by Sonya
(Athens, AL)
I live I north Alabama.
I just bought a tiger jaws and a anacampseros rufescens.
They are in a very small pot, it says 4oz succulent on the pot.
I am very new to growing succulents and I would like to know how to re pot and care for these plants.
What kind and size of pot should I use when I re pot them?
I read somewhere to use 1 part soil, 2 parts sand. Is that correct?
Should I put rocks in the bottom of the pot.
How often should I water them?
They are inside, under a light,45 watt, that stays on all the time. Should I put them in a window? My room gets morning Sun and my kitchen window gets evening Sun.
Thank you for your help. If there is anything else I should know about them please let me know.
Oh and the anacampseros refescens is about to bloom.
Hi Sonya, welcome to my obsession! These little guys will worm their way into your heart! The Anacamperos blooming is certainly a good way to start.
To care for them, you should find everything you need on the page about succulent care.
For now, I wouldn’t do anything except observe them.
It’s especially important not to try and repot any plant that is just going into bloom, because this is a delicate stage for many plants.
Disturbing them at this time may cause it to die, or at least have the bloom fall off. Stressing them can be the last straw.
When you go to repot them, yes, use a mix of sand/small gravel and potting soil, or find a mix specifically made for cactus.
Do not put rocks in the bottom of the pot. If the hole is large and soil starts to sift out, put a small piece of newspaper in the bottom which will hold the soil until it settles. After that, the soil tends to stay in place.
Use a pot only a tiny bit bigger than their existing one. They prefer to have a smaller pot, putting them in a large pot only contributes to overwatering and other problems.
For watering, only water when the soil is dry. I can’t give you any particularly schedule, because all climates and growing conditions are unique.
Don’t put a saucer underneath, as they should never sit in water – water well, with lukewarm water, let it drain out, repeat, and then put them back into your sunny window, which they will like better than being under the light for 24 hours a day.
They need 12 hours of light, and 12 hours of darkness to allow them to rest.
Hope that helps get your collection off to a good start.
Jacki
