In cacti as well as in many other botanical families, grafting is a common practice, usually adopted to grow delicate plants more easily and to speed up the growth rates of the plants themselves. In short, it consists of combining a delicate plant with a robust plant, which will provide the former with nourishment and encourage its growth.

Those who follow this site know well that the “philosophy” underlying the cultivation of cacti and succulents adopted by me is based on obtaining plants as similar as possible to those in the habitat. My approach to cultivation is essentially simple and spartan and is inspired by the so-called “wild” cultivation method, which precisely has the aim of obtaining cacti with a natural, lived-in appearance and, overall, as similar as possible to what plants have in nature. It is for this reason that it is not my habit to practice grafting cacti, which can certainly be a useful technique in many cases but which does not lead, from an aesthetic point of view, to obtaining specimens similar to those that grow in their habitat. This is not only due to the very fact that one plant grows grafted onto another, but also due to the fact that grafted plants tend over time to take on very different characteristics from those of plants grown naturally. In fact, grafted plants can have much more swollen stems, sometimes deformed compared to the norm and even the thorns can grow differently.

However, given the high number of growers who practice grafting (also useful for speeding up the growth of cacti and making them flower so as to be able to pollinate them to have seeds with which to reproduce them) or who do not disdain the cultivation of grafted plants and considered many questions that they reached me over time via email, here, for completeness, is an article that deals with this practice and explains how to graft cacti (…)

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L'articolo Grafting cactus: when a succulent plant can be grafted and what is the correct procedure to follow proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

The following article is dedicated to this theme, which goes into detail about the cleaning and sterilization of vases (plastic and terracotta) and the materials used for the substrates (pumice, lapillus, gravel, etc.) which have been set aside after the last repottings carried out in recent months. (…)

Premise

The recycle of pots and aggregates is common practice. Obviously it is not always possible to recycle everything, but a good part of what has been used for the cultivation of our plants can easily be used for future repotting, as long as the materials are thoroughly cleaned and sterilized. Clearly, broken pots and peat must be eliminated since they have exhausted their “cycle” (the peat has already been exploited and would be of little use), but the first major distinction to make is whether those materials (pots and substrates) have given hospitality to plants in perfect health or if they have hosted plants that have died from rot or are otherwise affected by parasites. Let’s see everything in detail by dividing the two categories: vases and inert materials.

Recycle pots

Recycling pots, especially if you use plastic ones, is a must. First of all, we contribute (in our own small way, clearly) to the reduction of plastic production; secondly, you save money, because plastic vases are very long-lasting and can be washed extremely easily. If you use terracotta vases, recycling also takes on an additional value: you can reuse particular vases, perhaps “valuable” or in any case large and therefore expensive.

 PLASTIC POTS  – If no plant has died in the pot, you can limit yourself to a thorough washing with warm water and a detergent product. Even in these cases, however, adding a little bleach is always useful to eliminate germs and bacteria that may have formed while the vases were stacked waiting to be recycled. For washing, all you need is a sponge with a slightly abrasive side and a little bit of patience. Important: if you use bleach you should wear rubber gloves, the classic gloves for household work!

However, if a plant had died in the pot, you can decide to throw away the old container to eliminate the risk that the new “tenant” could contract the same fungus, or carry out a more in-depth operation. In this second case, rinse the vases well, then place them in a basin containing water and bleach and leave them to soak for a few hours (even a whole night if you want). After this period of time, wash the vases carefully, trying to reach every internal corner, with a slightly abrasive sponge, always with water and bleach. At the end, wash a second time with soap and water and rinse thoroughly. Once the vases are clean it is advisable to leave them in direct sun for at least a day: even intense sun helps to sterilize.

 TERRACOTTA VASES  – Unlike plastic vases, terracotta ones are porous: this is why cleaning is longer and more difficult, since an old terracotta vase may have limescale or greenish stains. If the vase is already clean enough, you can wash it carefully with soap and water and a drop of bleach. If, however, the vase is marked by limescale stains or moss residues, it can be immersed in a basin with water to which we add lemon juice, or bicarbonate or vinegar. We leave the vases to soak for a few hours and give them a vigorous wipe with a sponge, using the same water in which they were soaked. Once the “signs of old age” have been removed, proceed by washing the vase with water and soap and then placing it in direct sunlight for at least a day, to ensure that all the water evaporates from the porous walls.

If a plant has died from rot in the terracotta pot, there are two cases: if the pot is already old, chipped or of negligible value, it can be thrown away. However, if the vase is valuable, large or has a certain value, it can be cleaned thoroughly and then sterilized. The cleaning procedure is the same as described above, while as regards sterilization you can use the old boiling method (obviously if the jar is not huge): you place it in a cooking pot, fill everything with water and turn on the heat, leaving the vessel to “cook” until it boils. Once the water boils, turn it off and leave the jar to soak for at least twenty minutes. Alternatively, you can immerse the terracotta pots in water, adding an “aggressive” sanitizing solution, such as bleach (leaving them to soak for at least an hour). Once the vase has been cleaned and sterilized, it is placed in direct sunlight for at least a day, so that it can dry completely.

The procedures described above are applicable, up to a certain point, also to enamelled pots usually used for bonsai. In this case, they are usually valuable vases, enamelled on the outside and porous on the inside: all the more reason it is a shame to throw them away. A word of caution when dealing with this type of vase: in these cases it is best to avoid boiling (which could ruin the enamel), preferring bathing in water and bleach. Likewise, it is better to avoid abrasive sponges that could scratch or ruin the enamel.

