Calplants

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When You Receive the Package

Finally, I get to Plant it!

1. For the Aloe polyphylla, prepare the soil first, then plant it immediately. For the other cacti and succulents, take it out of the box and let it sit in a dry place out of direct sun light FOR TWO WEEKS. Why two weeks? Succulent plants have the ability to store water for long periods. During this time the plant will send out new root feelers looking for a new place to call home and collect water. Essentially, this makes the plant stronger when it is finally planted. 1. Aloes have very aggressive roots. They are great for erosion control. So, the bigger the pot the better. Eventually, you can give it a permanent home in a 22 gallon pot, to achieve the full potential size of the plant. For now, you can start with a 5 gallon pot.

2. There are many ways to pot a plant. These are only suggestions. Cut a square piece of material from an old bed sheet or rag. This should be large enough to cover the holes in the bottom of the pot. This allows the water to pass through, but saves your sand and other small particles from leaving the pot. 3. Fill the bottom of the pot with small wood chips to promote fast water removal. Add enough wood chips to cover 25 - 30 % of the pot volume. This also makes the pot much lighter in weight and thus easier to carry.

4. At this point you can begin filling in dirt or put another layer of cloth. The extra layer of cloth will slow the migration of small dirt particles into the wood chips. You're going to have some settling of the soil anyway, but this may slow the sinking action that you tend to get with potted plants. Its your call. 5. Go ahead and fill in the rest of the dirt. Most importantly, your soil should be fast draining. The Aloe polyphylla likes good soil. We've found that it grow very fast in rich supersoil. For the other cacti and succulents the soil should be equivalent to your basic cactus mix that you can get at your favorite garden center. We use 40% sand, 30% 3/8" Cal. gold (or red lava rock), and 30% organic material.

6. You want to take another pot and compress the soil as much as can. Then top it off so it really fills up the pot. 7. Place the plant. Roots under ground, not the leaves.

8. Place small rocks such as Cal. gold, or red lava rock over the top of the dirt. 9. You have an attractive plant that will grow while you watch the spiral develop. For the Aloe Polyphylla, you can begin watering immediately. For the other cacti and succulents, wait two weeks.

Watering

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When You Receive the Package	Finally, I get to Plant it!
1. For the Aloe polyphylla, prepare the soil first, then plant it immediately. For the other cacti and succulents, take it out of the box and let it sit in a dry place out of direct sun light FOR TWO WEEKS. Why two weeks? Succulent plants have the ability to store water for long periods. During this time the plant will send out new root feelers looking for a new place to call home and collect water. Essentially, this makes the plant stronger when it is finally planted.	1. Aloes have very aggressive roots. They are great for erosion control. So, the bigger the pot the better. Eventually, you can give it a permanent home in a 22 gallon pot, to achieve the full potential size of the plant. For now, you can start with a 5 gallon pot.

2. There are many ways to pot a plant. These are only suggestions. Cut a square piece of material from an old bed sheet or rag. This should be large enough to cover the holes in the bottom of the pot. This allows the water to pass through, but saves your sand and other small particles from leaving the pot.	3. Fill the bottom of the pot with small wood chips to promote fast water removal. Add enough wood chips to cover 25 - 30 % of the pot volume. This also makes the pot much lighter in weight and thus easier to carry.

4. At this point you can begin filling in dirt or put another layer of cloth. The extra layer of cloth will slow the migration of small dirt particles into the wood chips. You're going to have some settling of the soil anyway, but this may slow the sinking action that you tend to get with potted plants. Its your call.	5. Go ahead and fill in the rest of the dirt. Most importantly, your soil should be fast draining. The Aloe polyphylla likes good soil. We've found that it grow very fast in rich supersoil. For the other cacti and succulents the soil should be equivalent to your basic cactus mix that you can get at your favorite garden center. We use 40% sand, 30% 3/8" Cal. gold (or red lava rock), and 30% organic material.

6. You want to take another pot and compress the soil as much as can. Then top it off so it really fills up the pot.	7. Place the plant. Roots under ground, not the leaves.

8. Place small rocks such as Cal. gold, or red lava rock over the top of the dirt.	9. You have an attractive plant that will grow while you watch the spiral develop. For the Aloe Polyphylla, you can begin watering immediately. For the other cacti and succulents, wait two weeks.
	Watering