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

© 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 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.

Even a young bat, entangled, poor him, among the deadly hooked thorns of an Ancistrocactus and died in that unwelcome embrace during the night, without my being able to notice it or do anything to free it. In many years of cultivation this has also happened to me as you will see in the photo in the article. Those who grow cacti, especially if they have a greenhouse (although singular encounters can also be had when growing them in a garden, on a terrace or on a balcony) know well that not only insects, but also many reptiles or small mammals usually slip through one plant and another. Lizards, spiders, ants, snails, mantises, small birds and mice (not so much the small ones, the so-called field mice, but the real rats, which devour any plant, thorns or no thorns) abound especially if you grow in countryside, where it is not uncommon to come across some harmless water snakes. They are abundant, in particular, if you prefer spartan cultivation, with reduced use of chemical products. Most of these “guests” do not cause any harm to the plants; still others are useful in the fight against parasites: think of ladybugs or of that little red spider visible to the naked eye that goes for a walk on the stems of cacti and which at first glance causes a stroke, but is actually a useful predator of the very harmful red spider, invisible to the naked eye (unlike the damage it causes to plants).

In this article here is an overview of the encounters with animals or insects that I have had in years of cultivation, both on a small balcony and in the current large greenhouse in the countryside. Above all, here is some useful information to understand which animals or insects are “friends” and which animals or insects are “enemy” and how to keep them at bay. (…)

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L'articolo Reptiles, rodents, insects: how many encounters while growing succulents! Here are the ones to avoid proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

With the beginning of autumn almost all succulent and cacti begin to prepare for the vegetative stasis which will last until February/March. In the winter months, cacti (with some exceptions such as Melocactus, Discocactus and epiphytes such as Epiphyllum) and many succulents (with the exception of those originating from the southern hemisphere or areas such as Madagascar) stop growth and go dormant to recover energies and be able to flourish during the following season. In these months the plants should be kept cold and should not be watered. However, it is useful to carry out some preventive treatments to prevent the formation of mold or fungi during these months, thanks to the winter humidity, which, when the temperature start to rise, triggers rot. Warning: preventive treatments with chemical products can be useful but do not necessarily have to be carried out. It is simply a preventive measure, since the best form of defense is always the spartan cultivation of plants accompanied by a good exchange of air during autumn and winter. There are growers who limit these treatments to the essentials, perhaps favoring products with a low environmental impact (I myself have adopted this decision for years) and growers who abuse chemical products in the hope of thus making their plants invulnerable to animal parasites, fungi and mold.

In this article, which completes what has already been explained in other articles (which you will find thanks to the internal links) we see what is advisable to do in these weeks to protect the plants and limit losses due to rot or parasites as much as possible. (…)

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L'articolo Here comes autumn: what treatments can we do to protect succulents and reduce losses? 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.

We see them in detail in the following article (…).

Premise

By the time of June, two first dangers for succulent plants should have passed by now, if we have done everything correctly (and regardless of the fact that this spring has been quite anomalous). I am referring to the danger of cracks on the cacti stems and that of burns following a late or “hasty” exposure. Once the cacti have resumed vegetating after the winter stasis, in fact, it may happen that following the first waterings (if too abundant or too close together) the stem “splits”. In this period of the year, even in the case of a wet and cold spring like the latter, cacti and succulents should have already received at least two or three waterings and the stems of the plants should have swollen. If the recovery has taken place gradually and the plants have returned swollen, the risk of stem splitting for this year can be said to have been archived.

In some ways similar speech in terms of exposure: to date all the plants should have been in their ideal location for some time now, where they will remain until autumn. In other words, those who kept cacti and succulents in the basement, entrance halls or garages should have moved the plants to full light (or half light depending on the genre) by now, under penalty of etiolation. Abruptly moving the plants now, with the June sun starting to get stronger, can expose the plants to the risk of severe burns on the stems. Whether the spring is cool or not, whether it is humid or not, the plants must be gradually accustomed to intense sun or direct sun and this must be done between the end of March and the beginning of April. In this way cacti and succulents are able to get used to direct sunlight very gradually, strengthening the epidermis well before the summer sun hits them. If you haven’t moved your plants yet, do it immediately but repair them with shading nets (especially during the hottest hours of the day), otherwise the first burns will begin to appear in the coming weeks!

