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.

In this article we see how to make a proper substrate for use with any genre of cactus and, with appropriate adjustments, with succulents, in general. We will make it, and this is the point of this article, with materials that anyone can now easily find in any place (…).

Introduction

One characteristic that any substrate for cacti and succulent plants, in general, must have is the ability to drain water and dry quickly. It is the starting point, the end to which we must strive if we want to make good potting soil for succulent botanical families. The materials we can use are virtually limitless and can also vary according to the type of cultivation we want to pursue. Spartan cultivation to obtain plants similar to those in the wild, “push” cultivation to have plants that are swollen and “immaculate-looking,” “maintenance” cultivation, that is, with no particular purpose other than to grow the plant properly, etc. The combinations we can make with various materials are virtually endless and, theoretically, we could try to prepare a suitable substrate for each individual species that we intend to grow. Each plant has its own specific needs, and even among cacti, there are the species that want more organic material, others that want exclusively mineral potting soils, others that require lime substrates, and so on.

Of course, this fact opens the door to experimentation, which I recommend to anyone who has the time, desire and curiosity to test various substrates to figure out which is the best formula for this or that kind of plant (obviously in combination with the other growth factors, such as water, exposure, temperatures…).

Here you will find an article related to one of the experiments I have done over the years.

The “common” materials

After this long introduction, going back to the purpose of this article, which is nothing more than to provide basic directions for making proper soil for cacti and succulent plants using only materials readily available in any nursery and building materials retailer. Yes, because while it is true that online we can buy (up to certain quantities, of course), peat, quartzite, gravel, sand, gypsum, pumice, and lapilli of all colours and sizes, as well as potting soils specially made for cacti or succulent plants, it is equally true that good compromises can be made with “common” materials, especially if you don’t want to have too many problems.

Field soil and marl deserve a separate discussion. Field soil means clay, which can be more or less calcareous, more or less sandy, and more or less rich in nutrients. In short, there are endless types, and the best way to know whether or not that field soil, mixed with aggregates such as gravel, pumice, and sand, is suitable for cacti is to experiment with it for at least a couple of years. We can say the same thing for marl, a material exceptional for growing different kinds of cacti (if you are unfamiliar with marl, find a specific article here). Marl is almost impossible to find commercially, and even when you get it, you should be careful because there are various types, and not all of them are good for cacti.

Learn more about using field soil and marl in cactus substrates in this specific article.

The classic mix

A first viable option for those who want to avoid problems, as I have written on several occasions, is the traditional mix of equal parts lapilli, pumice and peat. It is the most popular potting soil for growing cacti and succulents, especially in skilled nurseries. In principle, it gives good results with all cacti, even working very well for leafy succulents (e.g., Crassula, Echeveria, etc.) simply by adding a little peat or earthworm humus, to make the substrate a little richer organically. Pumice and lapilli usually come in sizes between 3 and 7 millimetres, and this type of substrate is easily found online or at skilled nurseries. Unfortunately, it is not yet found commercially in all nurseries or gardens that do not specialise in succulents.

This is the article’s main focus because this substrate can be made without difficulty by retrieving materials from any large nursery or garden store.

First of all, the peat. It is the organic component of the substrate that contains the nutrients needed by plants. Most cacti, in nature, live in organically poor soils, which is why in the correct substrates intended for these plants peat should never be prevalent. Again, peat retains moisture for a long time, while the basis of a valid substrate for succulents, as we have seen, is the ability to drain water and dry quickly. For these reasons potting soils intended for cacti, it’s a good idea not to use peat percentages of more than 40 per cent. With some species, particularly those with “taproots” (e.g., Ariocarpus), the amount of peat will have to be decidedly small: a maximum of 20 per cent of the total. On the contrary, in leafy succulents is correct to provide at least 50 per cent peat because these plants need more organically “rich” potting soils. At the same time require greater amounts of water than cacti (their substrate will therefore have to remain moist a little longer to allow the roots to absorb the necessary water).

