Joyce's Diary

June 2002

Repotting, repotting, repotting - you know the feeling! The trouble is that the plants appreciate their new potting mixture so much that the next time I look at them they are nearly ready for another repotting! I have started to use the John Innes compost favoured by George Hollis and it is really great. It will be interesting to see how the plants progress in the new medium. A big thanks to Norman for being prepared to bulk buy on our behalf

Nearly all my Rebutias and Sulcorebutias spent the winter in the unheated greenhouse. This was not from choice but because of lack of space in the heated house. All survived the winter safely and flowering has been better than ever, flowers on some completely hiding the plant body. I suppose in the colder house they had a longer rest period - I stopped watering earlier in the Autumn and started watering them later in the Spring. Whatever I did it seems to have suited the plants. Young seedlings of nigricans are flowering for the first time and their large deep red flowers are a real joy.

I noticed that my Haworthia cooperi pilifera which was badly in need of repotting was looking quite healthy around the outside but the heads in the middle were looking starved. When I took the plant from the pot I found that the outer heads had pushed the inner ones so much that they were detached from their roots. The plant split easily into many well rooted heads and a number of unrooted inner heads. I have repotted all of them and should have plenty of spare plants before too long. I will remember next time to repot before the plant starts to strangle itself.

I have taken some cuttings from my Operculicarya and potted them up. I am told that June is the best month for rooting Operculicarya cuttings. The cuttings I took last year were very slow to root but have now become good sturdy plants which are growing very quickly. I shall probably repot them a second time this year to allow for their rapid root development.