Welcome to The Great Petaluma Desert

Cultural Notes and Potting Instructions

Upon receipt of your plants. Promptly remove them from the box and unwrap them, keeping them out of the direct sunlight. Some plants may appear to be slightly wrinkled, this is nothing to worry about, because they should quickly plump back up once they are potted and re-establish themselves.
Potting your plants. Check their roots carefully for dying or damaged ones. Any dying or damaged root should be trimmed off, using a sharp pair of pruning shears. If any root that is trimmed off is larger than the diameter of a pencil, allow that plant to dry for a day or two before you pot it. If no root trimming is required, or the trimmed roots are very small, the plant can be potted immediately.
The potting mixture. We recommend any good local bagged potting mix, and 25% perlite or pumice. We do not recommend putting any additional sand in your mix. Sand only compacts and adds weight, and does not allow for good drainage or aeration of the mix. We also recommend putting a layer of small gravel on top of the soil after you have finished potting. We call this the finishing touch, because it makes for a more attractive plant, and helps to keep the pot from drying out too soon. Your potting mix should be on the moist side, but not so wet that you can squeeze water out of it. The reason for using a moist potting mix is that you should not water your plants for approximately 7 - 10 days after potting them, and it is this moist potting mix that helps them re-establish their small feeder roots. Additionally, do not place newly potted plants in direct sunlight. They should be slowly acclimated to direct sunlight.
Watering.The most important thing to remember when watering, is to water thoroughly, but not too frequently. There are several variables to consider when trying to determine the watering needs of your plants. Location: sunny or shady; pottery: Terra Cotta (porous) or plastic or glazed ceramic (non-porous), and size: 3 inch (water frequently) 12 inch (water less frequently). Put all of these together and you will start understanding your plant's watering needs.
Fertilizing. We recommend a general purpose liquid or water soluble 5-10-5 fertilizer. This should be used no more often than once a month during their active growing season which is usually April through August. Plants should never be fertilized when they are dormant or have just recently been repotted. Plants that are over fertilized do not retain their characteristic look, there will usually be a lot of space between leaves, spines or branches. It is always safer to under fertilize than it is to over fertilize.
We hope that you enjoy our plants and look forward to serving you in the future.

Happy Growing!