by Heather
(Kent , England)
My Buddha’s temple has collapsed and looks like its dying off at the base, the top is fine with lots of babies. What sort of soil should I plant out the babies to save their lives?
I’m not 100% sure what Buddha’s Temple is? but all succulents should have very well drained soil.
Cut the top off, and discard the base, in case whatever killed it off is contagious (some kind of root rot, possibly?) and set the top onto some cactus soil, specifically mixed for cacti and succulents, or mix your own; I recommend some kind of potting soil, such as Sunshine Mix #4 if you can get it, mixed with the same quantity of turkey grit, pumice (my preference, but hard to find) or even large sand.
This should be sieved to remove dusty particles, which will clog the pores.
Resist the urge to water your plant until it grows some of it’s own roots, because you will just compound the problem.
I recommend using rainwater, if you can get it, or distilled water, because they don’t contain any minerals, such as calcium or lime, which can be a problem.
Never, ever use water that has been run through a water softening unit, as this contains salts, something that most succulents have not evolved to deal with.
Fingers crossed for an early and uneventful recovery!
Jacki
