It's a TC as it has the pointy edges, aka crab claw cactus. I find I have no trouble in getting these kinds of cacti to root by planting in gritty mix with added leaf mould and bark chips, I use small grade horticultural gravel to stabilise the cuttings till they root. The pot seems rather large for a small bunch of cuttings, maybe the mix is staying too wet....how big is the pot? I personally don't fertilise the cuttings or small rooted ones as they should be able to gain enough food from the new mix once rooted to sustain them for some time, at least for several months I would have thought. I also keep them on the dry side till they show good signs of growth.

Gill

There is no such thing as an oversized pot, if plants are being kept too wet that is a stand alone problem independent of how big the pot is - commercial growers "finish" small plants in large pots all of the time.

The slow growth all summer is curious, maybe a warmer and brighter position would have produced a stronger response. In the meantime this is now the time of the year when they switch from growing to setting flower buds, most of mine are already budded right now.

I was watering twice a week. Now I am watering only once a week. I water once a week really well and let the soil drain. I then pour off excess water ( my pot is connected to the dish under it but has drainage holes ). Thanks so much for the tips! I am going to move the plant to a brighter spot. I will let you know how it works out.

@Embothrium, whilst I accept that your comment above regarding wet mix in any size of pot is detrimental, please observe my comment fully....it does go on to question the water content of the mix.

From what I can see from the pic, the mix appears rather dark, which to me indicates it's peaty and water retentive: the pot appears large, which combined with the former comment tells me it's got lots of unoccupied and possibly wet mix: plus the cuttings are set very low.

The OP actually states it's in succ mix, with no indication as to whether it's been amended with other ingredients....which if we read the hundreds of posts on this forum is the main cause of rotting, rootless, sad and dying plants. Watering twice a week also seems excessive...to me anyway. We don't know where the plant is kept, sun/shade or even the zone, arctic or tropical...please tell us.

I still say the pot is too big and combined with its contents isn't helping the cuttings to root.....the root mass may well be minimal/rotting.

Without being critical to the OP, commercial growers may well finish plants in large pots, hopefully they know what they're doing as regards caring for them but all they're after is turnover..... however, many growers on the forum are not as 'expert'.

Let's see if others have further thoughts so we can help the OP.

Gill

ldlconsultinginc,

They may not be growing but they do appear healthy enough. Let nature take its course but with some easy changes.

I would downsize to a smaller pot, which would afford the opportunity to check the root system, make soil amendments, and raise the pads up higher in the pot. They may very well be too far deep inside the pot, blocking off light. They require bright, indirect sunlight.

There absolutely IS such thing as too big a pot as it relates to container gardening. These are especially detrimental during cold weather months, when moisture doesn't evaporate as readily.

Appropriately sized, smaller pots dry out faster and pose less of an opportunity for rot. Succulents need fast draining mix with excellent aeration. I personally amend my mixes with roughly 20% gritty river (construction) sand and 20 - 40% perlite.

All the best to you.

Maria Elena

Agreed, it's tough to assess size/scale in this pix. (I actually thought I spoke to this poster at Houseplants maybe?)

I usually use 2-4 cuttings per 3" plastic pot. Cuttings 3-4 segments long & time, don't know what else to suggest. I only water (indoors) every week to 10 days even tho' these are tropical cacti.

My mix is quite porous, sometimes African violet type mix w/ 50% added perlite & some orchid-mix type bark. I found C&S mix too heavy for these.

Yes, they do like bright light, even if indirect, I grow mine on edges of west windows.

Karen, yes! I forgot to mention that. C&S mix can be very heavy for these. I also currently have my 7 pots of TC in a mix of 50% African violet mix / 50% perlite ... They're doing much better with this mix.

Thanks to all for the very helpful comments. Yes I am using a Cactus & Succulent mix made for cactus with nothing added. Question: 1) should I mix 50% perlite with the C&S soil? Where do I get perlite? ( I do not want my next round of cuttings to rot), and 2) if I increase the number of cuttings per pot would the 6" pot be ok? I read somewhere that if you want a full plant you need to plant more then one cutting in a pot. THANKS AGAIN!

Hello again. I thought the compost looked like c/s mix and I'm still confident that's where the problem lies, there's too much in the pot and it's staying too wet,...... and as you can see that's also is the consensus of the majority of responders.