Maximum air

Having exhausted the necessary premises, which are nothing if not common practices in the correct cultivation of cacti and succulents in general, we recall that the main element of cultivation, at this point, is trivially… the air. Trivially, because this element is often underestimated, or even not considered at all, taking it for granted. The air, on the other hand, is the main factor for the healthy growth of any plant and in this season, with temperatures starting to rise significantly (on sunny days in a completely open greenhouse it can easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius already in June, let alone August), the plants need as much air circulation as possible.

Anyone who cultivates in a very large professional greenhouse will have to open the structure as much as possible, raising the side curtains and possibly leaving the front and rear doors open. Those who cultivate on balconies and terraces should have no problems whatsoever, while those who cultivate in those small greenhouses covered with a transparent cloth must do nothing but… get rid of the greenhouses, remove all the plants from there and disassemble the greenhouses, which can return comfortable, at best, in winter (although they are still not the best due to the limited air circulation they allow). In this period, if we keep the plants in this type of structure, even by raising the openings in the transparent sheet to the maximum, we will still not be able to ensure the plants the air they need, and with high temperatures and humidity the risk of “boiling” plants or creating the ideal environment for the formation of molds and fungi is very high. Therefore, if you haven’t already done so, remove the greenhouses (which can be simply used as shelves) and, since the plants will not be sufficiently accustomed to the intense sun, shield them with a not too light shading net.

The importance of air and light for succulents plants.

Watering and aestivation

In this period, even if the temperatures are not yet very high this year, it is advisable to increase the frequency of irrigation. If the days are sunny and the weather does not predict rain for the following days, it can be watered once a week. The pace can also be increased to two waterings per week for some species or succulent leafy plants if slight wrinkling is noted. As always, the basic rule is to water only when the substrate appears dry and, if in doubt, postpone it. Beware of the hot months, i.e. July and August, when the difference between the maximum and minimum night-time temperatures is minimal: in conditions of persistent heat, many cacti and many succulents can go into aestivation, slowing down or blocking their growth. In these periods it is better not to water at all, since the plants do not absorb water and the soil would remain moist for too long, with the risk of root rot being triggered.
A few more waterings will have to be reserved for very young plants and seedlings, which are not yet able to tolerate long periods of drought in hot conditions and, at the same time, “push” more than adult specimens.

On the phenomenon of aestivation you will find a specific article at this link.

Fertilization and treatments

In June it is still possible to fertilize succulents. A fertilization is enough, assuming that a first fertilization was given in May or April. If the plants have been repotted a few months ago it will not be necessary to add fertilizer to the water, but if we are dealing with specimens that have lived in the same soil for years, an extra fertilization can be useful to replenish the nutrients once present in the substrate. Pay attention to the product (whether it is in powder or liquid form, it matters little), which must be specific for succulent plants and therefore low in nitrogen and rich in phosphorus and potassium, in addition to microelements. During the real summer, that is in the months of July and August, the fertilizations must instead be suspended.

As for treatments, for years I have minimized the use of pesticides and I only use copper oxychloride and Neem oil. The first is a fungicide which should be administered by nebulization only in the months in which the plants are not in vegetation (in this period it should therefore be avoided). The second is a natural product, with low environmental impact, against parasites, mites and with a modest fungicidal function. Neem oil can be administered, always by nebulization, even in this period, with the foresight to act only when the sun has gone down or early in the morning, before direct light reaches the plants. Targeted fungicides and insecticides can be used in specific cases, for example in the event of an attack by the cochineal or rot that affects several plants. In these cases it is always important to isolate sick specimens from healthy ones and carry out targeted treatments every two weeks.

Here you will find a detailed article on the main adversities of succulents, with general indications on how to intervene.

Always remember that the best weapon against pests and diseases of succulents is correct cultivation, in particular a spartan cultivation, with lots of light, lots of air, little fertilization and little fertilizing.

To repot or not to repot?

In this case there is no definitive answer: during the summer it is possible to repot. Personally I prefer to avoid – except in cases in which the intervention cannot be deferred as the plant is in evident state of suffering and has probably lost its roots – and to postpone repotting until the end of winter and spring. With new purchases, especially if the plants are in peat, repotting is instead recommended at any time of the year: it is better to stress the plant a little rather than leave it in an unsuitable substrate, running the risk of triggering rot. As always, if you repot and clean or shorten the roots, it is important to leave the flared plant in a shady place for at least ten days before repotting. After repotting, wait another week or two before watering, so as to give the roots time to heal effectively. This precaution is especially important in spring and summer, when the plants are growing and are watered regularly: obviously in winter the problem does not arise, since many succulents and almost all cacti must be kept in dry soil.