Peat can be found in any nursery: in fact, it is the material that makes up all so-called ‘universal potting soils’, i.e. intended for any genre of plants. At the same time, peat is the basis of all other packaged potting soils that we find in gardens: from those for citrus trees to those for ornamental plants, turf, acidophilic plants, and aromatic plants. All these potting soils are composed mainly of peat (there can be different types, but it is always peat) and, as appropriate, small percentages of sand, perlite, or pumice. The only potting soil not to be considered with succulents is orchid-specific potting soil, which contains no peat (or very little of it) and is composed mainly of bark.

The same ready-made potting soils for cacti and succulents are nothing more than peat with a little sand, pumice or perlite. On their own, they are no good, but they can be considered on par with peat or universal potting soil, with the advantage that they will already contain some sand, perlite or pumice.
For the rest, one ready-made potting soil is as good as another: what matters is that it is of good quality and that the peat is fine and not rich in filaments, bark, timbers, and other things. If we want to be precise and have a choice, we use blond sphagnum peat, which is slightly acidic and is fine for most succulents.

As an alternative to peat, since from a sustainability point of view, its consumption on a global level has become excessive in recent years, one can use earthworm humus, which can be found in all nurseries.

The other two elements of the traditional mix are pumice and lapilli. You can find both in well-stocked gardens, with one “flaw”: the size is almost always coarse, around 10 millimetres. There are no problems if you have to re-pot large succulents. But if you have seedlings to be placed in 5 or 7-centimetre pots, there are two alternatives and you have to be patient: you can either sift the material keeping the smaller part, or you can use the hammer (with a greater dose of patience) and break pumice and lapilli into smaller pieces. Of the two materials, in my experience, pumice is best, simply because it dries faster. With these three elements (universal potting soil, pumice, lapilli), we can already make a perfect substrate that is very popular in growing cacti and succulents. Mix well one part peat (as a unit of measurement, you can use the scoop) with one part pumice and one part lapilli, and the substrate is ready. If it is intended for leafy succulents, add a couple of scoops of peat to the final mix; if you intend to use it for “mangy,” very moisture-sensitive cacti, reduce the amount of peat by half.

The ‘simple’ mix

A valid alternative to the classic pumice/lapillus/peat mix, which can also be found for sale online or in large bags at some nurseries specialising in succulents, is the potting soil that I have prepared in the video published below. It is an even simpler but perfect substrate for almost all cacti and succulents, which I use when I finished my specific mixtures. Again, the starting point is peat. If the universal potting soil is of good quality, there will be no need to sieve it because it will not have any residual bark, coconut fibre, wood and other ‘impurities’. Good quality universal potting soil, it bears repeating, is usually peat of two or three types already sieved fine (and even this is fine because we will be adding the ‘coarse’ part to the compost), and added with a little pumice or, more often, perlite.

To one part peat, we add one part pumice and half a part fine sand, and the substrate is ready. As I have written before, the pumice we find in gardens is usually coarse-grained but can be sieved or crushed if necessary. Sand, on the other hand, is easily found at building material dealers. Caution: it must be river sand, preferably silica sand. Avoid sea sand. As I pointed out, in this substrate to one part peat and one part pumice I add only half a part sand because fine sand is only very useful in small quantities. If we were to make potting soil with only fine material (sand, pure peat or pumice powder, for example), we would create a potential succulent ‘killer’. In fact, after a few waterings, the substrate would compact and remain constantly moist, causing asphyxiation and root rot. Therefore, it is essential to have both a fine part (useful for rooting) and a coarse part in the substrate, which can make the soil ‘loose’ and increase its drainage capacity.

As I explain in the video, we can make small changes to this mixture if necessary so that it is also perfect in specific cases. For example, if we have to re-pot leafy succulents or hardy plants such as Echinopsis or epiphytic cacti such as Epiphyllum or Schlumbergera we can increase the amount of peat a little (add a couple of shovelfuls at the end and mix everything well). On the contrary, if we are dealing with delicate, slow-growing and particularly sensitive to stagnation plants such as Ariocarpus, Pelecyphora, Aztekium, Copiapoa and others, we can halve the amount of peat and add gravel or quartzite to the substrate.

The latter are also readily available materials in any city. Gravel (with a grain size of between 3 and 5 millimetres) can be found at building material dealers, often mixed with sand. In these cases, with a bit of patience and a fine-mesh sieve, you will be able to separate the sand from the gravel and thus be able to use them in separate dosages. On the other hand, quartzite can be found in aquarium shops or pet shops. There are countless types of quartzite: it can be bought in various sizes and colours. Just be sure it is not “treated” or in any way coloured material.

