BCSS - Forum

I have a young Dioscorea Elephantipes that has just come out of its rest period in the last two weeks. I feel this plant is going to out grow its pot very quickly, as I have only watered it twice as soon as I saw growth, and it has grown extremely rapidly.

Its currently in a very fast draining mix, with very little organic material. I would like to repot it into my normal cactus and succulent mix that comprises of 1/3 JI No2 and 2/3 potting grit, or for my lithops I pot into a mix of 1/4 JI No2 and 3/4 potting grit, are either soils suitable for Dioscorea Elephantipes? As I understand they are very prone to rot.

Kind regards Dan.

I don't think they're very prone to rot. A typical cactus or Lithops mix should be fine, or even go a bit richer. They're fairly vigorous when in growth and will suck a pot dry very quickly unless you've really gone overboard. Any trickiness comes with how to water when they're dormant, or you think they should be dormant and they're not, or you think they should be growing and they're not.

I would use a richer mix. I got my mine as a small plant in 2004 and I've always used a mix of 2/3 JI3 and 1/3 perlite in which it has grown well. In the earlier years I repotted it every year into a pot that was double the volume of the previous one.
I feed with full strength High Nitrogen feed (I use Chempak 2) at every other watering when in leaf. Water again just before the soil dries out, but don't leave it standing in water. When they are dormant give a little plain water whenever necessary to stop the roots getting totally dry so that they remain alive and ready for a quick getaway the following season. If the roots die then the process of growing a fresh set is when the risk of rot occurs.

Thank you both for the information.

Kind regards Dan