Other practices

Otherwise, summer is a relatively quiet time for the cactus and succulent grower. It is sufficient to observe the specimens and understand whether they are slowing down their growth (aestivation) or not and adjust accordingly with watering. Finally, a little maintenance certainly doesn’t hurt: you can cut the now dry floral stems in the case of plants such as Aloe, Echeveria, Crassulaceae, etc., just as it is a good thing to remove the dried flowers of the cacti, which with watering they soak in water and can feed molds and fungi.

Seasonal cures in detail

If you want a complete picture of seasonal care, with everything you need to do in spring, summer, autumn and winter to take care of cacti and succulents in the best possible way, you can consult this summary article.

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Correlated articles

Watering cacti and succulents: when and how
How to repot cacti and succulent plants
Substrates for cacti and succulents
The correct soil: the materials you can use

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L'articolo Towards summer: useful tips for taking care of cacti and succulents and avoiding nasty surprises proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Unfortunately it is a less rare phenomenon than one might think. The flower itself, the maximum expression of the plant, its instrument for reproducing and safeguarding the species, can transform itself into its executioner. With cacti, plants that require seasonal rest corresponding to the winter months, the flower can sometimes be fatal. It obviously only happens with those species that flower in mid-winter, therefore a small minority compared to all cacti. But it is often precisely from there, from that flower that blooms in November, December or January, that the rot is triggered and which, if neglected or not seen, can lead the specimen to death. This is what happened to two of my Ferocactus latispinus in recent days. Or rather, in the past few weeks, except that the damage has become apparent recently. And now it was too late to intervene and save the plants.

In this article we look into this phenomenon and see what can be done to prevent it or, at least, be able to intervene before the rot passes from the flower to the plant. (…)

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L'articolo Be careful of winter blooms: rot can start from here. Here are the species at risk proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

In cacti, as well as in agaves, this is a common phenomenon, and in some species, it never happens, in others it very easily happens, even with young plants. Attention: we are not talking about true seedlings born under the stem of the mother plant from seeds that have fallen from the latter, but about authentic new bodies that are attached to the main stem and sprout from the latter, and then grow steadily in size. The correct term is “suckers”, and anyone who grows cacti or has looked at this plant family in a nursery or botanical garden will have seen one or more suckers. Why do cacti produce suckers or pups, which genera are more likely to suck and are less so? And again, the most frequently asked question: is it true that pups steal energy from the mother plant and reduce flowering? Can the suckers themselves blossom? Another frequently asked question: is it better to leave them attached to the mother plant or remove them? Can they be used as cuttings to obtain new plants identical to the mother plant, and in the event of disease of the latter, can they be detached to save it and reproduce it? In other words, how to propagate cactus pups?

In this article, we take a closer look at the subject and answer all these questions (…).

Some premises to frame the topic

In order to frame the topic, let us start with the definition of “sucker” (or pups) taken from the booklet “Conoscere e Coltivare le Piante Succulente” (Knowing and Growing Succulent Plants) published in 2005 by the Italian Succulent Plant Lovers Association (AIAS). The glossary at the end of the booklet, under the heading “sucker”, reads: “Branch usually originating from an adventitious bud“. Let us supplement the description with the one given by Treccani online encyclopedia to the term “adventitious” so as to get the full picture: “An adventitious organ is said to be formed far from the vegetative apex of the axis and therefore on adult parts; as opposed to normal“.

So, talking about the sphere of cacti, it can be stated that cactus pups or cactus suckers are nothing more than branches originating from the main stem, born from adventitious buds, i.e. not at the plant’s apex. It is not by chance that the suckers are always located at the base of the main stem. Growing around it and contributing to giving the cactus the “tufted” habit that we are accustomed to seeing in, for example, Echinopsis, many Mammillaria, Rebutia and Sulcorebutia, to offer just a few examples. The phenomenon of suckering is also common in Agave: even relatively small specimens soon begin to produce suckers around the base, through which the plant can be easily multiplied.

The shapes of cacti: a specific article.

Therefore suckers are branches, not autonomous plants born from seeds originating from the mother plant, nor deformations of the stem. They are offshoots of the plant, which develops and grows in this way. The suckers (or pups), in fact, are attached to the mother plant. In some cases, the point of contact is extremely thin and delicate, so much so that a slight twisting of the sucker is sufficient to detach it. In other cases, especially after years, the point of contact is strong, and to take off the sucker it is necessary to cut it off.
The fascinating thing is that often the suckers behave as “abnormal” branches, in the sense that they do not simply develop while remaining dependent on the mother plant but produce autonomous roots themselves. This is particularly the case in cacti having a globular habit, which, thanks to the development of suckers, take on a bushy habit over time (e.g. Echinopsis). Proper branches, on the other hand, are generally produced by columnar cacti. This usually happens over a very long period of time and, in some species, exclusively in the wild, as with Carnegiea Gigantea (the so-called Saguaro).

