THE GROWING OF CACT1—Continued from page 3 
greater in diameter than the plant. A one inch 
plant in a 2” or 214” pot. A 2” plant in a 3” 
pot etc. For very large plants a pot of the 
same diameter may suffice. If the plant is 
taller than wide a 2” or 3” plant in a 215” 
pot, a 6”: plant in a 3” or 4”. pot, a 12” plant 
in a 5” or 6” pot. It is best not to over-pot 
unless you are very careful not to overwater. 
Remember the smaller the pot the greater the 
ratio of surface to contents and thus the more 
air diffusion. The question is often asked about 
glazed pots versus unglazed. For growth the 
unglazed pot is best for it is porous. However 
all the colorful and uniquely shaped containers 
are glazed and they have proven perfectly 
satisfactory to millions of house plant growers. 
The point is only for the expert. 
In preparing a plant for potting see that 
any large broken roots are cut with a*pair of 
scissors or sharp knife. If the pot has a hole 
in the bottom place a piece of broken pot. over‘ 
the hole. If larger than a 4” pot some drain- 
age is helpful, pieces of broken pots or coarse 
gravel covered over with moss or a piece of 
sacking. Pour in some soil and then spread the 
roots out toward the side of the pot. Pour in 
more soil working it under thé’ plant unless the 
plant has a tap root. Tap the_pot-on the table 
then add more soil keeping the roots reason- 
ably spread. Keep the base of the plant about 
flush with the finished surface which in a 3” 
pot should be about 1” below the top to allow 
for watering. Don’t bury the base unless you 
are sure you know why you are doing it. If the 
pot is large you will need a blunt stick to firm 
the soil as you fill the pot. Don’t ram the soil 
in too hard. Just firmly. When finished firm 
the soil with your two thumbs and tap the pot 
smartly two or three times on the table to 
settle it. 
Most ornamental pottery does not have a 
hole in the bottom and |! am often asked, ‘‘Can 
| use such a pot?’’ Most assuredly, yes. Mil- 
lions of them are used. However be careful 
never to overwater. Just give enough so they 
will dry in a week. Remember you are dealing 
with plants whose home lands are dry. A Philo- 
dendron or an African Violet can stand the 
water better than a Cactus but they will suffer 
from lack of water and a Cactus will not. 
WATERING 
| am often asked ‘‘When and how should | 
water my plants?” It can be answered quite 
simply, ‘‘Water when the soil is dry.” | try to 
water just enough so that the soil is dry in 4 
to 7 days. If the weather is cool and moist they 
may remain moist for two or three weeks. If 
they have plenty of ventilation the moisture 
seldom hurts them. If they are in a closed 
warm room overwatering may cause them to 
rot. If the atmosphere is very dry or if they 
are in full sun one may have to water more 
often. If you live where the summers are hot 
and moist your plants will need far less water. 
In moist, muggy weather it is best to err on 
the side of dryness. In such weather plants lose 
but little water by transpiration and conse- 
quently are practically drowned when over- 
watered. 
Many growers think that getting water on 
a plant is harmful so they soak the pots in 
pans. | always water from the top because 
soaking generally insures overwatering. If the 
plants are in small pots crowded with roots 
soaking may not harm them but if newly 
planted or in wet weather it is a fine way to 
make room for new purchases. 
If the plants are wetted in watering see 
that there is a circulation of air around them 
so the plant body will dry before night. Wet 
plants may rot quickly if not dried. Just re- 
member to open the window or ventilator a 
trifle after watering. 
The roots of cacti and succulents need plenty 
of air. This is provided in good culture by a 
sandy soil with coarse leafmold. Charcoal is 
helpful in many cases. Overwatering reduces 
the amount of air in the soil, the root hairs 
drown and decay may set in. Therefore don’t 
saturate the soil but water enough to keep the 
plants plump. When they are growing they 
can safely take a little more. 
Though cacti come from regions whose 
climatic conditions vary greatly yet | have 
found they will thrive with practically the 
same care for all. There are a few exceptions 
to this general rule. However even then they 
grow here side by side receiving but slight 
variations in treatment. Some we give a san- 
dier soil, often just sand and leafmold, a posi- 
tion closer to the glass or less shade and a lit- 
tle less water though perhaps as frequently. 
Overwatering rapidly changes the texture of 
the soil. This is often overlooked but really 
is very important. One of the obvious results 
is a crust on the surface. This slows the growth 
of the plants down quickly probably because 
it prevents a free diffusion of the air. The 
soil compost becomes closer textured, it set- 
tles and the air filled interstices between the 
grains become smaller. | have brought in won- 
derfully textured soils from our desert moun- 
tains where plants have appeared very happy 
and in a few months have found the texture 
very different. The warmth and moisture of 
cultivation soon broke them down. 
Though all this may seem to the beginner 
as very complicated it really is not if this 
Primary advice is even reasonably followed: 
Water only when plants are dry. 
HOW DO 1! TELL WHEN 
My Plants Are Dry? 