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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

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L'articolo A good cactus potting soil with materials readily available in any nursery? Here is how to do it proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Speaking of cactus sowings, a classic question, and one not infrequently asked with a fair amount of (unnecessary) apprehension, is: after how long should seedlings be repotted? In other words, when do the young seedlings need to be repotted and perhaps divided into individual pots? Again, as with many other “cactophilies matters”, the answer depends on various cultivation factors. Based on experience, however, it is possible to give general indications useful to those who experiment with sowing for the first time.

Let’s see in detail, in this article, everything we need to know about this fundamental step for the proper growth of plants from our sowing. (…)

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L'articolo When to pricking out cactus seedlings, how to do it correctly, and what potting soil to use proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Instead, the aim of “wild” cultivation is to obtain specimens as robust as possible, and with the same look to those that grow in the habitat (I write about this cultivation’s philosophy here). In addition to the documentation and possibly travel to observe the plants in nature, it is essential to engage in some experiments and be willing to question continuously, even if it could lose some specimens (not the valuable ones, of course). (…)

One of the fields in which we can experiment the most is that of substrates (or potting soils). If it is true that the growth of a plant – in our case cacti or succulents – is influenced by an infinite number of factors such as exposure, temperature, watering, fertilization, etc., it is also true that the substrate is one of the elements on which we can most “indulge” to test the reactions of plants and, consequently, their growth to note everything and draw useful conclusions. Without going into the details of succulent potting soils (here you will find a series of articles dedicated to this topic), I summarize in this post a simple experiment that I have done in recent days, also related to some other “tests” on substrates that I have done over the years with other species of cacti.

It all stems from a simple visit to the local nursery in June to get some products commonly used for the greenhouse. Among the succulents that had recently arrived in large quantities from the Ligurian Riviera – common plants for a euro each – I noticed a whole plate of Mammillaria hahniana. I generally don’t buy cacti from non-specialized nurseries, and in recent years I’ve cut back on purchases considerably, preferring to sow my own plants. However, the Mammillaria were beautiful and, like all “white” Mammillaria, interesting to me. Those seedlings, about two years old, definitely came from the same sowing: they were, in fact, of identical size (a couple of centimetres in diameter), all similar and grown in the same small pots (2.5 cm). They were cultivated in pure peat-based potting soils, like almost all plants from large production nurseries, but well-formed and proportioned, i.e. not yet over-pumped by nitrogen-based fertilization, to speed the growth. Young, same-seeded plants are perfect for experimenting with different potting media, because the basic genetic makeup is shared and the young age means that the plants have grown in identical conditions up to that point, without developing significant differences due to, say, different watering or fertilizing regimes, exposure, and so on.

I decided to buy six specimens to start a test, even though June is not a time for repotting by my standards. On the other hand, I haven’t planted for a couple of years and having six Mammillaria to learn something new from seemed like a good opportunity, even though I have done some testing with other Mammillaria species in the past.

Once I got the plants into the greenhouse, I unplugged them and freed the root system from the pure peat they had been growing in. The peat was soaked, and I helped myself with a jet of water to thoroughly clean the roots removing any residual soil. Of course, during this operation, the peripheral rootlets went away with it, but this will not create any problem for the plants, which are young and healthy and will quickly rebuild the root system. Once the roots were cleaned and evened out, I placed the bare-root plants on a Styrofoam base and left them in mid-shade, directly in the greenhouse, to dry. The plants stayed in this way for seven days, and even though we are in the period of full vegetation, the stem did not even hint at deflating. After a week, with the roots perfectly dry and healed, I repotted the six Mammillaria. To avoid differences in growth influenced by the containers, I used pots of identical size for all six plants (also because the plants and the roots were of similar size): I chose square ones of 8 cm side, large compared to the stem and the root system but not disproportionate. If the growth respects regular rhythms, the Mammillaria can remain in these pots for at least 3 or 4 years without problems.