Over the years, I have witnessed, particularly with Echinopsis, a particular phenomenon, the cause of which is not known to me: in long-since suckered specimens, the main stem has begun to wither and then dry up completely. On the contrary, the suckers around the mother plant have always remained in perfect health, so much so that all I had to do was to take them off and re-pot them (over time, they had produced perfect root systems) to save the plant and at the same time multiply it. All the plants to which this phenomenon happened were healthy and not subject to any attack by pests, and the central stem did not show any traces of rot (also because, in that case, it would soon have transmitted it to the suckers). Rather, it seemed to me that the central body, having exhausted its function as a ‘producer’ of branches, had just finished its life cycle, thus deciding to “take off the trouble” and let the descendants grow… In such cases, more for a simple aesthetic factor than anything else, I flared the plant, detached the suckers and re-potted them, throwing away the central stem, now dry and dead.

The function of cactus pups

Suckers or pups, again remaining in the Cactaceae family, are branches, as we have seen, so their function is no other than that which follows the plant’s normal development. Many cacti initially have a globular habit, with a single stem. At a certain point in their development, however, the plant begins to emit one or more branches, which over time grow to the same size (in many cases, not always!) as the main stem. As the years go by, the pups increase not only in volume, but also in number, and give the plant its typical tufted appearance. Here again, the most common example is Echinopsis. Therefore, it is incorrect to say that the suckers serve the plant to multiply since they are attached to the main stem and are only its extension. It is clear, however, that if for some reason (the passage of an animal, a storm, etc.), a sucker detaches itself, moves away from the mother plant and begins to sink its roots into the soil, it can perform the function of “reproducer” of the plant. This is what we can do by manually detaching the suckers and re-potting them in separate containers, with the effect to grow more plants (I will discuss this in more detail later).

Do all cacti produce pups or only some species do?

Absolutely not. Not all genera of cacti are prone to producing suckers. Even within the same genus, there may be species that readily suck and others that retain a single stem even as they age (e.g. the genus Mammillaria). Plants with a solitary stem that almost never suckers are, for example, those belonging to the genera Ferocactus, Astrophytum, Echinocactus, Copiapoa, Epithelantha, Turbinicarpus, Ariocarpus, Ancistrocactus. Beware, these are broad indications, because, in reality, any Cactaceae could emit suckers. If it does not do so because of a genetic issue, it could still do so because of an external factor. Which brings us to another question: can suckers depend on abnormal growth?

Abnormal growth and cactus pups: the differences

Even cacti that would not produce suckers except at a very old age, as some Echinocactus and Copiapoa, can suck as the effect of abnormal development of the main stem. This phenomenon always follows an episode of stress (environmental or “mechanical”). In other words, the plant reacts to unsuitable growing conditions by emitting suckers (probably to give itself a better chance of survival). Similarly, and very frequently, a cactus can begin to sprout pups following a parasite attack (mealybug, spider mite) or after a mechanical trauma such as a blow (moving or re-potting a plant can always happen, and it can get out of hand…). In all these cases, especially if the damage is near the apex, the plant may take on a habit that is not typical for that species and emit suckers. It has happened to me several times with Astrophytum, Copiapoa and Turbinicarpus: plants that, under normal conditions, would not produce suckers except at a very advanced age.

An important question: do suckered plants flower less?

One of the most widespread beliefs among succulent enthusiasts is this: the suckered plants do not flower or flower less than single-stemmed plants. This is a mistaken belief. It is clear that the suckers absorb water and energy together with the mother plant, and therefore both water and energy must be shared between several subjects, but it is equally clear that, since they are branches, everything contributes to the common cause, i.e. to the development of the plant, whether it is a clumped or a solitary plant. It may be the case that in the initial phase when the suckers are still small, the mother plant will flower less profusely, but we take into account that once the suckers have grown, they will begin to bloom, contributing to the overall result.

As far as my own experience is concerned, for about thirty years I have never seen any significant reduction in the flowering of suckered plants. I have several plants of the same genus and species, and when a single specimen flowers, the suckered specimen of the same species also flowers. In all these cases, there is little or no difference in flowering. In short: I have never had single plants with ten flowers and suckered plants (obviously of the same species and obtained from the same sowing) with only one. On the contrary, it happens to me every year that in the rectangular pot full of Echinopsis oxygona that I keep on my balcony at home, the many heads produce 15 to 20 flowers at a time.

