cents.
Thank you I appreciate your “2 cents”🙏🏽
My name is Joe I Live in Hickory NC USA four equal perfect seasons.
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JCcares
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by JCcares »

greenknight wrote: Sat Jun 04, 2022 4:00 am Keep them out of the sun while the roots are exposed, roots sunburn easily. I agree that leaving them unpotted for that long won't hurt them- in fact, best to totally bare-root them. Clean all that old mix off so they don't have a blob of different media around the roots, but a consistent mix through the entire pot, this insures that water can move freely through the media. Totally cleaning them also lets you inspect the roots thoroughly. Wash them clean with a garden hose, then inspect the roots for problems, remove any dead ones. No need to trim any roots that are healthy. Then let them dry in the shade, turning them regularly.

The "what is this" is either what Evan guessed or it's a new offset that started underground.
GreenKnight you said “Clean all that old mix off so they don't have a blob of different media around the roots,”

Do it now? Today? Then can I store them in my garage until Wednesday? Then after I pot them when do I water them GreenKnight? Can I dunk them in a big bucket of rain water and the my city water will all those chemicals?

Thank you so much your a breath of fresh air GreenKnight!
My name is Joe I Live in Hickory NC USA four equal perfect seasons.
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greenknight
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by greenknight »

Do it today, tomorrow - timing is not that important, but they'll be easier to work with if they have time to get dry before potting them. In the garage might be okay, if it doesn't get excessively hot in there - could you leave the garage door open for air circulation?

Rain water is best, especially if you have hard water. I wouldn't worry about the chemicals in the city water, though - if it's safe to drink, it's not gonna hurt the cacti. Mineral buildup can cause problems if the water is hard, though.

After potting them, wait a week before watering - best to give any roots that get damaged in the potting process a chance to heal first.
Spence :mrgreen:
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Steve Johnson
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by Steve Johnson »

As Spence said, clean the roots as thoroughly as possible, although I tend to go a bit further than using a garden hose:
  • Fill a container with water, swish the roots around, and gently dig out the potting medium with a blunt instrument such as a q-tip handle, knitting needle, etc. When the water gets dirty, toss it out and fill the container with clean water. Swish and dig again until the roots look squeaky-clean or at least close to it. Bits of dirt and organic material clinging to the roots are fine, but what you want to avoid is letting a "bolus" of the stuff stay up in the root ball right below the base. If it stays there, this simply invites rot when the plant gets watered.
When you're satisfied with the cleanliness of the roots, soak them in 1% Hydrogen peroxide for a half hour or so. Here's an example of the setup I use whenever I need to give one of my cacti the peroxide treatment:

Image
Image

The peroxide does two things -- first, it kills any pathogens that could lead to rot. Second, it promotes faster healing of root ends that were exposed in the unpotting and cleaning process. I used to rinse the roots of my cacti with running water after I gave them the treatment, but I've found that it's better to leave the peroxide in until they dry out. When that's done, time for repotting in fresh, dry mix. My rule of thumb -- once you repot cacti, let them settle in for a couple of weeks before watering. Something else I should mention...

Hobbyists who are new to growing cacti usually make the mistake of trying to grow them in potting soil or a commercial cactus mix. In both cases, too much soil suffocates the roots, and the best thing to do is lean it out with some sort of mineral gravel to promote good drainage and the proper aeration cactus roots need for growth. Pumice gravel is the best mineral component because of its open porosity and good water retention. My guess is that you should be fine with a 70% pumice/30% soil mix. Crushed granite poultry grit is second-best, and if that's all you can get, I'd recommend a 60% granite gravel/40% soil or 50/50 mix. (Pumice retains water, but granite doesn't.)

Cacti are remarkably tough plants, and there's no urgency about repotting them.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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nachtkrabb
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by nachtkrabb »

Hallo JCcares,
did your cacti settle all right? You seem to have a name for your cacti? -- If you want to know how to treat them, have a look at http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/CACTI/ -- if you haven't done so by now. They have instructions per genus. Also they have descriptions, where the plants come from, which is pretty instructive, too.
Steve Johnson wrote: Sat Jun 04, 2022 7:47 am As Spence said, clean the roots as thoroughly as possible, (...)
soak them in 1% Hydrogen peroxide for a half hour or so. Here's an example of the setup (...)
(...) My guess is that you should be fine with a 70% pumice/30% soil mix. (...)
Hallo Steve,
I don't follow you with you one-size-fits-all-soil. I take it personally. :) BUT I am really interested in your Hydrogen peroxide-baths! That sounds real intersting. Where do you get something like this? Is it ready for use, or do you mix it with ...what... 1:100?
Of course I often have the problem with freshly bought plants, too, that I don't get off all that soil holding obviously PEAT. (How could they?) Just had it. I think of getting my two new ones out again & bathing them. :shock: Cacti! Bathing! Wow!
I am going to prepare a (shady) beachparty for them to dry.

N.
Love and Revolution!
...and still more cacti.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by Steve Johnson »

nachtkrabb wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:59 pm I don't follow you with you one-size-fits-all-soil. I take it personally.
You shouldn't take it personally, and I'll explain what I meant...

Different cactus species have different requirements for optimal root growth. Jungle cacti (Schlumbergera and Hatiora for example) enjoy a rich soil mix, but desert cacti need a lean mix with free drainage and good aeration for their root systems to grow well in. "Lean" is described as soil with a minimal amount of organic material and some sort of mineral gravel (pumice, Perlite, granite, etc.) to make up the mix. The proportion of soil and mineral gravel will depend on the species and one's local climate. I grow the vast majority of my cacti in a completely soil-less pumice and granite gravel mix, although my Eriosyce senilis and Tephros do best with a 50/50 soil and pumice mix. For growers living in a relatively humid climate, I'd recommend a mix tilting more in favor of the mineral component (or you can simply go soil-less). For growers living in an arid climate, a soil-less mix might dry out too quickly, so IMO a certain amount of soil will be required for better water retention.

