Catherine,

That soil still looks too water-retentive, which is why it's still wet. Take it out of that soil, cut the soil with 50% perlite, repot, and wait a few days before watering. Your succulent, Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Golden Girl' (I think) is a full-sun plant, but gradually acclimate it to same.

You can read about soil at this forum for weeks of delightful insight, if you do a search at the top of the page. There are a number of ways of getting the soil right.

As to the Show, the best advice I can give you is to join that Society that's putting on the show and sale and get advice from them - they're the best to ask, but just in case, you'll want to ask questions relating to the specific plants you're buying from the vendors you have there. There's no general advice other than keep them isolated from your main collection until you've had a chance to inspect them / repot them, as needed (the plants should be in good shape but you never can tell). I hope you have a blast at the show and see a cornucopia of succulence.

FYI add - Home Dodo is a big hardware store everywhere. You know you've made it as a city when you have one (along with a Costco and a Walmart). Even Kamloops has one of each.

Yes, I've been reading over and over to mix the cactus soil with perlite. I've been holding off b/c I wanted to get pumice, but I don't have time to drive around looking for it. Are succulents sensitive to repottings? I've just repotted it today; is it okay to repot it again tomorrow with some perlite?

What inspections should I do to new succulents? Is it recommended to always repot new succulents?

Not so much sensitive as not particularly caring for it frequently, hence the suggestion to NOT water immediately after repotting. Yes, that would be fine to repot. Pumice you can order online (for not a terribly expensive price), but the 50/50 mix you'll have is adequate. Your soil recipe is all about what you can get (and afford), but many things, not necessarily expensive, can be used - what you want is porosity.

Generally (that again) plant vendors at shows will have clean and healthy plants (this is a requirement for them selling, most of the time) that are potted in suitable soil, but you want to make sure that that's so. I don't want to make you paranoid - usually it's nurseries and BBS stores you have to be careful of.

Succulents are typically potted by the growers in peat/peat based soils. That has nothing to do with what store you bought it - many BBS (big box stores like Home depot, Lowe's, Rona, Wallmart and so on) will have succulents like that. There are few growers that supply these stores. And stores 'take care of them' their own way - which is not exactly what these plants need. If you notice, everything gets watered (most of the times) at the same time, regardless what kind of plant it is. Stores usually don't 'have time' to take care of the different plants differently...So, the best thing to do is to repot the plant as soon as possible after the purchase, taking all that soil away, even washing it from the roots if necessary.

The Cacti& Succulent soil is most often very peaty too, they add some other ingredients, but it could vary from brand to brand. If that's all you have, pick up at least bag of perlite and mix with your C&S soil, in 50/50 ratio. It will be better draining than soil straight from the bag. It looks very peaty in your photo, and may not be best for the plant.

Adding other inorganic ingredients is even better - if you are interested, search this site for gritty mix. Or just read few threads, almost every one has potting mix discussion, since that is usually the biggest problem.

Your Kalanchoe tomentosa 'Chocolate soldier' (?) needs as much sun as possible, and will do very well outdoors (if you have access to it), gradually exposed to lots of sun. It could stay outdoors until temps start staying as low as 45*F during nights.

Edited to add: Jeff posted as I was typing - as you can see, essentially same advice...

Thank you guys! I thought I could get away with the cactus mix until at least next spring (Why call it cactus mix if it's not suitable?), but after the echeveria tragedy I don't want to take any chances with my kalanchoe or any future purchases.

Cactusmcharris (Jeff?), the pot says kalanchoe tomentosa, so you're right, but it also says 'chocolate soldier'.

Maybe this is tmi for a succulent thread, but Golden Girls is my favorite show! Now I really don't want to lose my golden girl!

I had thought 'Chocolate Soldier' had darker markings than it actually has. If that's what it says, I'd go with it.

My wife likes it too. Bea Arthur was ahead of her time, to be sure.

Almost any cactus mix can be suitable, but you either have to not water it as often as many do or water it often. It all depends on your skill, your environment and your watering habits.

Are you going to the Austin C&S show? Good show.You might see me there. ( I need another succulent like a hole in the head but an addict has to get her fix.

Best thing to do is re pot your plants in good soil of your making . Maybe give them a good look over for bugs and such, agave mites and aloe mites. I will treat them also at this point. Look carefully and put your plants in quarenteen to make sure they are healthy and you are not bringing in a problem that you do not have.

Karen, I have a feeling this type of watering behavior is what doomed the Wal-mart echeveria--I thought I could save it :(

Wantonamara, yep, I'm going to the Austin show, probably on Saturday. I will also go to the Wimberly market days later that same Saturday. My parents have a booth there and they say there's a succulent vendor there (I've never seen him, but I will be there helping out anyway). I've only got 2 succulents in my collection, I hope to greatly augment that this weekend :)

My collection. The little one's soil was very dry yesterday, but it's still got that concerning yellow leaf. It will also need a repot b/c it is in the cactus soil.

Catherine, Get on Bob Barth's, one of the venders (Oracle George Nursery , I think) email list . He has a sale at his house twice a year before the succulent sale. It is worth it just to see his collection. Jaw dropping to say the least. My best aloes have come from him and my favorite Agave striata 'live wire'. I am in Wimberley 3 times a week for Years and I have never been to Market Days.LOL. Have you checked out East Austin Succulents ( another of the venders). It is really worth your time. Rio Grande Succulents(from Socorro NM) has some cold hardy cactus that I grow outside. Go with a list of cold hardy succulents, if you are into growing things outside.

Well points for trying Catherine, but sometimes they're just too far gone.

I never buy overwatered stressed from Big box succulents in the bargain section. Often the problems that I could bring home will infect my plants. I don't like to take the chance.