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tom_termine

Encephalartos horridus Repot Question

TT, zone 5b MA
10 years ago

hi -

I have an E. horridus with a 4 inch caudex that is in need of repotting. It is in the process of hardening off a flush of about 5 leaves right now. I was hoping to get it into a new pot that it could get used to before the end of this growing season, but I was not sure if the repotting would compromise the new growth in any way.

Opinions?

Thanks!

Tom

Comments (6)

  • jimhardy
    10 years ago

    I think once the flush is mostly hardened off it would be fine.

    You may want to bring it in earlier though so the roots stay nice and toasty...couldn't hurt,maybe just nothing below 50f at night.


  • TT, zone 5b MA
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the reply, Jim. Sound advice. Think I'll give it another week and reassess at that point...

    Tom

  • PRDevlin
    10 years ago

    I have one that is on it's sixth stem now, (which is nothing, I know) that I re-potted at the beginning of the summer. I was concerned that re-potting would compromise the stalk-making but if it did it was not radically, that sixth stalk came after the re-potting. The rate slowed down though, last year there were two new stalks. I was surprised that the root system did not seem as robust as I would expect.

    Any advice on driving more thriving of this plant would be appreciated.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Plantings

  • keylyn
    10 years ago

    your plant seems to be etiolated. you have to get it more sun if you want it to grow a set of robust root system.
    e. horridus does have a very large tap root, in which it stores its food in adaptation due to prolonged dry period in its habitat. older specimens can stay active without water for months, so you have to be more careful with your watering practice.
    they are expert grower in arid condition but can adapt fairly in the tropics even with little less knowledge of their needs.

    they're very slow growing compared to some plants out there so don't be impatient and think about re-potting the plant next year. (now, it'd be a wise if you ignore your cycad, i wouldn't risk wounding its roots for bad things to enter only to wait for eventual rot and a dead plant. re-pot if you could pull the plant with little loose soil coming off from its root ball when the plant is extracted out of its pot)

  • PRDevlin
    10 years ago

    Thank you, yes. I knew abut the etiolation, that was how it wintered inside last year after putting up a new stalk right before I took it in. This year I'll get it ample light if it has a newbie still striving. I'll give it a few years on re-potting, till I see root threads en masse creeping out the bottom of the pot.

    Is it just that this plant is likely sun-starved (when inside, half the year) and over-watered (when outside, the other half)? At the one 1-2 frond a year rate it's going I'll be old or dead by the time it has a caudex. One change up is to make sure it's winter place is sunny, a second somehow to when outside to keep it sunny but keep it out of the rain somehow. Any other advice on helping it thrive?

  • jane__ny
    10 years ago

    Have you tried using lights over the winter? When I grew in NY, I used CFL's on a octopus floor lamp to finish growing many of my plants indoors.

    Jane

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