The choice of vase? Here’s everything you need to know…

Recycle inert

In the cultivation of succulent plants, whether cacti or leafy succulents, many inert materials are used, i.e. materials useful for draining the substrate. The aggregates can be porous or smooth, each one has certain properties and the choice is truly remarkable and it is good to know them to choose the most suitable ones for the mix we want to create. In this article you will find an examination of most of the materials useful for preparing soil for succulents. Having said this, when you dig up the plants and thoroughly clean the roots you will find yourself with entire basins full of the old substrate, which, if done correctly, contains a lot of inert materials. Unlike peat, which becomes depleted over time and with the absorption of nutrients by the plant, aggregates retain their usefulness and this is why (as well as saving money) it is certainly a good thing to recycle them.

As with pots, however, it is important to point out that the substrate in which a plant has died or in which parasites have been found (for example, root cochineal) must be eliminated. The pots, as we have seen, can be washed and sterilized, but in the case of the substrate it is better not to take unnecessary risks: if a plant has rotted in that soil or if we have found parasites in that soil, we throw it away without hesitation.

If, however, the substrate has been recovered from the repotting of perfectly healthy plants (it is essential to carefully check that no parasites nest among the roots) we will be able to recycle it without problems. The first thing to do, once all the old substrate has been collected in buckets or basins, is to sift it, using a fine mesh sieve, so as to separate the actual aggregates from the peat, dust or clay. The fine part, now used, must be eliminated, while the aggregates are deposited in a clean container. Once all the aggregates have been obtained, we move on to sterilization, which is useful even if no plant has died in that substrate.

To sterilize inert materials there are different methods: for example, they can be spread on a cloth and sprayed with a non-aggressive disinfectant (let’s avoid bleach) then letting everything evaporate, or they can be boiled, exactly like terracotta vases. Finally, they can simply be spread out on a nylon sheet and left in direct sunlight for at least a week, allowing the sunlight and air to give a good cleaning to pumice, lapillus, gravel, quartzite, etc. In essence, the sterilization process of the aggregates is mild and rapid since if there were no parasites or bacteria present in the substrate that caused the plant to rot, it can simply be deduced that that soil was and is perfectly “healthy”.

Once the cleaning and sterilization operation has been completed, the aggregates can be put aside or used immediately for the composition of a new substrate, adding fresh peat, earthworm humus or any other element useful to the plant that will be repotted (for example chalk for some cactus genera).

Important note: when taking the plants out of the pot it is essential to thoroughly check their health and check that no parasites are nesting among the roots (here you can find a video on root mealybug). Only in this way can we have reasonable certainty that those aggregates can be recycled without problems. When in doubt, it’s better to throw everything away: it would be a shame to put the plants at risk just to save a handful of pumice or lapillus!

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Correlated articles

• Diseases and pests: all the articles
• Choose the right pot
• Substrates: all the articles
• Inert and materials
• Repotting: all the articles

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L'articolo Pots and inert in the cultivation of succulents: can we recycle them or is it better to throw everything away? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Let’s go against the trend, since the period is more suitable for talking about suspending watering than about how, how much, when a cactus or succulent plant is watered. The topic, however, is of primary importance and although already covered in a specific article published in the “early days” of this site, it deserves further study. And it deserves it, perhaps even more so, now that we are approaching the moment when (at least in Northern Italy and in Europe) it is appropriate to suspend irrigation. Knowing when to say stop wetting cacti and succulent plants in general is essential to avoid rot during the winter. Knowing in which ways it is possible to water our plants (from above, like rain, or from below, or wetting only the soil, etc.), knowing how many times to water them during the growing season, how to adjust with the various genres, how to relate watering to the substrates used and much more is equally fundamental.

This is therefore the reason for this article, which also answers the many questions on this topic – how are succulent watered, how often are they watered, in which way? etc. – placed at any time of the year by novice growers (and not only novice). Not to mention that, if we want to go into detail, there are cacti and succulents that really appreciate some winter watering. Didn’t you know? More and more this article will be for you.

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L'articolo From above, from below, only the soil: how cacti and succulents get wet and how long we can do it proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Anyone who has been cultivating succulent plants for a long time – whether they are cacti or other succulents such as Crassula, Euphorbia, etc. – knows well what should be done after transplanting, and he certainly knows that these plants should not be watered immediately at the end of this operation. However, there is repotting and repotting: there is the “invasive” one and the one that involves simply moving a plant from one pot to another. There is repotting which involves total cleaning of the roots and that which involves only a superficial cleaning of the old soil. In short, there are many situations and one can proceed in various ways. However, there are some fixed points and they must be respected if we want to avoid the risk that following this operation the plant will go into stress or, in the worst case, die following a rot that started right from the roots.

This is why this article, certainly useful to the novice, can prove equally useful to the long-term grower. In fact, here we will see the various types of possible repotting, the precautions to use and, above all, what to do (not only from the point of view of watering) once the repotting of a succulent is finished. (…)

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L'articolo Repotting a succulent plant: what to do afterwards and how long to wait before wetting the soil proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Hated, mistreated, seen with contempt, often carefully avoided. Expanded clay and peat are two highly contested and criticized elements among growers of succulent plants and cacti in particular. Net of the chatter from the Internet, are these really two materials that should be forgotten with the cultivation of this type of plant? The question remains open and every grower has his reasons, but there is a fact: on the Net, as far as expanded clay and peat are concerned, everything is said. Above all, it is said that they retain humidity excessively and for this reason they should be banned from the cultivation of cacti and succulents in general. It is said that they favor the onset of rot, that they do not let the roots breathe and much more. Why then do many serious nurserymen (and expert growers with them) still make extensive use of those elements? Simply because, as in many factors of cultivation, the point is not so much the material itself, but the type of use that is made of it.

