Dea,

You did fabulously. That is a Kalanchoe, but I've forgotten (if I ever knew) what species it is. It's looking healthy, but the soil you have it in is looking a little too water-retentive. You might look into putting more material in your mix that helps it shed water.

Your big picture is awesome! Cute plant!

Thanks so much, now I have a place to start. Catusmcharris, as to the soil, it and all my succulents/cacti are in a mix I bought that said for cacti/succulents. Miracle grow I think. Anyway, what should I add to make it better? Do you have a recipe that you would recommend for these plants? You guys are great to help me.

Dea

Dea,

It depends on how focused / obsessed you get. MG's probably one of the worst mixes to use (unless you're growing jungle cactus / bromeliads exclusively), but it, oddly enough, is what I am currently using as a part of my mix, although it undergoes extensive and assiduous refinement before it's ready to pot with (I put in #1 / #2 poultry grit and Turface, as well, washing, sieving and polishing throughout) - the first thing is that the MG muck is sieved through a screen of 1/4" hardware cloth. But that's just me. All you want is a porous soil, and this is an undemanding plant, as long as a few needs are met. I'd just get the larger chucks of wood out of the MG soil, cut it with 50% perlite, and your soil's ready to use. Putting some small gravel / rocks / poultry grit on top of the soil adds an aesthetic value, as well as preventing the soil mix from floating up.

{{gwi:526691}}

This reminds me to renew my efforts to get pumice up here, pumice being the ideal soil mix ingredient for porosity. Yes, winter, being the ideal time to get a volcanic byproduct from a semi-remote location - boy, do I think of some doozies.

Kalanchoe sexangularis, I believe. If/when it flowers, post another pic for a more positive ID. =)

You could add perlite or pumice to the Miracel Grow cactus mix to make it lighter and help water flow through better.

If you want to make your own mix, there are recipes for Gritty Mix on the container forum. You have three basic components - something organic (pine bark - tiny pieces), something coarse - pumice, perlite or chicken grit, and a high fired clay product - Turface, Drystall, or calcified diatomaceous earth ( some kitty litters are made of this). You add sand for cacti, and a few other things to balance the ph.

Here is a link that might be useful: What's Growing On?

Thanks all for the great help you have all been to this newbie. Thanks to rosemariero6, I am fairly sure that my plant is Kalanchoe sexangularis. Again, thanks so much everyone.

Dea

Dea!
Welcome! Stick around and you will learn plenty here from some great people! And become hooked on these little plants! lol!!

Great job with the photo too!

Jeff, good luck with the pumice. ;-) yep , a doozie! lol..

JoJo

Thanks you, I already have.

Dea