Most plants seem to have been almost at a stand still during our dull cool August.  There were less flowers than usual amongst the Mammillaria. Parodia and Astrophytum the only plants whose flowers didn’t disappoint were the Aloes and Gasteria.  There is no pleasing us – I am now complaining about all the dead flowers from these old reliables which are littering the shelves and floor!

I was very pleased with the Haworthias that I potted up in clay granules earlier in the year, they are growing well with thick strong roots.  As result of this, and no doubt influenced by Stirling’s enthusiasm and his wonderful plants, I have now almost completed the task of cleaning the old compost off the remainder of my Haworthia collection (around about 200 plants) and potting them in granules as well.  I will have to learn a different watering regime as the granules certainly dry out more quickly.  I will also have to feed them with each watering.  I hope I won’t regret the change – we will see!!

 I have taken some of the long stems off Gasteria rawlingsonii, cut each stem into sections about four or five inches long, and have used each section as a cutting. The tip sections from the stems have rooted and are growing normally, the cuttings from lower down the stems have also rooted and are each producing a number of side shoots which can in due course be removed and made into more cuttings.  I must next get around to removing the old plant from its 14 inch pan so that I can give it some fresh compost. Its old compost is such a mat of hard roots that water and nutrients can hardly get through. This will be a major operation and I am not exactly looking forward to it.