In this article, let’s try to understand if expanded clay and peat are really such “dangerous” materials for cacti and succulents, if and how they can be used and what their real pros and cons are. (…)

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L'articolo Expanded clay and peat: are they really two materials to avoid when growing succulents? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Full sun? But what do you want to know, the window on the landing is enough! Substrate? I buy it ready at the supermarket, it’s perfect. The pots? The smaller the better: never leave more than half a centimeter between the plant and the edge of the pot… And so on, by dint of amenities, false beliefs, hearsay phrases that rapidly becomes dogma because… because it was said by that guy on Facebook and it’s immediately clear that he’s someone who knows about it because his videos has the right lights and Kubrick seems to have done the editing for him. Joking aside, how much nonsense do we still have to hear today about the cultivation of cacti? How many improvised “influencers” ride the crest of social media driven by the Mistral of likes (yes, likes, which in jargon are called “the metrics of vanity”…) and, supported by legions of followers and big thumbs up, they deliver lessons and conferences winking from the monitors, revealing “5 fantastic tricks you don’t know about cacti” or “how to go from seed to flowering plant in 35 seconds”. Or, with an attitude halfway between the conspiratorial and the revealer of esoteric secrets, they promise to teach you everything, absolutely everything about the cultivation of these splendid plants. Then, perhaps, you dig a little and discover that the influencer on duty has been growing cacti for 2 or 3 years – a gift from grandmother -, keeps them next to the PC or television (“you know, they absorb magnetic rays”), he can’t distinguish a Rebutia from a Begonia and has never bothered to leaf through any book on cacti and succulents. There are also influencers for plants, right? No. There are likeable and well-prepared characters, there are pretty faces who know something, but there is also a lot of “fluff” (forgive the old reporter’s term). So much wrong information, so much confusion and so much unpreparedness.

So, without any desire to offer you “The Word” with this article, here is a handbook, a list of ten things you need to know (or you should already know!) if you really want to cultivate your cacti in the best possible way. Without tricks or deceptions: here we are at the fundamentals, come on. But without these you go nowhere. And I am convinced that even those who, scrolling through the 10 points will say “ah yes, I know” ten times, will find in this handbook a useful tool for reviewing, asking themselves a few more questions and pushing themselves to improve. And rest assured, what follows does not come from the web, but from 30 years of experience in the field, of experiments and failures, from discussions with growers and scholars far more expert than me and from reading a few dozen manuals in Italian, English, French, Spanish (and also German, although in that case, I confess, I limited myself to photographs and captions, not knowing the Teutonic language!) (…)

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L'articolo How to grow cactus: the handbook with the 10 things you absolutely need to know to avoid mistakes proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Recently, on the social channels connected to the site, I published a short video in which I repot an Astrophytum asterias in a substrate composed solely of Seramis. Following that video, many asked me for information on this particular material with its characteristic orange colour, in fact little used in the cultivation of succulents and not easily available in small nurseries. I have had the opportunity to use Seramis in the past in the cultivation of some cactaceae and my experience has been decidedly positive (although, as a porous inert material, in my opinion pumice remains the best material ever) and it is also for this reason that I recently employed it for the Astrophytum subject of the video (video that you can also find at the end of this article).

Answering many questions received in recent weeks, let’s see in the following article what exactly Seramis is, what are the strengths and weaknesses of this material and what can be its use with succulents and, in particular, with cacti. (…)

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L'articolo Seramis, an alternative material for growing cacti and succulent plants: pros and cons proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Hydroculture and succulent plants sound, in some ways, like a conceptual oxymoron. Plants that have naturally evolved to cope with drought, rainfall concentrated in short periods of the year; plants that grow in extremely dry soils, in short, how can they get along with hydroculture? In other words, how can they be grown with a technique that requires the roots to be in constant contact with water? The answer is simple: they can’t. However … however in certain cases and following precise precautions, the constant contact of the roots of a succulent plant with water can be used to save that plant. Even if that plant is a succulent. And that’s exactly what I’m trying to do these days to save two Astrophytum asterias of my sowing in conditions of extreme dehydration, on the verge of dying of thirst (which would be very strange for a cacti!). But let’s go step by step and see exactly what happened to these two plants and how (and why) I’m trying to save them through a kind of “temporary hydroculture”.

I explain everything with lots of photos in the following article, which I consider – in fact – the description of an experiment that is perhaps risky and certainly unorthodox but at the same time not devoid of logic. (…)

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L'articolo Severely dehydrated Astrophytum asterias: here’s a rescue attempt with… hydroculture! proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Who hasn’t happened at least once to observe in some office, apartment or even non-specialized nurseries (or garden) those cone-shaped cacti with thin spines and pale green stem? Cacti with a rounded base and an elongated apex, tapered to the point of giving the plant an almost pyramidal shape. The novice grower may think that is the normal bearing of the plant, but the grower with some experience – or even just a critical mind – usually is horrified at such plants. If anything, he or she may be saddened, because he or she knows full well that that is not the normal bearing of the cacti at all, but simply the outcome of what is technically called “etiolation” or, commonly, “spinning.” By the way, the photos above and those accompanying this article are of plants in a nursery and not mine, I want to make that clear right away!

Why does this fate happen to some cacti? How to avoid cactus etiolation and how to distinguish it from normal growth or from growth that is simply dissimilar to normal? Is it possible to remedy the damage caused by spinning on a cactus? We answer these questions in the following article. (…)

Let us first clarify that cactus etiolation is a phenomenon that affects not only cacti, but all botanical families. If anything, the problem with cacti is that it is generally an arrestable but, unfortunately, irreversible process. If in leafy plants, shrubs and trees in general it’s indeed possible to remedy by perhaps even drastically pruning the “spindly” branches, in cacti there is little that can be done to restore the plant to its original state. The reason is obvious: cacti develop through single or at most suckered and only rarely branched bodies (think of some candelabra-like cereus), but on the whole the shape of the stem is the shape of the plant, is its appearance. It is one and the same in short. That’s why effectively remedying etiolation is very difficult: you can bring the plant back to an acceptable condition, but if the phenomenon has affected drastically, returning to the original form will be impossible. I will discuss this in more detail later.

