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goldstar135

Mammillaria repot?

10 years ago

Does this need a repot? It's been a year since we bought it, and it's in the same pot it was in when we bought it.

If it does need a repot, what soil should I use? Is 50/50 potting mix/perlite good enough?

^ bottom of root ball. Cactus was raised in front of the camera for the last pic, so penny for scale is slightly off.


Comments (16)

  • 10 years ago

    Alright, thanks :)

    Should I knock off/rinse the old soil off the roots? How careful should I be with the roots, super careful like "one touch and it dies" or just careful as in "as long as you don't pull on the roots or squeeze them on purpose you're fine"?

  • 10 years ago

    I would get as much soil as you can before repotting. Handle with care and the roots will be fine, if some break off it's ok just don't water after repotting. I usually wait a wk after repotting a cactus.

    goldstar135 thanked Kara 9b SF Bay Area CA
  • 10 years ago

    I very gently use a skewer or a fork to tease away (dry) soil from the roots. To help with re-potting, I take a piece of newspaper, roll it up then flatten it, and wrap it round the cactus, holding it like a collar, so that I can use the other hand freely to pot on and re-fill around the roots... Don't make the new pot too much bigger... next size up is fine....Hope that helps.

    goldstar135 thanked TaraMaiden
  • 9 years ago

    I had same situation with roots. Simple paintbrush was very helpful. Its not that sharp ;)

    goldstar135 thanked Ingrida (São Paulo/Brazil)
  • 9 years ago

    yup, good choice... any similar instrument will do the trick, even a pencil... :o)

    goldstar135 thanked TaraMaiden
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Update:

    So I repotted the cactus back in August. I rinsed off all the old soil, then potted it in a terra cotta pot in a mix of 50/50 MG cactus soil and perlite.

    Here it is today-


    These days it's sort of growing at an angle. I rotated the cactus today so the sunlight would hit a different side-will that fix the leaning?

  • 9 years ago

    I missed this thread and should aviced not to repot.

    never repot a cactus that fits it pot. It was only a year there and with a little water it could be there for two or three years. I think it is now in a pot that is way to big.

    harry

  • 9 years ago

    Harry, what if the roots are bound like those in the picture ? Do you just cut them and put back in the pot? Or is it okay as is? When do you know when to repot? Is this the same for most succulents?

    sorry to bombard with questions. This is new information for me....

  • 9 years ago

    As I can see it from here there is enough soil left for the plant to grow further. I should have removed a (very) little of the soil on the bottom and reniw only that. After that I put the plant back in the same pot. Maybe - but it depends of how it looks- a little extra food after say three or four months. some water now and than should be enough.

    to my opinion most people spoil their plants to much. They loose their compactness and grow way to fast and to big.

    The pot I see now only triggers the plant to make more and more roots to grow.


    greets

    harry

  • 9 years ago

    "They loose their compactness and grow way to fast and to big.

    The pot I see now only triggers the plant to make more and more roots to grow."

    What if someone doesn't mind that their plant grows bigger and faster? I know that I certainly would love for my cactus to grow bigger and have more roots.

  • 9 years ago

    I recall Dave (I think) telling me that succulents don't require the same type of extensive root systems as houseplants in general and that I needn't worry too much about pruning roots back and the like....

    thank you, Harry.

  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Harry

    You grow succulents what some call 'hard' (I think) - IMO, it is much closer to their natural conditions. That is the way I try to grow mine.

    Many ppl like to have them grow much faster and much bigger, so they 'spoil' them. They keep them much warmer year-round, fertilize too much with every watering and so on. Sometimes, the plants look totally different than they do in their natural habitat.

    I am not criticizing anybody's growing style here, hope nobody takes offense - JMO. (Some look really beautiful!)

    goldstar135 thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • 9 years ago
    last modified: 9 years ago

    Oh, so that's what you mean by 'spoiling' the plant. Thanks Rina.

    I don't really have a preference when it comes to how I grow my plants-I don't necessarily want to mimic every single condition that they would experience in the wild. I just want to provide them with the most optimal conditions that each plant enjoys and let them grow how they wish.

  • 9 years ago

    goldstar

    Most optimal would likely be what they are 'programmed' to - as they grow in wild.

    I jumped and answered for Harry (I shouldn't have, maybe he means something different...)

    I give them good drainage, good light, check occasionally for sign of bugs/disease (treat if any happens) and try not to fuss too much :)

    goldstar135 thanked rina_Ontario,Canada 5a
  • 9 years ago

    Rina said it much better than I did :)

    English is my third language; I don't know sometimes the meaning and impact of every word.

    goldstar135 thanked hablu