OK, now we have somewhere to go. I would definitely add perlite to it, 50% is suggested. I mix various ingredients myself....c/s mix, bark chips, gravel and garden compost, but that's what I have at hand, you may not chose to go down that line so for a simple free draining mix, the 50/50 is fine. Have no idea where from other than I've read on here about Lowes and similar stores in the US, other names escape me but I'm sure the other ladies will chime in! It's cheap anyway and should be readily available. It's Home Depot, it's just come to me! I would repot those shown above.

I also tend to put lots of cuttings in the one pot as I like a full look. These cacti tend not to have big sturdy rootballs they're more fibrous and minimal. Half pots are good, they don't hold too much mix and their extra width gives room for multiple cuttings. Just my take on things you understand. They grow in leaf litter in trees so have little mix to grow in, they like it damp, but not saturated, with dappled shade. I plant the cuttings, put a layer of gravel on top to stabilise, and leave alone in the shade. I don't water, have sprayed the foliage if it begins to wrinkle. New growths at the ends is a good sign of roots forming, then begin to water, sparingly, till in full growth mode then dont let them go bone dry.

Heres a pic of a bunch of rooted cuttings, the hanging basket chain came undone, plant fell onto the floor and smashed to pieces so the impromptu cuttings were larger than I would 'take', but I didn't want to cut them down. They all rooted and have made a new pot full in 12 months, but it gives you an idea of how many I put on one pot....maybe there was 10-12 pieces? Again, it's just what I do. Can't get an up to date pic as it's bucketing down with rain and the g/h is too far away!

Gill

Good job, Gill. You accurately named Home Depot & Lowes ... They both carry Miracle Gro Perlite in their garden center. It's usually with the special mixes, like Orchid or African Violet mix.

Perlite can be purchased at any large garden center, including Walmart Superstore. Also, high volume florist shops that sell pots, soils, fertilizers, etc., carry it in small, 2-quart or so bags.

About $3 for an 8-quart bag at Home Depot garden center.

I just also wanted to mention that cuttings should have 3 - 4 pads. 1/2 a pad is planted below soil level (sawtooth points up). Six cuttings can create a nice display for a 3" pot. As a fertilizer, tomato food has worked very well for me with all my C&S ... a tip from a landscaper friend. I even use it every other feeding on my adeniums.

Now, if only I could get mine to bloom in the tropics! I have 6 different colors in separate pots and one mixed pot where I gather all the fallen. They bloomed twice a year for me in New York! Now, nada ... It doesn't ever go below 72º F here and they need cooler temps and a minimum of 8 - 12 hours of undisturbed total nightly darkness to bloom. My climate is great for adeniums, a disaster for my beautiful TC.

Maria Elena

Should have mentioned, that's a 6" wide half pot, and the pic taken Nov. last year.

Maria Elena, mine are just beginning to show their buds, so hopefully they will put on a nice show. I'm going to look out for some different colours this year....as if I really need anymore plants! Ha-ha, I can't resist, I have no willpower.

Gill

As others have said Perlite is pretty easy to find in Big Box Stores, housewares/ hardware.

No 6" pots pls. too big to start. Several of us have mentioned 3" pots. That's the way to go. The other is too large, won't get them off to a good start.

"Six cuttings can create a nice display for a 3" pot." per Maria Elena above.

Do several pots like this, you can always move them to a larger pot IF & WHEN they need it, which they don't now & is likely to slow them down.

You're doing this indoors right?

Edited to Add:

Gill,

that potful is beautiful, w/ the reddened purplish segments & the buds. I like how the growth is sort of splayed outwards rather that straight up; nice job.

6" half-pot wouldn't be bad, since it is not as deep as regular pot. If more cuttings are potted together, it should work well - as Gill's photo proves. Well draining potting mix is the key.

Agree that the 3" pot would be best for the OP with them being new to this. I was pointing out the size of my pot above as I'd crammed a lot of cuttings into it, and they were larger than normal. I didn't want the OP to think that one above was a 3incher! :-)

Gill

Gill, yes, absolutely! Do get every color you can find. There's a very valid method to the madness. Plants are like some people ... They bring a smile to your soul.

Initially, I received one pink & white bloomed plant as a gift several years ago and killed it because I didn't know how to care for it. A few years ago, I found a guy in Florida selling beautiful, large, healthy cuttings on eBay from his own plants. He guaranteed colors & rooting and offered free replacements.