Definition of etiolation in cacti and succulent plants

Let us first see what exactly is meant by the term “etiolation” from a botanical point of view. A brief but at the same time comprehensive answer can be found in the easy-to-read booklet, “Conoscere e coltivare le piante succulente” (“Knowing and Growing Succulent Plants“) published by the Italian Succulent Plant Lovers Association (Rome, November 30, 2005), which defines this phenomenon as follows: “Physiological process that occurs in plants when they are in a condition of insufficient light, consisting in an elongation and thinning of stems and branches that thus increase the surface area suitable for photosynthesis“. The first basic clue is that this is a physiological process, thus in some ways “natural.” Natural in a relative sense, since it’s a plant response to suboptimal (in not wrong) growing conditions. In fact, the definition goes on saying that etiolation occurs when plants are in “an insufficient light condition“. So the real cause of this phenomenon is the lack of light. Plants “spin,” as it is commonly said, not when they are in an inadequate substrate or when they are watered too frequently or infrequently or when they are over – or under- fertilized. Plants go into etiolation when they do not get enough light.

However, this concept is also relative and should be commensurate with the needs of the plant. It’s well known that there are plants that can survive only with limited exposure, filtered by other plants. Think of orchids, which do not tolerate direct sun because they are plants native to tropical or subtropical areas and thrive leaning against the branches of trees and shrubs whose foliage shields them from direct sunlight. There are plants that grow perfectly well in half-shade, that is, with bright light for only a few hours, and plants that grow well only when invested with maximum sunlight throughout the day. And this is the case with most cacti, which thrive in semi-desert areas, often in areas where there is little or almost no vegetation. At most, some cacti receive shelter from rocks or shrubs or, in the case of seedlings, from the shade cast by the mother plant. Even in these cases, however, the light they can benefit from is intense and lasts from dawn to dusk. Of course, there are also many cacti that do not tolerate direct sun and grow only under the shelter of boulders and leafy plants, as in the case of the Epiphyllums that live in rainforests and in the case of the “Christmas Cactus” (Schlumbergera) .

Having clarified this first fundamental aspect, the second part of the description helps us understand what the effects of etiolation are and why they occur. Etiolation involves an “elongation and thinning of stems and branches that thereby increase the surface area suitable for photosynthesis“. In other words, plants go in search of light, just as we would go to grasp a distant object: we stretch, we make an effort. The difference is that human beings have a limit and can stretch only within precise physical boundaries (except moving through space simply by walking!), then returning to their original posture once the effort is made. Plants do not have this limit and can elongate far beyond their original status, but they pay a very steep price, which is precisely etiolation, an irreversible process involving the permanent deformation of the plant itself. Branches or stems grow out of all proportion – desperate for the light they hope to find beyond the area of shade in which they find themselves – and once the effort is made they remain deformed, elongated, thinned, with the result that the plant loses its compact and orderly appearance. In other words, it loses its natural look.

Etiolation in cacti, how it occurs

Calming the above definition to the world of cacti, we can add that etiolation is always accompanied by discoloration of the stem, which turns from dark green or bright green to light green. In leafy plants this phenomenon affects the leaves themselves, which turn yellow. Whether stems or leaves, discoloration is always due to the deficiency of chlorophyll, which is produced, as everyone knows, by photosynthesis, that is, with the help of sunlight. In very severe cases, as in many of those you see in the photos accompanying this article, the shape of the stem can alter to the point where a globular bearing cactus (e.g., Echinocactus grusonii) takes on a columnar habit with the apex rising in height while shrinking more and more. For those who are not familiar with cacti, the result may not raise particular questions (although from the point of view of aesthetics there would still be quite a lot to say), but those who have the slightest familiarity with cacti cannot help but be horrified at such compromised specimens. In cacti, moreover, etiolation greatly affects the formation of new spines, which grow much thinner in the “spun” part than they should. Indeed, in cases of severe etiolation the spines are almost insubstantial and sparser than normal.

Etiolation or abnormal growth of the plant?

In severe cases, etiolation of cacti is very easy to recognize. Unless you have no knowledge of this botanical family, it will immediately appear abnormal if the plant has a spun, discolored, thornless apex. If you see it in a nursery, forget about it: it would be a wrong purchase since there is no way back, from an aesthetic point of view. The principle of cactus etiolation, on the other hand, may not appear so obvious. At least not to the experienced grower. We take a good look at the plants, and if we have doubts about their shape, we look online for photos of those same plants in habitat. This will be enough to give us an idea of the correct habit that that plant should have: globular, columnar, branched, tufted, etc. Unmistakable clues to a principle of etiolation are discoloration of the stem apex, which may appear pale green, and the absence of new spines (or the formation of spines that are significantly thinner than they should be). In these cases the plant is beginning to spin and is telling us that it desperately needs light. Be careful, however: let’s not move it into direct sun right away, because the apex of the plant is delicate, especially if it is beginning to etiolate, and we would only burn it. We move the plant to a brighter place for a few weeks, then, if it is a cactus that wants direct sun, we can move it outdoors.

The novice grower may find it difficult to distinguish between true etiolation, abnormal growth or even regular growth. In fact, it may happen that a cactacea with a globular habit grows in height. This is not always a sign of etiolation. Let’s take a close look at the plant: if the stem has no narrowing in the direction of the apex, if the spines are uniform, if the plant has no bottlenecks or discoloration, this is not etiolation but an abnormal growth. This can be due to several factors: first, we have to consider that over the years many cacti tend to become brevicylindrical from globose. They also do this in habitat and it’s normal: many Ferocactus and Echinocatus have this “habit” as do Euphorbia obesa.