One thing, however, can be said with relative certainty: the suckered plant has less vigorous and slower growth than the plant without suckers. In other words, if the specimen is surrounded by suckers, the same genus and species growth will be less noticeable overall, as it is spread over several bodies. If the plant is solitary, it is clear that it will concentrate all its energy on the single stem, with the result that growth will appear more evident and faster.

Is it better to keep suckers or to detach them?

When we talk about cactus pups, one of the most common questions is: is it better to keep them or to detach them? If we think about it, it is a question whose only sense can be found in the aesthetic sphere. Whether a cactus produces suckers because it has suffered damage, or whether it produces them simply because it decides that this is what it must do, does not change the substance: the plant is just following the course of Nature.

The only answer to the question “is it better to leave the suckers or remove them” can only be: it is an aesthetic question. If you prefer the plant with a solitary stem, you can remove the suckers and use them as cuttings to reproduce the plant. If, on the other hand, you like the plant tufted, leave it to nature. Be careful, however: if you want to remove the suckers, only do so if they detach easily from the mother plant. If it is necessary to cut, e.g. because the sucker is very old and the junction point with the main stem is wide, it is necessary to cut exactly as we would do with a cutting, i.e. with a disinfected blade and taking care to sprinkle the wounds with healing powder (even ordinary cinnamon powder is fine), both on the mother plant and on the sucker. Apart from the aesthetic factor, which for me also includes the “philosophical” one (because I prefer to leave it to nature, exactly as would be with the specimen in its habitat), there may be two valid reasons for detaching all (or only some) suckers. If a sucker is rotting, for example, it is obvious that we should remove it as soon as possible to prevent it from transmitting the fungus to the mother plant or the other suckers. Similarly, but in reverse, if the main stem is rotting or withered, it will be better to remove all the suckers and save at least those.

The second reason why it may be a good idea to detach one or more suckers is for the quick reproduction of the plant. In this case, it is enough to wait until the sucker is well-formed and has taken root. At that point, we can detach it and thus have one or more clones of the mother plant.

How to reproduce the plant by suckers and how to propagate cactus pups

Reproduction by suckers is a reproduction by cuttings: a piece of the plant is used to obtain a clone. With suckers, it is easier because (if we are not in a hurry) they are already formed and rooted plants. The procedure is very easy, especially if carried out during re-potting and with the mother plant unplanted. Detach the sucker by rotating it on its axis until the point of connection with the main stem gives way. If the connection with the mother plant is firm, it will be necessary to cut it off cleanly with a cutter. Once the sucker is detached, leave the mother plant in an airy place and avoid watering and misting for at least ten days so that the wound heals. We do the same with the sucker: leave it in a shady, airy place so that the junction with the mother plant dries out completely, just like the roots. After a week or two, re-pot the sucker in common cactus soil and wait a few more days before watering.

The best time for these operations, as the plant is reproducing, is late spring, after the plant has started to vegetate again. In this season, the suckers will be active and take root easily. The operation is to be avoided during the winter unless it is necessary to save the mother plant or the sucker.

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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 What are cactus ‘suckers’ or pups? Is it better to remove them? Do they affect flowering? proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

In this article, we see what you need to do this month for keeping cacti and succulents in perfect health, even preparing them for winter diminishing the risk of rot and loss. (…)

In August, for several years now, I suspend watering altogether. In the greenhouse, temperatures easily exceed 40 degrees Celsius, and many cacti slow down or stop growing because of the phenomenon known as “estivation”. Many species keep to flower regularly (e.g. Gymnocalycium, Ferocactus and some Mammillaria), but it doesn’t mean that the growth’s rate has not slowed down. That’s why I prefer to avoid watering all my plants, except the leafy succulents, and let them follow their natural rhythms. This prevents the soil from staying wet for too long when the plant is in dormancy, and it causes root or collar rot.

