Hello! I am repotting my new Fokea Crispa and was wondering about sizing suggestions. I am looking to bury the plant to maximize growth.
I was originally planning on using a pot of few inches bigger, but that seems like it could be overkill. Does this look to be a good size for a long term home?
Thanks!
by KobeRestaurantFan
2 Comments
I’m not a Fockea grower, so take what I say with a grain of salt.
I think one of the biggest learning curves with caudex plants is that most of them are small shrubs to small trees. They get decently big and can grow a lot.
A lot of the ‘don’t go too big’ stuff is about not smothering the plant in too much media, such that it stays wet too long. Obviously though, there’s no pots in the wild. Like a lot of advice around xeric plants, you have to realize it’s tuned to the ‘succulents are my sweetest babies’ people who keep echeveria indoors on the windowsill in peat moss.
So id see what some of the other people say. I would say, though, that if you use a very well drained substrate it’s hard to go wrong (like, obviously if you had a greenhouse or outdoor in-ground bed it would do really well) — over potting isn’t really a fundamental problem. It’s more about how much space you have + whether it’s a slow grower. If fockea are like some of the faster growing caudiciforms, more space, if it’s a slow grower the space won’t be actively harmful but won’t be as beneficial.
I think the chosen pot is pretty appropriate — you could go bigger if fockea grows quickly, it’s not like bad.
That pot is fine but you could even go bigger. I use a very gritty mix that’s probably 70-80% pumice and the rest is potting soil. Bury it to about the top cm or two and water it regularly. Also, keep in mind that as it fills out that pot it’ll more or less take on the shape of the pot. I personally would use something with less of a taper, but that’s all up to you.