Cactus and succulent plants: a guide to identification and classification.

If, however, we are not dealing with large or aged specimens, then it will be abnormal growth due to other factors. Excluding genetics, which we cannot investigate and intervene on, growing factors are irrigation, fertilization, temperature, and substrate. Overfertilization can easily alter the bearing of any plant, as the use of an unsuitable substrate. Also the exposure, even if not insufficient to the point of causing etiolation, may not be adequate, leading that plant to grow differently than Nature intended. By restoring proper growing conditions, we are unlikely to cause the abnormally grown plant to resume a right look, but if nothing else, we will encourage new and proper growth.

What to do against cactus etiolation

Once we have determined that there’s a principle of etiolation or that our plant has been etiolated for some time, we can take corrective action. Beware, however: as I have written, unfortunately there’s no going back, and the etiolated part will remain forever. If we have a branching succulent plant we can prune off the etiolated branches or pull off the yellowed or elongated leaves, but if the etiolation concerns a cactacea… we have to surrender to the evidence and engage us at least to bring the plant back to proper developmental condition. It’s not rare that with time and new growth the etiolated part will become less noticeable, and the plant will react in a surprising way, taking on a bearing that is indeed abnormal but interesting and aesthetically pleasing. This is what happened to the Echinocactus grusonii that I discuss at the end of this article. In any case, once we identify etiolation or the principle of etiolation in a cactacea, all we can do is try to improve the light conditions by gradually moving it. Never put a plant (etiolated or not) in full sun if that plant is not used to direct light: we only expose it to the risk of severe sunburn. We need to read up on the type of plant (e.g., Cactacea or Euphorbia?), figure out what its light requirements are (direct or filtered sun?) and arrive at the correct exposure in stages. While we re-accustom the plant to the right light intensity, we must reduce watering and suspend fertilization. We also postpone repotting so as to avoid further stress to the plant at this delicate stage.

To find out what the various light requirements of succulents are, you can consult this article, which contains a summary table.

If the plant is healthy and if we can give it the correct amount of light (not only in terms of intensity, but also in terms of hours of sunlight), we are able to stop the etiolation process. At that stage, patience is necessary: the plant resumes growing properly, enlarge the apex, which regains its correct coloring, and forms new spines in line with the old ones, that is, stronger and thicker. In other words, the apex returns to normal, and if we look at the plant from above, we don’t see anything abnormal. If we look at it from the side, we can observe the enlarged base, then the bottleneck in correspondence with the etiolation period, and finally the new growth. The effect, in most cases, is that of an “hourglass”, but if we have nipped the etiolation in the bud, there is a chance that the aesthetic damage becomes less and less visible over time.

Finally, we have to consider an important factor: a “spartan” cultivation, in short, that tries to imitate as much as possible the conditions in which cacti are found in their habitat, can only fortify the plants, slow down the growth rates and, at the same time, prevent etiolation of the stems by contributing to the maintenance of the correct and compact form that these plants have.

Beware of winter: should I bring succulents inside?

For those who grow cacti and succulents correctly, placing them in the proper place during the growing season, winter is he only period at risk of etiolation. Not everyone is fortunate enough to have a greenhouse, and even those who have a garden or a large terrace are forced to shelter cacti and succulents as best they can in winter, particularly in areas of northern Italy. Many resort to the stairwell, others use garages or other cold rooms. Some growers use mountable greenhouses or repair plants with layers of nonwoven fabric. In all these cases, if you stop watering altogether from the end of September and if the plants experience a consistent drop in temperatures, there are no problems. This is because under these conditions succulents stop vegetating and stunt new growth while waiting for spring.

If, on the contrary, succulents do not go into stasis, for example because you continue to water while keeping the plants in a heated place or at least at minimum temperatures of not less than 10 Celsius degrees, the risk of etiolation is real. This happen also because one of the first rules for growing cacti (I mean most of the species) involves avoiding “indoor” cultivation, that is, in an apartment. Even if placed on a south-facing windowsill, cacti will never get enough light and especially not for the amount of hours they need for proper growth. While this is true at any season of the year, it’s more true in winter, when the incidence of sunlight is very low and the hours of light are drastically reduced. If we do not stunt growth, in such low light conditions the plant will only continue to vegetate by etiolating, that is, by going in search of light. It is for this reason (as well as to encourage blooms) that it is essential to overwinter cacti and many succulents in the cold. Beware of exceptions, of course: tropical succulents and some genera of cacti do not tolerate too low a minimum (e.g., Melocactus, Discocactus, Schlumbergera). In these cases we can keep the plants indoors, watering no more than once a month just to contain growth.

If we don’t have an unheated place to shelter the plants, we are forced to take them to the apartment. In these cases, we try to place them in the least heated and most lighted room and still suspend watering so as to push the plants to an abrupt slowdown in growth. Finally, let’s keep in mind an important element: if we stop vegetation altogether by keeping the plants in the cold (for example, with lows around 5 Celsius degrees) and suspending watering, the importance of light is relative and we are able to keep cacti and succulents, in winter, even in dimly lit places without running the risk of etiolation. The ideal solution (I realize that this is not always possible) is not to move the plants, that is, to keep them where we grow them in the growing season, i.e., a balcony, a terrace, a greenhouse, while sheltering them from the cold and rain in the fall and winter months (e.g., with layers of nonwoven fabric or with canopies). In this way the plants will follow natural light cycles, enjoy the right temperatures, and fortify themselves while avoiding the risk of etiolation altogether.

Incidentally: it’s for reasons such as those I have outlined above that very often, in non-generic nurseries, we see cacti and succulents terribly spindled, as in the photos I took in recent days in a nursery and publish in this article. There is a tendency in nurseries to try to keep plants always “bloated” and palatable for sale, watering them year-round and sheltering them with overly dense shade nets (necessary for other, more delicate plant families and perhaps kept on the same benches).