Watering

The last watering of the summer is usually at the end of July for all my cacti, especially for those with particular growth rates, such as Copiapoa and Neoporteria, for which I stop watering even earlier, in mid-June. At the beginning of September, I start watering all my plants again, thinning them throughout the month and watering them every ten days at the most. The actual cessation of watering usually coincides with the beginning of October to give the soil time to dry out totally and for the cacti to reduce their internal water reserves and start preparing for autumn and winter. This is true for adult plants: for seedlings and one or two-year-old plants, I extend the watering period until mid-October, but water sparingly. I pay particular attention to plants of the genus Ariocarpus, which I water until mid-September at the latest. These plants, which have tap roots, are sensitive to humidity and have considerable water reserves, and I have learned that with the climate of Northern Italy, characterized by very wet and often cold winters, it’s suitable to stop watering earlier. The plants are not affected at all and do not deflate until late in the winter. Moreover, they bloom abundantly from mid-autumn to the first half of December.

Fertilizations

In September, as far as fertilizing is concerned, it’s better to give the last coat with a specific product (here is an article dedicated to fertilizers for cacti and succulents). You can have a first watering at the beginning of September with only water and add fertilizer in low dosage at the second watering, after about ten days. Fertilizing in September is helpful for the plants: it gives them the nutrients they need to get stronger before the winter break and helps the blooms when they resume in the spring. I generally limit myself to single fertilization in September, but it is possible to fertilize a couple of times before the watering stops, as long as low doses are used. Again, the situation is slightly different for seedlings and young plants (one or two years old): for these, I add fertilizer during the last watering in October to “push” them a bit and strengthen their growth.

Treatments

September is also the month of preventive treatments against parasites and diseases. Since the plants start to vegetate again, it is not recommended to use copper-based fungicide (which slows down the growth), which should be sprayed instead in the autumn months and only on warm and windy days. Some spray with copper fungicide throughout the winter, once or twice a month to prevent the proliferation of fungi or “rust”, but for several years I limit myself to a couple of passes in October and a couple of passes in February, just before the recovery. In September, however, it’s advisable to add a broad-spectrum fungicide to the water for watering and spraying the plants a couple of times with an acaricide or Neem oil, a preventive measure against aphids, mealybugs and other pests.

Checks

It’s important to carefully check the plants to identify those suffering and isolate them immediately to prevent them from spending the fall and winter months in contact with healthy plants. In this way, you can preclude the risk they may transmit diseases that can spread with the humidity that usually there’s in autumn.

Repotting

Finally, stop repotting. For several years now, I have avoided repotting (except for plants in severe pain) in September when cacti and succulents are vigorously vegetating again and in October and November. While repotting can generally be done almost any time of the year, I prefer not to “disturb” my plants at this time of year to avoid the stress of repotting in the crucial phase of preparation for autumn and winter. On the other hand, repotting can be done without problems when the plants are in stasis, i.e. in late winter or, better yet, towards the end of winter, just before vegetative recovery.

All about the repotting in this section of the site.

Also, by repotting plants before the end of winter, we will be sure that several weeks will pass between repotting and the first watering, thus giving any roots that may have been damaged or cut during repotting plenty of time to heal before wetting the soil.

Plants in outdoor

The plants I keep outside the greenhouse during the growing season finally stay in place, exposed to direct sun and weather, until mid-October if the early fall is not particularly rainy. At that point, I move everything back inside the greenhouse, which I leave open until the end of November. In fact, if the temperatures are not too low, it’s essential to give the plants all the air possible even in autumn and winter, opening the greenhouses for a few hours on the hottest and most ventilated days. This simple expedient very much reduces the risk of onset and spreading of fungal pathologies. The “toughest” plants, such as Ferocactus and Echinocactus, will return to the outside of the greenhouse from the middle of March to help them get used to the direct sun gradually and avoid sunburn.

Succulent plants and summer: everything you need to know.

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L'articolo September is a brilliant month for all cacti, but pay attention to proper care ahead of autumn proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Let’s talk about cacti and diseases starting from a simple photo. The plant that inspired this article, and which you see above, is (or rather, was) an Ancistrocactus (=Glandulicactus) mathssonii. I had obtained this specimen with my sowing about ten years ago and fortunately eight or nine other “brothers” of this plant are still in perfect health, growing and flowering regularly. This particular plant, although treated exactly like the other specimens of that sowing and planted in the same type of substrate in which my other mathssonii live (clay, marl and 60% aggregates), a couple of years ago took a fungal pathology and within a few weeks it was dead. I think it was fusarium, but today it doesn’t matter, because the disease has run its course and what remains is… the armor of this cactus, that is a beautiful interweaving of thorns that embraces the void left by the stem which, over time, it dried up until it decomposed and disappeared altogether. The observation of what remains of this plant, which for a couple of years I have kept along a low wall not far from the greenhouse, where I usually move the diseased plants (by diseases, in this case, I mean generically pathogens and parasites) to prevent them from infecting other specimens, led me to some considerations on the cultivation and treatment of plant diseases.

