1. Potting medium. Could Al's quick-draining mix be used for this plant? 1 part each: Pine-bark fines- (Repti-Bark), Turface-MVP and Aquarium gravel/Grit

2. What is the best way to fatten, and elongate the underground caudex for maximum growth? Should the caudex be left below the potting medium, and only exposed when desired size is reached. One past-posting says that the caudex will only expand if the outer "bark" remains pliable, and once the "bark" hardens off after exposure, it will no longer be able to expand and fatten. So I want a as large a caudex as possible. Should I grow this plant in a deep pot, and keep the caudex buried as long as possible, even to the point, assuming it grows very large, of planting it into a small, plastic garbage can?

3. Can the vine-like stems be cut back to produce some kind of branching system. that will be kept in check, or should I allow these vines to just sprawl and elongate to produce as much plant food as possible for the caudex to store?

4. If given the "bonsai" treatment, will the leaves become smaller and reduce in scale under bonsai culture,i.e. small amounts of soil, shallow pots, raised caudex, exposed roots, constant trimming of errant growth, etc.

I'd like to give this plant a try, and I've read that they are pretty easy to grow.

Any information will be helpful. Thanks,

Frank

Thanks for the response. Any information will help. Books/sites just give general information on succulent culture, and is pretty vague. I was hoping to hear from those who are growing this plant in containers. I could never grow this plant in my lousy climate, and short growing season. Container-growing is my only option.

Wishing you happy growing and big, fat plants in the future.

Frank

Here's what I can glean from the postings:
It's a fairly easy plant to grow, given the right mix, fertilizers, light requirements, etc.... and, grow it deeply potted, and let the vines grow rampant, - to put on bulk and branching structure. Grow it this way until the caudex becomes the size wanted, then switch to bonsai-culture to keep the plant at the size you want. Not too difficult.

Now, another question: Most of the Fockea plants that are sold, have had the caudex grown, then raised by the original growers. Can I re-bury the caudex again to let it bulk up, or is this the final size that the caudex will get?

Again, thanks for the growing instructions. I'll give this plant a try.

johnsonm08:
Nice looking plant. Replace the soda with a beer, and now you got something!

Frank

Bark fines are nice, if you can find them. I can get huge bags of perlite so I don't bother with anything else.

X

Thanks, really.
Frank

I still need the answer to a question:

Will the caudex continue to get larger if an already raised caudex is re-buried? All the Fockeas that I have seen being offered for sale, are already raised and have been grown like a bonsai. I want a very large caudex to form...so, can I re-bury the Fockea, and get the caudex to continue to grow larger...in reality, I would un-bonsai the plant?

Looking forward to this answer.

Frank

Thanks for that very important thing to keep in mind. So when these plants are sold, raised, as a "bonsai", that's it for the caudes growing larger.

Then to get a large a caudex I'm going to have to start with a seedling plant that has not been raised and hardened off, and grow it buried under the medium.

I very glad I asked this question, and got the answer that I needed to have verified.

Frank