Truth be told, I have zero experience growing Echinopsis, and thanks to a post I saw from greenknight, I found out that Echinopsis are more like jungle-type cacti. Such being the case, Joe's new cacti should do well in the relatively rich mix he's using. Apply the same mix to a lot of desert species, and they'll eventually suffer. Long story short -- know the species of cacti you're growing to identify the type of potting medium that works best for them in the long run under your climate conditions. That's why I said that a one-size-fits-all approach doesn't work.
nachtkrabb wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:59 pmBUT I am really interested in your Hydrogen peroxide-baths! That sounds real intersting.
Our professional horticulturalist-in-residence had this to say about it:
MikeInOz wrote: Tue Jun 07, 2022 7:01 am
"Steve Johnson" post_id=394346 time=1654580869 user_id=4655]Before I repot, I soak the roots in 1% Hydrogen peroxide for about 30 minutes, then let them dry out first. My belief is that the peroxide treatment promotes faster healing of the roots once they're back in the pot. Is that true, or is it a myth?
I doubt it would make much difference. The most it could do is destroy any microbes present on the roots but any advantage from that would disappear as soon as you pot them. Just dry them well in the shade with plenty of air movement.
I'm glad he busted the myth -- there's no need for the peroxide treatment.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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Holunder
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by Holunder »

Hi Joe,

This really helped me:

A beginner's guide to repotting newly-purchased cacti
viewtopic.php?t=40641&hilit=repotting+newly+bought

Holunder
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nachtkrabb
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by nachtkrabb »

Steve Johnson wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:39 pm
nachtkrabb wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 4:59 pm I don't follow you with you one-size-fits-all-soil. I take it personally.
You shouldn't take it personally, and I'll explain what I meant... (...)
I am sorry, Steve, I am not a native speaker. I seem to have expressed myself not too well. What I meant is similar to what you outlined: I try to find out where the species of each & every plant at my house comes from & how they live in their habitat. Then I prepare a soil mix accordingly, as well as I choose their respective places to spend the summer / winter. This is what I would call a "personal mixture / placing".
Steve Johnson wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:39 pm (...) thanks to a post I saw from greenknight, I found out that Echinopsis are more like jungle-type cacti (...)
Interesting puzzle piece. And I am asking myself why they don't thrive as the rest of the gang but keep dying. Only one seems to cope with my sandy mixture. But I do promise to it to do better.
Exception: E.subdenudata is flowering like madness at my place. According to llifle they live "in many habitat types, such as grasslands, shrublands, and forests". Thus they might be quite adaptive.

If the peroxide bath is a myth, this will safe me money + ugly computing work as I only can lay hand on peroxide 6% or 11.5%. :lol:
Thank you for telling.
N.
Love and Revolution!
...and still more cacti.
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greenknight
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by greenknight »

Echinopsis aren't quite like jungle cacti, which may grow in pure organic matter like leaf mold or moss, but they do like a somewhat more organic soil than the cacti that grow in extreme desert conditions. While they can survive dryness, they don't mind a fair amount of water.
Spence :mrgreen:
.ilUli.
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by .ilUli. »

Steve Johnson wrote: Sat Oct 01, 2022 9:39 pm
I grow the vast majority of my cacti in a completely soil-less pumice and granite gravel mix, although my Eriosyce senilis and Tephros do best with a 50/50 soil and pumice mix. For growers living in a relatively humid climate, I'd recommend a mix tilting more in favor of the mineral component (or you can simply go soil-less). For growers living in an arid climate, a soil-less mix might dry out too quickly, so IMO a certain amount of soil will be required for better water retention.
Hi Steve, I’m a bit confused why you (in LA) keep the majority of your cacti in a soil-less mix when you recommend that for humid climates?
Just a beginner trying to learn and keep my cacti alive and happy. Zone 10a
DaveW
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by DaveW »

I don't know about the USA, but most nurseries in Europe send plants by post ex pots and dry root since obviously the weight of the pot and soil increases postage or shipping costs which are not that cheap on small orders. If you visit a nursery and pick up the plants yourself they are potted. Also in Garden Centers and stores.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: New plants/ newbie questions.

Post by Steve Johnson »

.ilUli. wrote: Mon Feb 06, 2023 2:20 pm Hi Steve, I’m a bit confused why you (in LA) keep the majority of your cacti in a soil-less mix when you recommend that for humid climates?
First of all, I have to be more specific about the fact that my 60% pumice/40% granite gravel mix is a hydroponic mix as opposed to other soil-less mixes that use materials like redwood bark, coir, etc. in place of soil for moisture retention in drier climates where a hydroponic mix would dry out too quickly.

There are a couple of reasons for the hydroponic mix:
  • Pure mineral gravels are a hostile environment to plant pathogens, so the possibility of rot is dramatically reduced.
  • Wide-open aeration in the mix is ideal for growing vigorous cactus root systems. I found that out when I moved my cacti from a heavy soil-based mix to the hydroponic mix in 2012. Only downside is that I have to fertilize every time I water my cacti in the growing season, but the results are definitely worth the effort. (Besides, it's not that much effort!)
Other types of soil-less mix have a similar benefit in terms of aeration and cacti don't need to be fertilized as often. The only downside there -- plant pathogens in the organic materials may lead to rot and fungal infections, but this isn't much of a problem in dry climates.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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