What Kills Your Expensive and Cherished Xerophytes – the Silent Killer in your pots.

If everything else was right, the only things that would kills us would be the food we eat, the water we drink and the air we breathe.

So, you bought expensive xerophytes and rare collectible plants and are itching to pot them and show off? And now you will quickly pot them in a fancy-named xerophyte media that you purchased, water the plant and display it?

Well, this is where the problem starts. Are you aware of what exactly is in the so called fancy name media? No? Well, for starters, just take a potful of this fancy-named media and soak it in a container overnight with water filled to the brim. Next day, shake the container vigorously and then sieve it using a strainer on a clear floor. If the water that sieves out has minimal dirt in it, your media is clean. Or try handling the media with your bare hands, if your hands remain mostly clean handling the media then your media is clean. If not, you are actually dooming your expensive xerophytes to their eventual death.

Why is dirtless clean media important for you expensive cherished xerophytes?

Its quite simple really! The dirt, the so called ‘fortified’ nutrients added to this expensive media, compost, vermicompost, bone meal, neem khali, etc become SLUDGE when water is added to this media. This sludge becomes a dense sponge that holds water for days or even weeks, suffocating the roots. Xerophytes are evolutionarily engineered to survive in arid environments where water rushes past their roots quickly. Clean, dirtless media allows excess water to flush out quickly. This ensures your expensive plants never sit in stagnant moisture, eliminating the threat of fatal root rot.

One of the major reasons why the xerophytes thrive at The Plant Studio is the use of 99% dirt free media. We do not add anything to the media except occasionally a few granules of slow release fertiliser– remembering that xerophytes grow in extremely poor nutrition regions. From time to time, we keep experimenting in trying to add ingredients that allow the root systems to grow better – we actively rotate the use of perlite, pumice and Styrofoam balls in our media. On few occasions, we try to combine all in one potting mix too.

Interestingly, we have also experimented in growing xerophytes in cocopeat as well and have found extremely satisfactory results. The key to growing in cocopeat is to maintain the moisture levels and never let water stagnate in the pot. You can read more about our take on growing xerophytes in cocopeat here: https://www.theplantstudio.com/post/growing-xerophytes-cacti-succulents-in-cocopeat 

Pros and cons of the different media

·       Cinder / Pumice: Excellent for keeping the mix airy and fast draining.

·       Perlite: Budget-friendly aeration, though it tends to float to the top over time.

·       Cocopeat: Great if low moisture levels can be maintained

The Plant Studio's Custom "Golden Ratio" Recipe

·       If your coarse media – whether cinder, pumice or perlite, has dirt and forms sludge in pots on watering, wash it thoroughly, sieve it to let the sludge be discarded, dry in sun for 4-5 days before using it.

·       The best ratio we have settled on – 70% washed, dirt free cinder and 30% washed powder free perlite or pumice. And 2-3 inches of Styrofoam balls at the base of the pot. In our experience, this ratio provides the best chances for your expensive and cherished xerophytes to thrive in any and all types of climate.

Pro Tip: Sansevieria, Agave, Caudiciforms, tropical Euphorbia can handle a tiny bit more organic material than other xerophytic genus.

Lastly, please also be careful of the type of pots selected and their placement in your collection.

Properly cured Terracota pots work best for Xerophytes. However, plastic and ceramic pots would require grittier mix plus their placement in your collection is extremely important. For example – your xerophytes in plastic or ceramic pots when kept in direct sun at more than 30 degrees Celsius will attract and retain a lot of heat inside the pot. So, if you do not have a well-draining mix leading to a lot of moisture retention, you can imagine the roast you are providing to the roots of your beloved xerophytes.

Pro Tip: Always remember - healthy roots equal a happy plant!! So constantly think of how you can make the roots healthier for your xerophytes.

If you have recently added Xerophytes to your collection and are unsure of how to go about preparing their potting mix or have general questions on their upkeep, you can join our WhatsApp group by scanning the QR Code below to receive tips and also get your specific queries answered.

Support: If you still have any questions or observations to share with us or get more insights, do reach out to us and we would be happy to share our experiences to help you.

Caution: Entire content on this website is created and owned by PlantStudio Ventures Private Limited. Any unauthorised copy and dissemination for any purpose is strictly prohibited unless permitted in written.

#tps_exotics #tps_xotiks #theplantstudio #theplantstudio_original #theplantstudio_india #theplantstudio_sale

© PlantStudio Ventures Private Limited

no part of this content maybe copied or circulated without prior consent