Semi-hydro and xeric plants.
Did you know that our Fine Semi-hydro mix and xeric plants, such as cacti and succulents, make a harmonious duo? Some people may be surprised by this combo, but trust us when we say we HIGHLY recommend trying this out. Once you have transferred a cactus or two, you will be truly shocked at how quickly the roots grow and how happy your desert plants will be.
We absolutely love soil (how could we not?), however our Semi-Hydro is a total game changer. It would be wrong not to share just how much potential this mix has when it comes to growing your plants.
If you’re intrigued by this medium and how it works with xeric plants stay tuned, because we have some tips, trick and information that will help these not so thirsty plants thrive in this setup.
What is this witch craft?
Cacti and succulents are well-known for their ability to live in just volcanic rock and aggregates with little or even no organic matter. They’re fine secondary roots and tap roots are very comfortable with high surface areas and highly porous rocks that keep their form whilst they develop and shift as they grow larger. Our Semi-Hydro mix replicates that really well - as it creates an excellent growing conditions for xeric plants, so let’s break down why this works so well:
In their natural habitats, these plants grow in arid environments, where they only receive rainfall a few times a year. During these heavy downpours water collects fast and sometimes leaves plants underwater for a day at a time, however these organisms have evolved to rapidly uptake that water and keep themselves secure with they're roots firmly anchored onto rock masses, clay or even the root systems of other plants. However sometimes they can go months without receiving a drop of water.
They're immune system is built for extended droughts, but it also has the luxury of specific and resilient friends in arid microfauna and flora to help them take in as much water and as many nutrients as they can in these extended (but rare) periods of saturation. Their natural environment is also rich in microbial life and biodiversity – which helps prevent issues like rot.
In captivity, we are unable to fully replicate their natural environment/ecosystem. Unlike in the wild, these plants don’t have access to the same diverse arid microfauna and flora, as well as protective natural conditions, like intense winds and nursery plants (plants that cradle the seedlings until adulthood). That’s why it’s important to grow them in a medium that makes up for that with superior drainage and aeration that they can rely on.
Our Semi-Hydro mix provides exceptional drainage, ensuring the roots stay oxygenated, drying out efficiently between waterings, as well as evenly distributing water that saturates the medium without compromising airflow.
The tricky part: Transferring from Soil to Semi-hydro:
Don’t get us wrong, transferring Cacti and Succulents into hydro from soil may not be a quickest task, especially if its peat moss. However, we think the effort is totally worth it in the long run.
Be prepared to take all the time you need to remove the soil from the root system. We recommend transferring a week + after the last watering, ensuring your plant is in the best state to deal with the stress of the repot and change of substrate.
We also recommend not soaking your Cactus or Xeric root balls to try to remove the substrate, like you would with tropical plants. Damage to roots from repotting means the root system must remain totally dry whilst they recover, callus over and heal. Moisture will expand the wounds and break with an eventual lead to rot.
Ripping away old roots that have grown in the awful, stodgy, and dense soil from nurseries is the best way to encourage these little powerhouse rooters to send out all new roots in your much friendlier substrate.
Once you have a bare root system, it’s time to pot your plant up into your desired pot with large drainage holes (we tend to recommend a clear pot so you can keep an eye on the root system) but you can always rely on terracotta clay pots to fortify and grow these plants as well.
Watering:
When using hydroponic mediums like our Semi-Hydro setup, it’s typically paired with a cache pot that holds a water reservoir, allowing the plant to wick up moisture as needed. However, this method isn’t suitable for xeric plants, so please not pair your Xeric plants with a water reservoir. Cacti and succulents store water in their tissues and require minimal watering. Pairing these types of plants with a water reservoir will lead to root rot due to excess moisture.
Instead, treat them as you would in soil: water thoroughly until the whole plant and pot are saturated with water, and then allow them to totally dry out. In wind, offer no water, as this is typically the extended dormancy period for these plants and they’re immune system also go dormancy in the lower temperate and lower light levels. In summer you will find watering around once a week+.
Top Tip:
If you dunk your xeric plants to water them, using heavy components like grit, Lava Rock, Akadama or Shell on Earth as a top dressing alongside Semi-Hydro, will help keep everything in place. As the whole pot and plant are submerged for the full watering. We typically recommend leaving the plants in water for a few minutes all the way up to 20 minutes if you’re allowing the mix to wick up water from the bottom.
Our Semi-Hydro is lightweight, so having a heavier top layer helps weigh it down when submerged in water as well as keep you plants stable and supported.
Feeding and Fertilisers:
Now that your plant is all set up and living its best life with all the boujee rocks it could dream of, it’s now time to explore feeding and fertilisers. While the volcanic components in our mix are excellent at retaining and slowly releasing nutrients, they don’t supply any nutrients themselves. Our Semi-hydro mix is inert, so you’ll need to supplement with fertilisers to meet your plant’s nutritional needs.
For xeric plants like cacti and succulents, we recommend using a highly diluted fertiliser - around one-quarter of the strength listed on the product label. Choose a fertiliser with a high potassium content, as potassium plays a key role in supporting the flowering of these plants and offset the strain on their metabolism. These plants have low nitrogen requirements since nitrogen promotes vegetative growth rather than flowering. However regular dosing with the diluted fertiliser is a great way to easily support this.
Alternatively, you can incorporate around 10% worm castings into the semi-hydro mix. This adds a gentle source of organic nutrients and beneficial microbes, helping your plant access a broader spectrum of nutrition. However, if you’re aiming to encourage flowering, a dilute feed with sufficient potassium is still recommended - even with worm castings in the mix.
We suggest fertilising at the beginning of the growing season and again midway through to maintain healthy growth and support blooming.
