Sunday, September 15, 2013

Repotting the Neohenricia (4 pics)

It was about time. My Neohenricia sibbettii, once so cute and tiny, has outgrown its pot a while ago, going overboard with its branches (in 15 months or so). Another sign that a plant desparately needs repotting is the fact that water doesn't go into the soil... which means there's no soil, only roots. 
After quite a lot of squeezing and shaking I've finally managed to get the plant out of the 5x5x5cm pot and yes, roots, roots everywhere. For a crawling mesemb you wouldn't expect it to grow large and deep root system but here it is.

After a procedure that only can be called "roots massage" I've removed the pumice and devided the plant into eight cuttings. I will only keep three of them so please feel free to email me if you want some of the others! :)

The result doesn't show much difference. Only that it stays within the pot borders (for now!) but the transplantation was surely good for it and refreshing for its root system.

7 comments:

  1. Very interesting and usefull pictures! I need to repot my Neohenricia too. Now i can see how to make it right ;)

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    1. Glad to hear it! :D
      Neohenricia grows so quickly and transplanting is really necessary once in a while. Unless you have a lot of space ;)

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  2. In horticulture the path to a healthy, strong plant is a healthy, strong root system. And, the path to a healthy, strong root system is available water and air. Obviously, your pumice potting mix, and YOUR ability to understand when to water, are providing the optimum environment for root growth. In addition to available water and air in the root environment, there is the need for adequate nutrients (those 13 elements essential for plant life). I'm still trying to understand how your plants do so well with your minimal (to none) fertilizer applications. Either succulent plants have extremely minimal requirements (quite possible), or essential elements were in, or are getting into, your pumice somehow. Maybe through the dust in the air - how often are you sweeping up?!?! ;) Great looking plants. Certainly the equal of what normally could be grown under greenhouse conditions.

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    1. Thank you as always for your encouragement :)
      I think pure pumice as i use it is very forgiving and if the plant is healthy to start with and the pots are small it's difficult to overwater. Haha you're right, I'm not sweeping up as often as I should, but on the other hand i also always forget to fertilize. It's true that especially the roots like it in pumice, the big root beards are always impressive while transplanting. If i only could do something about flowers. I don't get that many here :)
      Thanks again!

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  3. Since you have nice healthy plants, your lack of flowers is most likely caused by less than optimum light. Light is crucial in allowing the plant to make enough sugar to not only supply energy to maintain existing tissue, and produce new tissue growth) but also, if there is a sugar surplus, to produce flowers and fruit. Since the amount of light is crucial in photosynthesis, and hence sugar production, your plants may not be producing a sufficient amount of sugar, due to insufficient light, to produce flowers. Some plants could also have reduced to no flowering due to too high night temperature. This effect varies considerably from species to species. Considering what you have to work with in terms of your environment, you do quite well, but I think I've told you that before. :)

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  4. Wie werden die eigentlich im Winter gepflegt? Man findet nur sehr wenig Infos im Netz und die sind auch noch widersprüchlich :( Danke!

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    1. Ab und zu gießen, rein nach Gefühl. Solange die Pflanze nicht vertrocknet ist alles ok :)

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