Don't know if it should need any special treatment than any other Mamm. This is what I use one part each perlite, chicken grit the granite type , and core. If you can't find core just use some topsoil sold at H.D. just the cheap stuff. nothing with peat in it. I also screen the wood chips out of it. The only thing I am care full about with plumosa is I don't let water collect under the spines or in this case fluff of the plant in winter. I know just about everyone has a soil mix for there cactus and this works for here in the humid south. Some one in a more dry atmosphere will have a different one I'm sure. Hope this helps.

Bob

Hi Bob,
Thank you for your help. I don't have coir, and have have heard too many night mares to try it. :-/

almost all my other plants are in the mix I listed, and do well. I have a few other mamm's but they haven't been moved in years, so I don't really remember the roots.

This one just seemed to have a lot of fine roots, so I wasn't sure about what mix for it.

Everything I have read says they are prone to rot if in a mix that stays moist for a length of time. I don't know how it survived this far in the mess that it is in. lol

I found some info that suggests the mix be at least 50% pumice, which I have, but not sure what the other 50% should be.

JoJo

I have my mams in pumice with 10% calcined clay.

JoJo, a gritty type mix, perhaps with extra Perlite to displace moisture? I've never grown a Mamm., but I've seen folks overwater them :-)

Josh

Nil13,
Thank you for sharing that. I may try that over the summer after I get a few more plants.
But for now, I use and have faith in the gritty mix I use for others, so would like to stick to it for this plant.

Josh,
Thank you,
I have standard 1-1-1 made up , I will add some more to it.

I have over watered a few other types, and this one ended up too dry over the winter because I didn't get it out of the peat mix.

I've had this plant almost 2 yrs and for the life of me don't know why I didn't move it out of this mix sooner. :-/

JoJo

This post was edited by jojosplants on Thu, May 15, 14 at 11:22

THAT is one touchy mam. I've killed them twice. So strange that dead ones are not any different looking then living..until they blow away in a wind.
Not a plant to take winter rains well.

stanofh,
I guess I got lucky with it so far.. and luck runs out..lol.. so that being the need of a great mix. lol..

I actually thought she was dead after such a dry winter, but gave it a good drink anyway and was shocked to see it plump back up. lol...

It will be totally sheltered from winter rain.

Ok. She's all tucked in,
Well that's odd the picture from my phone posted sideways! UGH! first time trying from the phone. :-/ I will get another pic with my camera.

This post was edited by jojosplants on Thu, May 15, 14 at 17:44

In a 4" pot.

Just saw the post and was wondering if your plant was doing well. Nice job re-potting but it looks like your pot is a little deep. This Mammillaria has less problems when grown in a shallow pot.

This thread is helpful. Of course i'd pick a difficult mammillaria as my first cactus ever. Lol. What got me interested was the edible fruit of some varieties. Also i heard plumosa blooms were fragrant as well. Im in fort lauderdale florida and will be growing indoors on a windowsill. Any advice?