I am using gritty mix for mine with around 80% grit and the remainder turface and fir bark. Will they be grown inside or outside and where do you live? That should affect your mix choice greatly.

Looks like you have three Lithops aucampiae. It could be one plant with three heads, (joined at the root) but I expect it to be at least two plants.

Your pots are very cute and pretty, just make sure they have drain holes. The rectangular blue one on the right may be too short, depending on the root length of your Lithops. When you unpot them, you will know for sure.

Otherwise, the pot size choices look quite good. Plants look good too - nothing needs any watering yet.

Here are two of my smaller Lithops, one is Lithops lesliei ssp lesliei var venteri C047 and the other Lithops villetii ssp deboeri (I think).

Thanks, I was hoping you would see this and chime in. :) You are probably right on the big blue pot, its less than 2 inches deep. They all have drain holes. Do you think one of the taller ones would be big enouhh for the Lithops, or maybe something roomier? Going back to the drawing board there. Your Lithops are lovely, and thanks for the ID!

I may have to reconsider windows, it is above my sink and I grow a hanging Hoya over it, may be too humid for Lithops. I will experiment, sure they will be happy somewhere.

I live in Spokane WA, we have fairly hot and dry summers with lots of sun, the rest of the time it ranges from sunny to cool, wet, and grey.

With gritty mix, I have not tried as I can not find all the ingredients, those being turface and crushed granite. I assume orchid bark and fir bark are the same (fine bark for these probably?), and can get pumice and sand easily enough. Coir too, but probably not excellent for these.

And then, watering. I plan to water when they look wrinkly, and of course not in winter for the Pleiospilos and Lithops, the Fenestaria I will. I have read to give them a deep drink in the spring when the old leaves are all gone, and lightly the rest of the time. What exactly does that mean? Is a deep drink letting it go until water runs through, and is lightly a sip, or more of a light spray? Maybe I am over thinking it but haven't found anything that clarifies this.

I am far for knowing about growing these (only have 3 small lithops) but I would think that gritty mix would be more suitable for them especially in cooler and wet temps (unless this is winter time when your plants need to be indoors?) - Kevin, what do you say?

Extremely helpful photos and information. I will still pick up another pot just in case (if only while they are available cheaply, small pots tend to be hard to find).

I will keep up the hunt for the other items for a gritty mix. Hopefully I can find them, and I will go devour that blog you linked in just a second.

Fenestraria can be watered more frequently correct? Like the others I plan to water when wrinkly, but less in summer and more in winter. Will take a little trial and error and of course I will monitor them closely.

And while I was digging through other sites, it occurred to me my Pleiospilos Royal Flush is likely stacked, with three sets of leaves. Anything I should do about this? Probably not water for a good while hey?

Finally (maybe), any repotting tips?

Hmmm... I am really tempted to do straight pumice now. I can obtain it easily, and while some of what I read suggested a bit of clay type soil added to a gritty mix to give the fine roots something to hold on to, no one could back this up with photos like what this lady has going on. Tempting. I assume all three could do well in this?

Kim

I found these pots in IKEA - had to drill drainage holes in them, but they are pretty deep and small - 3" diameter on top, 4.25"tall:

Ooohh, I like those a lot. Wonder if I could order online, will have to check. My nearest IKEA is all the way over in Seattle.

Also, an edit. Between Eewmayo, that lovely link, and my own research I feel pretty confident now. Thanks again!

Kim - Yes, I water my Fenestraria quite often. Can be a very thirsty plant!

If your Pleiospilos has 3 stacks, you can give it good light and wait until the third set is absorbed. I'm no expert on Pleiospilos yet, still working on that. =)

I really don't think soil is required for fine rootage with Mesembs. Here are the roots of one of my Cheiridiopsis in gritty:

Rika's Lithops photos and descriptions are pretty fantastic. I spent a long time reading every post (currently around her 2012 stuff). Hopefully you'll get to see her approach to growing/learning to grow Mesembs.

You can also try straight pumice for a month or two and see how that goes? Sounds like you will be pretty attentive and I doubt you'll kill them!

As for repotting, make sure to get all of the old soil off. Soaking/swishing in water helps, as well as a little bit of spray. It's very important to get all the old soil off. Take photos of the roots and things as you unpot and wash them off - always helpful later if you run into trouble later.

Rina - Eventually, I need to get a drill bit for pots! So far my drilling adventures are plastic pots only.

I noticed a few of the smaller "toes" on my Fenestraria are pretty withered, maybe time for a little water?

And unless I can find the ingredients to make a proper gritty I will so the pumice. And I may be likely to over water at first, so that may help.

And I sorta went overboard and ordered a few packets of Lithops seeds for grins. Will post those adventures as they progress. Some people say plant in October, others say now. The seeds are cheap, and I can try both times and see how it goes.

Can you take a side photo and maybe we can help you decide?

I really don't know about the best time to sow Lithops seeds, but they do need quite a bit of care! Mine seem to like a decent amount of light, good airflow, and watering every other day. I use a layer of horticultural sand on top of sifted perlite, which seems to work well. I'm not a seed-growing expert though!

For the seeds, all those things I can provide easily.

The argument for planting in October/fall is that it mimics the natural life cycle, and less chance of losing seedlings during a hot summer. The reverse argument for spring planting is that the seedlings will get larger faster grown under better conditons as long as they can be kept reasonably cool.

Do you use miracle grow perlite with fert., or the unfertilized kind? I was thinking a mix of cactus soil and pumice (gets dry fast in my house). Growing from seed will be fun, and maybe I will end up with a few plants already adapted to my growing conditions. I might post a seedling progression as I go, I know I never tire of seeing them myself.

There are three more as wrinkly, but smaller ones nestled around the edges.

Two in this, if you can make them out.

Personally, I would not water right now. The other leaves are so plump I think it's more risky to have those split than lose a couple of the outer wrinkly leaves.

You should check out this thread, if you haven't already: [Question on Sowing Mesembs Seeds[(https://www.houzz.com/discussions/question-on-sowing-mesembs-seeds-dsvw-vd~3300934)

Thank you again, on all counts. This site and all of you on it have transformed me from a plant hospice worker (easing plants through their transition to the afterlife) to someone who actually looks like they know what they are doing. ;)

I repotted today, in pure pumice. The inside of the pots is mostly unglazed, and the drainage holes are so big I had to use some old window screen to keep the pumice in place. Can't tell from the photo, but the Fenestraria continues to get shrivelly around the edges. That one was entirely rootbound, and the Lithops pot had 3 separate plants and the Pleiospilos I am pretty sure is just one plant. I accidentally broke one of the outermost stacked leaves while reporting (already was quite weak at the base) so removed it. Can't tell from the photo, but the smaller head has a little nub coming out the side, not sure what that is about. These pots probably couldn't drain faster if I tried, I might add some finer particles later if I feel it needs it. For now, they look rather charming.

Also, I hope I didn't burry the Lithops too deep. I put them lower into the potting media than they were when I bought them, and wondering if that will be ok.

Kim - Looking good! The Fenestraria looks really healthy and good to hear the roots were in good shape too.

It's preferable to pot Lithops at the same height as before, since when they regenerate they can emerge quite short in the mix. Of course, it's easy to dig them out a little if that happens in pumice, so not really a problem for you.