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Growing Cactus & Succulents For Pleasure
by Rene Geissler
Cultivation
Most Cacti & Succulents may be grown from seed or cuttings. To start with, until you have a little experience, you may prefer to buy seedlings from a nursery.
Cultivation is very simple as long as a few basic points are observed. All these plants require a very open and free-draining compost. You can make up the compost yourself and I prefer to use J.I.(John Innes) No.2 type of compost for seedlings and J.I. No.3 for plants two years old and over. This compost should be mixed with horticultural grit at the rate of 3 parts J.I. Compost and 1.part grit. Mix well and it is ready for use.
Never use garden soil or old compost from a source where it may have been lying around for months. Don't be tempted to use builders grit or sand! whilst this makes good concrete, it does not make good potting compost.
Potting and re-potting
When potting up use pots that are just the right size for the plant, never too large. Tap the compost around the roots, but never press it in. It will settle when the plant is watered later. Re-potting should not be necessary more than once a year into a next size pot. When plants are larger, re-potting only becomes necessary when the plant has outgrown the pot, or it does not grow well. It is best to re-pot plants at the beginning of their growing season in early Spring. After re-potting, never water until the plant has settled down for week or two in warm weather.
Do not water on cold, damp and dreary days!
I have found two basic instruments almost indispensable for the greenhouse: A moisture- meter (Hygrometer) and a min/maximum thermometer.