As for the potting soils, I made do with what I had available at the time. Unfortunately, this year I ran out of marl that I get directly from an area a couple of hours from home and had to give up a substrate that always works very well with white Mammillaria… To give reliability to the test, I placed two specimens for each type of soil (even more reliable results would obviously be obtained with higher numbers): I repotted two plants in a classic mix of pumice/lapillus/peat in equal parts; other two I planted in a substrate made of clay soil (30%), earthworm humus (10%) and aggregates such as pumice, sand and river gravel. On the last two specimens, I made a test completely “blind” (perhaps it would be better to define it “criminal” …), creating a soil never tried before, made “by feeling” trying to balance some elements.

I used three parts of earthworm humus (cow manure transformed by the action of earthworms) as an organic component, then I added two of pumice of small particle size (pumice is the “wild card” material to make the substrate draining and absorbs water by releasing it gradually). After that, two parts of natural gypsum (or “agricultural” gypsum, used as a soil conditioner to correct soil pH) and finally three parts of ordinary river gravel (a “pure” inert material useful for drainage and loosening the soil). As “part” I mean a scoop filled with material. In this way, I can quantify the ratios between the various materials that make up the final substrate, and understand if the healthy part is enough compared to the coarse, if the organic one is a minority or not compared to the mineral, etc…

Here is an in-depth look at the individual materials we can use to create substrates.

For each pair of plants, I have matched two cards of different colours on which I noted in pencil the composition of the soil used for the test: white card for the mix pumice/lapillus/peat, yellow card for that based on field loam and a red card for the experimental one. I usually only use white or yellow tags, but in this case, by diversifying them by potting soil, I can evaluate the plants’ growth in combination with the substrate without having to read every time what I have noted on the tag. After having repotted, I’ve placed the six plants in their place, then I gave them an abundant misting to let the potting soil settle well on the surface and remove the excess dust. The six plants will obviously be grown identically to avoid that other factors – genetics and chance aside – can influence their growth. In other words, the Mammillaria will stay side by side in the same position in the greenhouse and will receive the same treatment in terms of temperature, light, watering, fertilization. Starting next spring, I will move them outside the greenhouse, in full sun: the white down will protect them and prevent the stem from burning, even if they are young specimens. Moving them now, in June and immediately after repotting, would be detrimental because the plants would not have time to acclimatize gradually and would end up under the rays of the already intense summer sun.

For getting the first results of this test, we have to be patient because time is the last determining factor in the plants’ growth. The first possible differences will be appreciated only after one or two years of cultivation. Based on my experience, I expect a faster growth of the two specimens in pumice/lapillus/peat, which will probably become wider and will tend to grow more in height than those in field soil, which, on the other hand, should remain more flat and compact. The real unknown is represented by the two Mammillaria in the unusual mix, very rich from the organic point of view and at the same time “corrected” by the gypsum. We will see with time how their growth will be affected by this substrate and the general results of this test.

Here you will find an article related to another test of mine, with the comparison between Ferocactus latispinus grown in different conditions.

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L'articolo Six identical cacti in three different soils: a cultivation test with Mammillaria hahniana proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

I generally start repotting from mid-December onwards, to finish within the first few months of the new year. This year, considering the number of plants I sow that need repotting, I started well in advance. Despite the still high temperatures for the period, in fact, the plants are already in stasis and it is possible to proceed without problems. The repotting period is one of the most debated topics, together with the composition of the growing soils: there are those who repot only plants in vegetation, those only in spring, those during the winter and those who repot at any time of the year. Let’s say that there isn’t a fixed rule: over the years, I have repotted practically in all seasons, according to needs, and I have never encountered any problems. The important thing is to stick to that only really useful precaution which is to avoid watering immediately after repotting. It is necessary to give the damaged or cut roots time to heal in dry soil during repotting, so as to avoid the risk that they may trigger rot. The rest is a matter of choices. Personally I prefer to repot and change the soil to the plants during the winter season, or in any case when the cacti and succulents are in vegetative stasis, for example just before spring, so that several weeks elapse between repotting and the first watering. I’ve been following this “rule” for years and have never had a problem. Of course, it may happen that some plants find it difficult to restart after repotting, to the point of being stuck even for a whole year, but this can happen by repotting at any time. Let’s not forget that repotting is in any case a significant “stress” for plants. This is also why I prefer winter, when the cacti are at rest and the effects of repotting are less “traumatic”.