Considerations that I have condensed in the following article an excerpt of which was also published in the British Cactus and Succulent Society newsletter. (…)

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L'articolo Cacti and diseases: stop anxiety, sometimes we can’t help but let Nature take its course proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.

Now let’s see everything we can do at this time of the year, especially if we don’t have a greenhouse and we grow on the windowsill, on the balcony, on a terrace or in the garden. With a warning: whatever you have to do, with succulents and cacti, you must not be in a hurry: hurry to water, hurry to treat, hurry to move the plants… Getting caught up in the rush, the anxiety, the fear of doing something wrong, is the best way to run into mistakes. So let’s see how to avoid them. (…)

Check the plants

The first fundamental action in spring is to check the plant carefully for detecting any traces of bacterial diseases (dark spots caused by fungi) or parasites (particularly the mealybug/cochineal). In the first half of mid-March, even with healthy plants, it’s however advisable to carry out some preventive treatment by spraying stems and leaves with a specific pesticide (against mealybug and spider mite) and, about ten days later, with a broad-spectrum fungicide (attention: copper oxychloride should be used only when the plants are in stasis, so from March should be suspended). Both treatments – pesticide and antibacterial – must be repeated a fortnight after to ensure complete coverage of the plants.

Give as much air as possible

When the minimum temperatures have settled at 10/12 degrees, it’s essential to give succulents as much air as possible. Plants that have overwintered indoors (except for some species, a thing to avoid!) or in cold but closed environments such as a basement, a garage or a veranda should be moved outdoors and placed on windowsills, terraces, balconies. If plants have been overwintered outdoors, protected by sheets or layers of non-woven fabric, they should simply be uncovered so they can benefit from all the possible air. In these cases, it’s necessary to pay attention to the weather because prolonged rains in a period characterized by not yet high temperatures can be dangerous for succulents, which do not tolerate water stagnation in the soil and excessive humidity. The plants must be placed on a balcony or terrace protected from the rain or covered by a roof.

The sudden changes in temperature that characterize spring, with daytime highs above twenty degrees and nighttime lows that can drop sharply below ten degrees, should not worry: in nature, almost all succulents are exposed to similar conditions and indeed greatly benefit in terms of growth and flowering. Exceptions are succulents coming from areas close to the Equator, such as those from Madagascar (Adenium obesa, but also Uncarina, Alluaudia and Pachypodium) or some cacti coming from tropical regions of South America, such as Melocactus, Discocactus, Epiphyllum, Schlumbergera, Rhipsalis: these species need minimum temperatures not lower than 15-16 degrees and to be moved outside only later, in late spring.

Air is of fundamental importance for any plant, even more so for succulents, which do not tolerate environmental humidity nor water stagnation in the substrate. In open-air, the soil dries faster, the stems can transpire effectively, and the risk of bacterial attack is significantly lowered. Tight, closed environments without air exchange are to be avoided, especially in spring and summer, when succulents are in full vegetation, and their tissues are swollen with the water that constitutes their water reserve, and it is, therefore, necessary that the soil dries quickly after the plant has absorbed the liquids it needs.

Exposure: getting plants used to it

Closely related to air is exposure to the sun. In spring (in march), it’s necessary to provide succulents with more light to encourage proper development of tissues, leaves and thorns and at the same time encourage flowering. Be careful, though: as with all plants, succulents (including Cactaceae) need to be grown gradually. Moving a plant that has spent the winter indoors outdoors and immediately placing it in full sun can be dangerous even for the most “fierce” and thorny cactus, which will suffer sunburn and stem discolouration. We will have to gradually accustom the succulents to the light, which becomes more and more intense in spring, exposing them to direct sun a little at a time. From the middle of March, it will be sufficient to place succulents on a windowsill exposed to the South or Southeast (exposure to the North is to be avoided because it does not provide enough light), or on a balcony, a terrace or directly in the garden, taking care, however, to place them in the shade of outdoor plants that will act as a screen to sunlight. Alternatively, it is possible to protect succulents with a simple gardening net or with a piece of mosquito net properly fixed to braces or supports and able to screen at least 30-40% of sun rays.