Abnormal reactions to etiolation in cacti

In some cases, following etiolation, cacti may react abnormally when restored to optimal conditions for recovery. This is what happened to the Echinocactus grusonii you see in the photo here. The plant, with its typical globular habit, was given to me four years ago. It was kept for at least a couple of years on an office window sill by the previous owner, in inadequate light conditions. When it was given to me it was in very poor condition: the base was rounded and with spines of correct consistency, but the lack of light had caused the apex to grow tall, taking on the characteristic cone shape of heavily etiolated cacti. The apical part was also pale green and virtually spineless: it had only the hint of a few very thin and sparse spines. In short, a disaster. I took the plant to “save” it and, without repotting it, took it to the greenhouse, in a corner sheltered from direct sun. The Echinocactus stayed in that corner for a whole year, receiving very little watering. In this way I began to accustom the plant to brighter light.

After the first year, when I saw that the apex had begun to regain its proper deep green color, I moved the plant outside to half shade. The cactus received direct light only in the early morning hours and then switched to shade. During the second year, the thorns resumed growing properly, but the plant did something that cacti usually do following a damage to the apex (such as from a bump or some insect bite): it began suckering profusely. The apex became covered with suckers, i.e., new heads with strong, long, golden-yellow spines.

Since the plant suckered, I always kept it outdoors from March through September, watering at most once a month if it was not raining. The result, about four years later, is what you see in the photo. When viewed from above, the plant shows no signs of etiolation and has a very interesting shape, with numerous suckers and beautiful spines. If you look at it from the side you can still see the elongated stem, but with time and the development of suckers I am sure that the damage will almost completely disappear and the Echinocactus will become unique, i.e. heavily suckered and definitely beautiful, harmonious in its new form.

A few photographs of cactus etiolation

Below is a gallery of pictures of heavily etiolated Cactaceae and Euphorbiaceae. The photos were taken at a nursery not specialized in succulent plants. Click on the image to enlarge it.

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Correlated articles

How much light do cactus need? A summary table
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use
When and how fertilize cactus and succulent plants

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo When the cactus “spins”: what is etiolation, how to prevent it and contain the damage proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Net of purely aesthetic and therefore personal choices, let’s see how to choose the right containers for succulents’ cultivation, evaluating the pros and cons of the various shapes and materials with which the pots available on the market are made. (…)

Foreword

Cacti and succulents, in general, are very tolerant and adapt to various methods of cultivation. This is another reason why the choice of the pot is often dictated almost exclusively by aesthetic reasons. Over the years, I have seen cacti grown in enamelled pots, in bonsai pots, or in tin pots, if not in recycled cans, or even in elegant wooden containers. The aesthetic aspect is not up for discussion: it is personal and gives little or nothing to “reason”, that is, the pros and cons of cultivation. In short, in these cases, the pot is chosen because it is liked. This is not the idea of cultivation I’ve had through the years, as those who follow this site know, based on the plant’s wellbeing and on obtaining robust specimens that look as much as possible like those plants in nature. For myself, concerning the use of pot or container, the aesthetic aspect is definitely in the background. I’m not saying that I don’t appreciate a beautiful setting in an aesthetically pleasing vessel (I’ve made more than one myself over the years): I’m just saying that for the vast majority of my plants, the choice of the pot is dictated first and foremost by “functional” reasons and in this area, as we will see later, countless considerations have to be made, pros and cons to be weighed case by case.

Vases, bowls, cassettes: the types

Beyond the compositions, which bring together several plants in a single container – often neglecting that plants have very different cultivation needs – succulent and cacti can be grown in single pots or in large containers, such as bowls or crates, capable of accommodating a variable number of specimens. The pros of the choice of the single vessel are obviously the saving of space, the simplification obtained in the management of a single container (even if heavy) compared to the moving of many little pots and in fact that in single pots, the plants have more space to expand their roots and, consequently, more soil. The cons of this choice, however, are significant. Firstly, some plants will colonize the space faster, spreading their roots at the expense of others, with the result that the latter will grow more slowly and remain smaller. Secondly – and in my opinion, this is the most important consideration – in case of disease, we risk losing all the specimens and not only the one initially affected. Let’s think of a cochineal attack, for example: in plants in close contact, the parasite will soon pass from one specimen to another. Worse still in case of root parasites or fungal diseases, in particular, those originating from bacteria present in the soil: in these cases, the affected plant will quickly share the problem with all the others grown in the same container, and we risk losing not one but all the plants grown together.

Another risk for that plants grown in single containers is related to watering. If we water at the wrong time or exceed it (especially if the soil is not correct), we’ll have water stagnation that will affect all. Because of this, I have been growing my plants in single pots, limiting the cultivation of multiple specimens in single boxes or bowls only to some succulents such as Lithops, Crassula, Sempervivum and Echeveria, or particularly strong cacti such as Echinopsis. I also grow my seedlings in single containers for obvious reasons: I place several seeds in the same vessel, and for one or two years after germination, the seedlings remain in that same container. When I have to replant the seedlings, I consider the size of the single specimen. I put plants of two or three centimetres in single pots, while smaller ones will share boxes, seed pots or Styrofoam containers, well-spaced between them to allow the correct root development. In some cases, it has happened to me to lose some single specimens of my sowings because of rottenness, but fortunately, I have never had collective deaths, not even in all those cases in which I have limited myself to remove the rotten specimen without removing the others grown in the same container.