Let’s explore the topic of repotting and substrates for cacti, in particular the “standard” soil based on pumice, lapillus and peat in equal parts, in the following article. (…)

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L'articolo Repotting cactus: the classic mix of pumice, lapillus and peat to speed up growth proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

It’s time for… testing. Between the end of December and the end of February, as soon as I have time, I dedicate myself to repotting the plants in the greenhouse. Obviously I only repot plants in stasis, with very dry soil, postponing the change of pot to spring for the plants that I keep in vegetation in winter, perhaps outdoors (but still in pots and not in the ground, of course). Today I flared and planted about fifty plants that I obtained by sowing in natural light and heat. Some of them were born in 2014, others in 2016 (but already large enough to be repotted). It was an opportunity to start a useful test on various types of soil to understand how this affects the growth of some specific species of cacti.

Let’s see in the following article what exactly this experiment on the substrate consists of and let’s see, thanks to the photographic update two years after repotting, how the plants have grown. (…)

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L'articolo Targeted repotting: sowing identical plants in different soils to test the substrate proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

I may look like a mordant, but I want to clear the field of misunderstandings and false myths: the right soil for cacti does not exist. There are many types of soil (or composts, substrates, mixtures, the question does not change) and there are genera that prefer certain substances and others that require more. Established this and removed one of the first Faq (Frequently Asked Questions) by cacti enthusiasts to the first arms – “Which is the best soil for my cactus?” – it can be said on the contrary that on the one hand there are the characteristics that a good soil for cactus must necessarily have; on the other hand the needs of the single plants. The question was simple and the related answer was given by italian cacti expert Giuseppe Lodi, who, after observing “the butts of roots of certain imports” and having noticed how these were encrusted with clay loam, suggested a base soil absolutely natural and versatile: “You can start from a mixture of common clay loam (field or garden), coarse sand and leaf soil, in equal parts. Of these three components none of them can be enough, alone” (Giuseppe Lodi, “Le mie piante grasse” – Edagricole).

Except perhaps for the difficult availability of the loam of leaves (be careful to go for the woods and get bags of decomposed foliage: there are fines for collections of this kind), the recipe provided by the Italian pioneer in the cultivation of cacti and succulents was more than sensible, as well as experienced. Considering the difficulty of finding the loam of leaves (Lodi suggested leaves of beech or chestnut), that moreover must be well decomposed (and it may contain fungi and bacteria dangerous for the plants), this element can be replaced by good quality peat, sieved fine, without lumps and filaments. Too bad that over the years we have forgotten Lodi advice to focus everything on what for many is still the standard substrate of peat, lapillus and pumice in equal parts, standard enough to fit any kind and species of succulent.

In the following article now we see which is the best substrate for growing cacti and succulent plants based on my experience over the years with proofs and experiments on various mixtures. (…)

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L'articolo Substrate, loam, soil mix: which is the best soil for cactus and succulent plants? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Do I use lapillus or just pumice? Is peat really a cactus-killing devil, as we hear people say? But then why nurserymen cultivate their plants nearly 100% with peat, and their plants don’t die in the greenhouse? The question about materials and elements that end up in compost for cacti and succulents is a limitless one. Firstly because the variables are endless and range from growing regimes, environmental factors, latitude, to plant type (for example, there are differences in substrate requirements between a caudiciform and a cactus). Then, because the same elements, as like the field soil, can vary immensely between them – for example, based on the area where it is picked up: it’s evident that the loam of the Po Valley, where I live, cannot have the same chemical characteristics as that one existing in Bolivia, for example. So, how can we orient among the many elements and materials we can find – some easily, others less – to mix them and make good compost? A first answer, perhaps obvious but reasonable, is to do experience and direct observation. In a word: experimentation. Another one, trivial but overlooked, is knowledge – the knowledge of the single “ingredients” properties that create the substrate and of the individual plant’s needs.

Let’s explore the topic in the following article. (…)

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L'articolo How to make the perfect substrate for cacti and succulents. Is peat really a cactus killer? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.