I was fortunate to have found him and received fabulous, vibrant colors in a lot for about $6: red, fuschia, orange, peach, deep pink, white/yellow. I still have them all, except an Easter cactus he threw in, which died.

Maria Elena

I do, too, tommyr. I also throw in a handful of AV soil and some perlite, but it is mostly bark. My plants stay outside all year.

I had one little plant in a clay orchid pot with more perlite and soil in it. It was always struggling. So I repotted in a glazed pot with bark and I even put some sphagnum moss in the mix. It grew very well over the past year, so no more clay pots for my TCs in this climate.

I have struggled with rooting cuttings in soil and perlite. So I decided to give it a try in the orchid bark. They have some small roots starting, so I am hopeful. I used a small pot like these little plants came in - 1.5 inch pots. I figured if it worked for the nursery it just might work for me!

Is a half pot like an azalea pot or an orchid pot? The main difference is the holes in the orchid pot. They are wider than they are deep. Just curious.

Tommy/Crenda....yes, I've heard that orchid bark is a good substitute for the natural mix that these jungle cacti grow in. I've never tried it myself though. The orchid bark mix I've bought has been very water retentive. It's not just bark, it's had a lot of other material with it, much like peat in fact.

Maria Elena, the plant shop a few miles away generally has several varieties of TC's for sale and just £1 each or so....maybe, just maybe I might be calling in on them pretty soon!

Crenda, I've never seen a pot like the one you showed above, that's really unusual. I've heard of azalea pots but don't know what they are, will have to Google. Half pots are as you say, wider than they are tall.

Gill

Edit, just googled azalea pots, and our half pots would appear to be shorter than those I saw illustrated, though I guess there are differences in brands.

Gill

If you start looking for orchid pots specifically, you may find same as in Crenda's photo. I have few that I grow succulents in.

IIRC, the short/squat pots are also suggested for many bulbs (I think it was mentioned on som BBC gardening shows...)

I cannot thank you all enough!! I am going to give this another try!!

Yes Rina, have just found some online. Something new to me as I've only ever seen orchids grown in either slatted baskets or those clear plastic pots with lots of holes in the base and a dome in the base like a wine bottle has.

IDLC...Good luck, keep us posted!

Gill

Sorry to step in with a different, albeit related question. We've talked about rooting 3-4 segment lengths. That's what I have usually tried. Today a branch fell off of one of my plants. Probably the wind.

Should I try to root this or should I take it apart and root smaller segments?

Thank you! And again, sorry for this bit of intrusion on your thread, ldlconsultinginc.

Crenda,

I'd try taking it apart, I think it'll root more easily. Don't know how to draw on these, but I'll say where I'd divide it.

That lower left branch could be one; upper left branch I'd separate (like the left leg of the 'Y' shape) is another; middle segment another & then the remaining upper & lower would be others.

Did I misunderstand your comment w/ the several small pots of TCs w/ buds. Are you saying those are 1.5" pots that you can fit all those cuttings in? I've used 1-2" pots for tiny succulents, I can't imagine stuffing 3 cuttings into those tiny pots -- perplexing.

As to the Orchid pots, I also grow Hoyas & find those clay orchid pots nice for some larger Hoyas as I think they like being able to get some air into the roots.

LDL,

Could you pls show a full shot of your plants in their pot, pulled back so we can see the whole thing along w/ some item for size scale reference, like a coin, your finger, a pen? I just can't get a sense of how big that pot is, these pix are so deceptive that way. Thx.

Thanks, Karen. I thought that was too big to try to root intact. Your thoughts on dividing it are about the same as mine.

I still have those little pots in the picture, so I measured them. They are just under 2 inches at the top. Somehow, they had 3-5 pieces roots in them. The pot I am using on 2 pieces is about 2.5. I'll use an appropriate sized pot for the clipping I get from the branch that fell off - probably 4 inch, maybe 6.

Thanks again!

I too would make more cuttings, at least three, from the single one Crenda, as in this case you appear to have just the one large cutting.

The reason why I used extra large multi branches cuttings myself was I had at least two dozen all of a similar size! My mother plant that got smashed up was rather large and grew in a full circle of branches, at least half came away when it crashed to the g//h floor. However, every one rooted and I've very quickly ended up with two full flowering plants the same size as I showed above. I'm sure they will do wel for you:-)

Gill