Plastic, brick, aluminium: the materials

On paper, we could say that by now, we are spoilt for choice, as we can easily find pots in plastic, terracotta, aluminium, wood, stoneware, glass, glazed terracotta and other materials. If time ago terracotta was considered the best, today the possibilities are really endless, also considering… the creativity, which can lead to making vases with recycled objects, such as milk, cans, containers of various shapes and sizes…

 Plastic  – While it is true that every material has its merits and demerits, as far as I am concerned, plastic and terracotta remain the two most viable alternatives. Having thousands of plants over the years, I have definitely switched to plastic (although from an environmental point of view, it is not the best…). The reasons that can lead to prefer plastic pots, which are easy to wash and recycle, are many: first of all, the weight, which is decidedly low compared to one of the terracotta pots. This may seem a minor consideration, but when you have many plants to move twice a year from the greenhouse to the outside (and vice versa), your back will tell you that there is no match between plastic and terracotta.

Another characteristic of plastic is that it does not allow any transpiration from the inside to the outside. In other words, the walls of plastic pots, differently from the terracotta pots, do not allow any air exchange between the substrate and the outside. This cause that water to take longer to evaporate, as it can only evaporate up to the surface. So we will have to learn to calibrate the watering according to the pot size (a 2-inch pot contains very little soil compared to a 10-inch pot, for example) and, above all, according to the substrate composition. Of course, the bulk of the work will be done by the plant itself (in addition to the drainage holes in the bottom, which are necessary for any pot), which absorbs water from the substrate, contributing significantly to the substrate drying quickly. And this brings us to the advantage of plastic over terracotta: by retaining moisture longer with plastic pots, we can water at longer intervals. When you have many plants, this is a “detail” that loses the connotation of “detail” to gain value.

 Terracotta  – Terracotta pots are undoubtedly more environmentally friendly, more pleasing and natural to the eye and retain (at least in my eyes) an undeniable retro charm. It’s reasonable to opt for terracotta if you have a few plants, and you don’t need to move them several times during the year. However, you have to consider that terracotta allows transpiration from the pot’s inside to the outside, with the consequence that the soil will dry more quickly. While this at first glance may seem like an advantage, in the warmer months, the substrate if very draining, and it will dry out so fast that close watering will be necessary (in summer, even every other day). As long as you have only a few plants, this is not a problem, but when we start to get the hang of it, and the specimens exceed a hundred, watering them all every other day becomes almost another day job: try it!

The third disadvantage of using plastic is generally discovered during the first repotting, especially when you do it after some years. Thanks to the porosity of terracotta, in fact, the roots of the plants, once the colonization of the soil is over, literally cling to the inner edges, so they can take advantage of the humidity that permeates the pots themselves. Over time, the capillary roots cover the pot’s inner rim, forming a sort of “felt” that glues the plant to the vase. When repotting, nine times out of ten, after sweating (and probably swearing) for an interminable amount of time, you will find that the only way to get the plant out of the pot is to take a hammer and crumble the terracotta. At that point, you’ll have more tears to shed: some for the vase itself, which you’ll no longer be able to use, and others for the work ahead of you to break up the loaf of soil and free the felted roots, compact and tangled like the plot of a psychological thriller.

With plastic pots, to flare the plant, most of the time is sufficient to turn the pot upside down, or, in case of large or particularly thorny plants, wrap the plant with a cloth and pull it out of the pot. The only difficulty, when repotting succulents in plastic pots, I found when I let several years pass since the previous repotting: in those cases, the plant had fully colonized the soil, deforming the vase under the pressure of the roots and making it almost impossible to extract, to the point that I could only cut it with a cutter.
Terracotta pots, as plastic pots, are also easily recycled and can be washed, although it takes longer due to the material porosity.

 Aluminium, glass, wood  – With other non-transpiring materials, such as glass and aluminium, the same considerations listed for plastic and related to non-transpiration of soil are valid. However, we have to add the defect that characterizes terracotta, the pot’s weight (at least if we have vases with hard size). Since aluminium and glass containers are generally made for purposes other than plant cultivation, or at best are used as pot covers, it is essential to make sure that drainage holes are present at the bottom: never use pots closed at the bottom (and this applies not only to succulents but to any plant). Wooden pots and containers can be very aesthetically pleasing, but unless they are covered with a plastic sheet inside or treated with special paints, they are destined to become impregnated with water and, over time, to deteriorate and rot, especially in case of outdoor or greenhouse cultivation, with a sprinkling of water.

 Enameled pots for bonsai  – Evergreen pots for bonsai have always been very appreciated and used by cacti and succulents growers. From an aesthetic point of view, they can be real works of art, but from a functional one, suitable for growing succulents only in some cases. This is mainly due to their shape, generally box-shaped and therefore wide and low, so not very compatible with the expansion of the roots in-depth and not recommended for plants with taproots, such as Ariocarpus, Lophophora, certain Coryphantha, certain Mammillaria and many other cacti. Moreover, unless the inside is enamelled, it’s better to avoid bonsai pots in the cultivation of succulent plants: if we leave the plant for too many years in the same container, the only way to take it out will be to break the pot. A real shame, considering the aesthetic and economic value of this type of vases.

Round or square, high or low?

Regarding the shape of the pot, there is little to discuss on a functional level: here, it’s more a matter of taste because the plants adapt perfectly to any type of container, be it round or circular. Generally speaking, it can be said that shallow and wide bowls are better suited to accommodate globular or tall cacti, while traditional cone-shaped or cylindrical pots are aesthetically more suitable for columnar succulents.