In the shade of other plants or screened by shade netting, succulents will gradually get used to direct sunlight, and within a month to a month and a half, you can bring them to the foreground or remove the shade netting. As far as exposure is concerned, it’s still important to know the needs of our succulents since there are genera that tolerate intense sun and others that prefer a little shade (like many species of Euphorbia or Haworthia, for example). When in doubt, it is good to provide succulents with bright light all day long, exposing them to direct sun rays only during the morning, not later than midday. In this way, it’s possible to avoid sunburns and to guarantee the necessary light for the best growth. Particularly for cacti, which will continue producing “important” and not stunted thorns and at the same time keep compact and harmonious stems. When we have a better knowledge of our plants and have learned their needs, we can be more “targeted” when they come to exposure and give the various specimens the right amount of direct sun (for example, in the case of almost all cacti).

To learn how to distinguish succulent plants and know their needs, you can read this article dedicated to classification.

Resume watering

As the exposure to light, which should be gradual, watering should be increased little by little. During the winter, watering should be suspended for almost all succulents, while in spring it’s necessary to accompany the resumption with initially moderate and then more sustained watering. As spring approcaches, in March (weather permitting) a couple of waterings will be enough, while in April, it will be possible to go up to one watering every ten days, making sure to wet well all the soil. From May, you can further increase the watering, reaching one per week. Be sure that between one watering and the other, the loam can dry completely. As always, the advice with succulents is not to overdo it: it’s easier for a succulent plant to die from too much water than from thirst. Consider that these plants are xerophytes, evolved to deal with long periods of drought: when in doubt, it’s a good idea to postpone watering. For regulating the frequency of watering, it’s fundamental also the composition of the soil: here, you will find the “recipes” of various substrates that I have tested over the years.

Fertilize: which products to use

With the arrival of spring and the increase in watering, it’s beneficial to fertilize (or “manure”) succulent plants to promote balanced growth and encourage flowering. As for any other plant, fertilizing is essential to replenish the soil with nutrients that are lost. However, you have to use a specific fertilizer for succulents and not rely on universal products or, worse, calibrated for other plants, such as orchids or horticultural. Wrong fertilization, both in terms of the type of product and frequency, can cause severe damage to the plant and compromise its growth, arriving, paradoxically, to weaken it, as well as deform the stem. Therefore, it’s necessary to limit fertilization (I am very stingy in this regard: two or three fertilizations per year, at most), to be administered by simple watering diluting the product in water, to a maximum of once a month from April until mid-June at the latest, with a further pass in September, before the plants slow down the vegetation.

As for the product, on the market, there are specific fertilizers for succulent plants, and generally, high-quality products have correct ratios between the various macroelements. Knowing how to interpret the label, however, is the first step. Basically, it is sufficient to verify that the level of Nitrogen (indicated with the initials “N”) is considerably lower than that of the other two macro-elements that make up all fertilizers for plants, namely Phosphorus (indicated with the letter “P”) and Potassium (“K”). As an indication, a good fertilizer for cacti and succulents should have 1 part Nitrogen, 2 or 3 parts Phosphorus and 4 or 6 parts Potassium. The dosages indicated by the various manufacturers are variable, but it will be enough to keep these proportions in mind to choose the correct product. According to the most commonly used formulations, we can have a ratio of 6-18-36, or 5-15-30, where 5 stands for the Nitrogen dosage, 15 for the Phosphorus one and 30 for the Potassium one. Balanced fertilizers are to be avoided, those with equivalent dosages of the three macroelements (for example, 10-10-10). In addition to the three macroelements, a good fertilizer for succulents should not lack the so-called mesoelements and microelements, such as calcium, magnesium, sulfur, manganese, boron, copper, zinc, iron, which contribute to a balanced development of the plant in various aspects: root system, stems, thorns, flowering, disease resistance.

For the dosage, it will be sufficient to refer to the indications on the package, taking care to halve the quantities in order not to overdo the fertilization, since succulents are extremely adaptable plants with few needs in terms of nutrients, many of which are already present in the growing medium.

If you want to learn more about fertilization, you can read this specific article.

Don’t be in a hurry

In closing, by my experience and the constant contacts I have with readers and enthusiasts who ask me for advice, I would like to reiterate the concept expressed at the beginning of this article: with cacti and succulents, don’t be in a hurry, never anxious. Our plants are more robust and tolerant than we think: let’s make their time our own and not let ourselves be led by the frenzy of wanting to give them excessive attention. Let’s limit ourselves to the correct care and respect their times, which are decidedly less hectic and anxious than ours, remembering that the border between passion and obsession can be thin…

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Video

Here is a video of me moving some of my plants outside my greenhouse:

Correlated articles

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 Preparing cacti and succulents for spring: exposure, fertilizing, here’s what to do proviene da Il fiore tra le spine.