Hi,

Maybe I should have read some of the posts before asking my question...

So I learned that sans don't have a rhizome! They only have pretty shallow roots. Mine have lost their roots and I thought they had a rhizome because it looks like the bottom has been cut off (or rather ripped off).

It has suffered from rot rot and leaf rot because of over watering. I used to over water but a few years ago (after I made the holes in th pot) I bought a soil humidity meter. I always wait until it is dry throughout before watering. I did let water run through to "wash" the soil a few times and I guess that was too much water... I water from the top, is that good?

The medium it grows in is probably bad. It's old and it's normal potting soil with a bit of vermiculite. It drains well though.

I also learned a bit about re-rooting offshoots.

I'll repot my sans in new dry soil using root hormone and wait for it to make new roots.

I only have normal potting soil. If I add vermiculite, instead of sand, would that be fine? A ratio of 3soil-1vermiculite would be ok?

Do I water while it is making roots or do I wait until it makes roots before watering? Is it like re-rooting an aloes, i.e. no watering and just a bit of misting (once a week)?

Thanks
Vero

I use the miracle grow potting soil also but I use it with equal amounts of perlite to give it good drainage. I would not use vermiculite if I were you because you don't want the moisture retention that that adds. I would use something like perlite or pumice to improve the drainage. Good luck!... Logan

So your are in Montreal? Yes, I see that. I live in hot So.Calif. in a extra hot semi-arid valley. I grow mine in almost pure pumice, I hardly water them. The has fast drainage, soil with losts of pumice, no peat moss, and almost dry all year. I just keep them damp during our hot summer months. In the winter I don't water them at all,(barely) now I'm not saying that this will work for you. But it sounds like you rotted them out. I have done this for years, and I think ,for me, I figurred it out now. I left them dry all winter, they did just fine, and I didn't lose any. I would buy new cactus mix, and add perlite to keep the soil open and draining fast, I would use clay pots where you live, I use plastic here. If you can buy pumice I would use that instead of perlite. Add grit of any kind, (coarse chicken) or clean coarse construction sand to that mix, only 20% organic forest mulch , fine red wood ,oak leaf mulch. I also add coarse crushed oyster shell to my mix + tropical fish filter or Agr. charcoal to the mix to keep it sweet. All of us have our own mix.
You may need to experiment to see what is good for you, and consult others who live Montreal. Logan gave excellent advise. I don't like vermiculite because it breaks down, and becomes a bloody mess on the bottom of the container, not good for the plants at all, good for small seed like Pansy seed. Norma

Thanks for your replies.

I do tend to overwater, but I had realy cut down with my sansevieria, which I almost treated as a cactus.

I repoted it in the mix you suggested, Logan. I didn't see any pumice where I shop, but they had perlite. I always thought that vermiculite had the same purpose... to areate the mix. I learned something there.

It's in a terra cotta pot (instead of the old plastic pot which probably kept the soil too moist), as you suggested, Norma.

To think that my mom was keeping hers beautiful and thriving in a room with no direct light, in plain old soil, watering them as any other plants (plenty of water)... She did marvels with many plants without giving them the 'proper' care! And when she gives me some of her plants, I have to review their care or else they end up dead!!!

Thank again for your help.