One factor that can play a significant role in the option when you have many plants is undoubtedly space-saving. In this case, the square pot is the first choice: it has been specially designed to ensure the full use of space by the plant and, with the same size as a round pot, the square pot contains more soil. And that’s not all: if placed side by side, square vases avoid considerable waste of space compared to circular vases, which, even when placed side by side, will not allow to fully exploit benches or shelves, leaving triangles of empty space between one edge and the other. If with few plants, this consideration can have a relative weight, with hundreds or thousands of specimens, the choice becomes almost compulsory, unless you have a considerable number of huge greenhouses. It is no coincidence that square pots are the ones most used by collectors and specialized nurserymen. Whether you opt for the square pot or the round one, there are two elements to consider when repotting the plant. The first one is the steam size, the second one is the size of the root system. In both cases, there must be a proportion between the plant and the container. As for the stem, the choice is simple and entrusted to aesthetic canons, keeping in mind that it is appropriate that the pot can easily contain the body of the plant and, possibly, the thorns (unless these are exceptionally long, as in the case of some Lobivia or some Ferocactus). As a general rule, it’s recommended there can be two to four or five centimetres between the stem and the pot’s edge.

However, concerning the root system, the evaluation requires some experience and a surplus of observation when we’ll have flared the plant. First of all, if we are dealing with a cactus with a taproot (i.e. a “carrot” root, as in Ariocarpus), it’s necessary to use high pots, where the taproot can be comfortably accommodated, and the rootlets can develop in-depth rather than width. In these cases, we will avoid bowls and choose cylindrical or square pots instead (in the last years, you can find high pots for plants like Ariocarpus, Lophophora, etc.). If, on the other hand, the root system is not taprooted, we will have to evaluate based on the specimen to be repotted: if the roots are short and thick or if we see that they tend to develop horizontally (this is the case of Echinocactus and many Ferocactus, for example), we can use low and wide bowls or square pots that are not too deep (with the same length of the side, there are high square pots and low and squat square pots). 

One thing, based on my experience, I can affirm: cacti and succulents, contrary to what has been believed for years (and contrary to what too many enthusiasts still believe), do not fear large spaces in which to grow. Miniature pots are an imposition and only limit the growth of the plant. On the contrary, if the soil is balanced and draining, ample and deep pots favour the correct plant’s development of the plant without exposing it to the risk of water stagnation that can trigger rottenness.

It is a different matter if the plant is suffering and the root system is compromised or absent because, in these cases, the choice will fall on low pots and bowls, which we will fill with pumice for helping the plant emit new roots. Large pots can be inadequate if the roots are missing or suffering, because they contain an excessive quantity of soil which not absorb the watering and will remain too long in a wet substrate, if not soggy. So initially, it’s better to use pots and bowls that are not bigger than the ones of the stem, postponing to a second time – at least a couple of years later when we are sure the plant will be healthy again – the repotting in a container suitable for the size of the specimen and for the new root system.

Cactus without roots: how to intervene to save the plant and make it healthy again.

Colours and particularities of pots

From a functional point of view, the importance of the pot’s colour is not so relevant. Some say that black pots can be dangerous because, by attracting and keeping more sun rays, they could favour the substrate overheat and causing the roots to suffer. Theoretically, the argument is not out of place, but for over twenty-five years, I have been using black pots (the classic square pots for growing), and I have never had problems due to overheating of the roots, even in plants that I keep outside the greenhouse, exposed to direct sunlight. In short, I have never experienced any difference from the plants I grow in terracotta-coloured plastic pots, even when, in the middle of summer and after hours of direct sun, they are hot.

I know growers who have the patience to cover the outside of their pots with white tape, just as I know a brilliant grower, David Rubbo, who has the patience to “insulate” many of his pots. He cuts out some polystyrene’s sheets less than a centimetre thick and puts them in square pots inside which he then places the vases in which he has set his plants, thus creating a sort of internal insulation able to lower the incidence of sunlight on the walls of the pot.

Among the peculiarities of the pots currently on the market, it is worth mentioning the anti-spiralization grooves. These are small canals that run along the edges of square vases so that the roots avoid, over time, to turn around the inner walls of the vase, creating tangles that are difficult to untangle when repotting. Frankly, I have never had the chance to experience its usefulness, and when, during repotting, I have to deal with tangled roots, I arm myself with patience and try to free them as much as possible. Apart from the colour, the shape or the anti-spiralization channels, only one thing must never be missing in pots: the drainage hole or holes. Essential for all plants, they are even more so for succulent plants, which do not tolerate water stagnation or excessive humidity. In old terracotta pots, there is always a single drainage hole at the bottom. It’s wide enough to avoid excessive spills of soil, it can be covered with a stone or with a shard of another pot, and it is more than enough for the purpose.

In plastic pots, especially in the square ones, there are usually more slits on the bottom to allow excess water to drain without the potting soil leaking out during repotting when it is dry and not yet settled. On the market, finally, you can also find pots with a semi-open bottom, that is, with a simple radius: in this way, the outflow of excess water is maximum, but it will be necessary, during repotting, to put coarse material on the bottom (lapillus or expanded clay) to prevent the soil from leaking out immediately.

How to choose the pot: the criteria

In the light of the elements just described, choosing the right pot wherever to place a cactus or a succulent plant might seem a difficult task. Actually, all you need is a little experience and knowledge of your cultivation method and of the conditions that you will be able to ensure to your plants: for example, air, full light, minimum temperatures, frequency of watering and fertilizing, type of substrate. The rest is just a compromise between one’s aesthetic taste and the functional aspect. It’s essential to respect the plant’s root system structure and ensure sufficient space for the specimen’s development and growth. You don’t need “bathtubs”, but you should avoid the tiny pots (under 5 centimetres) in which we almost always find succulents in non-specialized gardens. The correct potting soil and the right cultivation will do the rest.

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Correlated articles

Six identical cacti in three different soils
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

© The texts, videos, photos and graphic elaborations of the site “Il fiore tra le spine” are original material and are covered by copyright. It’s forbidden to reproduce them in any way.

L'articolo Plastic, terracotta, square or round? Here’s how to choose pots for cacti and succulents proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.