This is really quite easy to determine. Scratch 
the surface with a match or pencil a quarter 
inch to a half inch deep. If moisture shows 
they don’t need watering. During the growing 
season | try to catch them just as the moisture 
leaves the deeper scratches —a half inch or 
so. A little practice will enable you to judge 
pretty accurately when this should occur. The 
time will vary somewhat with the type of soil, 
situation, ventilation and humidity. However 
try to equalize these factors so it happens in 
about a week. Young plants need more atten- 
tion than old established specimens which 
may go weeks without water. Very young 
seedlings before their first transplanting should 
be kept quite moist at all times. Never water 
newly planted plants heavily. Go easy on water 
for one to two or more months until the new 
roots are well established. You are bound to 
break roots in repotting and these should heal 
on the dry side. Wetness may cause rotting. 
RESTING PLANTS 
LANTS, like animals require a resting pe- 
riod. Even in the tropics rains are season- 
able. In most cases the sunless winter months 
of our northern regions are the best months 
to rest plants. At this time, due to lack of 
light and the difficulty of ventilation, any 
growth is quite liable to be etiolated and 
“drawn.” 
Most of us have our plants in the window so 
“resting”? may consist only of giving our plants 
less moisture. Enough water to keep them from 
drying up or withering but not enough to force 
growth. Give them as much fresh air as you 
can and as much light as possible. Don’t allow 
temperatures to go below freezing. Start giving 
less water in September or October. Growth 
should be stopped by October. Let them rest 
until there is plenty of light in March or even 
April. There is no rush about getting them 
started. If flower buds show before this you 
may water a little more or they will blast. 
If you have a light window in a frost proof 
cellar your plants can be set near it. Since 
the cellar is cooler and the air more moist the 
JOHNSON CACTUS GARDENS 
PARAMOUNT, CALIFORNIA 
48 
plants will probably be in a better flowering 
condition in the spring. If you have a green- 
house put the plants in a light position and 
water only when they show signs of shriveling. 
Temperatures down as low as 33 will not 
hurt them. However | would try to keep 
temperatures at above 40°. 
If you live in warm regions where oranges 
succeed you will find a great many of your 
plants will thrive outdoors. Whole groups of 
them will stand temperatures of 25°, a great 
many 20°, some even 10°. | have found that 
this long, cold, outdoor rest really brings the 
flowers on. The natural dampness from the 
rains, if the drainage is good, does not seem 
to rot them. 
In the wild state the plants are forced to rest 
due either to the dry season or to the cold of 
winter. Seldom does the growing season ac- 
tually extend over 3 or 4 months. Often, due 
to lack of rains, a plant will make only 2 or 
3 new areoles in a year some years missing 
entirely. Thus you see that Cacti are not fast 
growers. Don’t try to get too much growth 
out of them after they reach flowering size. 
Young plants can be kept growing much longer 
than specimens. In fact the first year we keep 
them growing slowly almost through the year. 
After they have had a rest period it should be 
observed as they are ‘‘set in their ways.” 
PROPAGATING 
Cacti and succulents may be raised from 
cuttings leaf cuttings, offsets and seeds. A 
great many cacti are best raised from seeds 
as they seldom offset or produce suitable cut- 
tings. Others branch freely or offset. The 
Dolichotheles can be raised from nipples. Some 
succulents as Echeverias, Pachyphytums and 
Haworthias are easily raised from leaves. Some, 
like various Kalanchoes, produce a myriad small 
plants on the older leaves. 
Seed growing is very interesting though a 
tedious, time consuming process. It may be 
sown in boxes, pans or pots. Some cactus and 
succulent seed should be sown on the sur- 
face -and not covered with soil. The larger 
seeds should be pressed down with a flat 
board and clean sand (with the dust sifted 
out) sprinkled over them to a depth not ex- 
ceeding an eighth of an inch. Cover with a 
pane of glass and soak the pans etc.,’ in a 
pan of water until the moisture shows on the 
surface. Keep wet until well sprouted. The 
seed may come up in 4 or 5 days or it may 
be a month. Much depends on the time of 
year and temperature. 70° to 75° is a good 
germinating temperature to maintain at night. 
Cuttings of cacti should be allowed to dry 
in an airy place for two weeks to a month or 
so. The larger the cut surface the longer it 
must dry. Sand with a little leafmold is the 
best rooting medium. Cuttings with a large 
cut surface should be only set on the sand. If 
buried they often rot. They should have plenty 
of ventilation while rooting. The amount of 
moisture needed to root cuttings is very vari- 
able. The shade or jungle cacti Selenicerus, 
Epiphyllum, Zgyocactus, etc., should be damp- 
ened, not soaked, regularly. Desert cacti as 
Cereus, Mamillaria, Echinocereus, etc., do not 
need much water to show roots. Roots may 
show in two weeks to several months. 
Leaf cuttings may be laid on dry sand and 
put in a shady place where roots will show. 
They may also be set shollowly in sand. Even- 
tually sprouts may show at the “base. Many 
Crassulaceae and Haworthias root readily. Many 
others do not. 
Offsets, like leaf cuttings, are Nature’s own 
way of asexual propagation and often show 
roots while still attached to the mother plant. 
They need only be set in soil and watered. 
Some Lobivias Gymnocalyciums Mamillarias, 
Echinopsis, etc., produce offsets. 
