How to Grow Astrophytum asterias Succulents? Master These Methods and Precautions

The Astrophytum asterias succulent is a fairly common small plant. Hearing the name, it is easy to picture its round shape; its flowers bloom at the top of the sphere and are yellow in color. It is just this kind of uniquely shaped little plant that makes you want to grow a few pots the moment you see it. So how can you grow it well? Let's take a look together.

Astrophytum asterias Succulent Cultivation Methods and Precautions

I. Astrophytum asterias Succulent Cultivation Methods

1. Soil Mix

Choose soil that retains water without becoming overly wet and that drains well. In terms of water retention, a mix based mainly on akadama soil is excellent and can grow thick roots that grow vertically downward. Soil based mainly on sand, on the other hand, produces thinner roots in Astrophytum asterias. Secondly, for drainage, the soil should be sifted to remove fine particles. This solves the problem of root rot caused by overwatering, but it also brings about the problem of the soil drying out easily.

2. Watering

Astrophytum asterias is very fond of water, and it is best to keep the soil moist at all times. During the growing season from April to October, water from the top about every 3 days (note: this refers to a greenhouse environment with full sun, do not copy this directly). During the winter dormant period, also give water once every 2 weeks (note: this also refers to a greenhouse environment). Completely cutting off water is physiologically bad for Astrophytum asterias and is the cause of the waist creases that form on it. Plenty of sunlight and a strong root system allow Astrophytum asterias to make it through the cold winter.

3. Flower Pots

From an aesthetic standpoint, choosing fired ceramic and similar pots goes without saying. But from a cultivation standpoint, I recommend everyone use black plastic orchid pots. Although they have poor ventilation, if you use the soil mix above there is no problem at all. In terms of how much a pot warms up, there is nothing better than a plastic pot. A warm flower pot is an important thing, and from this point of view, a black plastic pot is very ideal.

4. Light

Astrophytum asterias likes a warm environment with plenty of sunlight, so be careful to keep the light plentiful. In winter, keep the temperature no lower than 5°C to prevent cold damage. In summer, when temperatures are high, be careful to prevent sunburn.

5. Fertilizing

During the growing season, fertilize once a month.

II. Precautions for Growing Astrophytum asterias

1. About Root Pruning and Repotting

For pots of medium size or smaller, change the soil every year; for large pots, changing it once every 2 years is fine. The method is to place fermented chicken manure on the large-grained soil at the bottom of the pot as a base fertilizer, and spread large-grained soil on the surface of the pot to prevent the soil mix below from washing away when watering. Plant it slightly deeper to increase the sense of weight.

The method for pruning roots is to shake off the soil on the roots, remove the fine roots by hand, and cut the thick roots at the lower part of the sphere with a razor blade, leaving 2-3 cm. Let it dry in a cool place for a week, then plant it. When pruning roots, check whether the cut surface of the roots has red rot; if it does, it must all be removed.

2. About Diseases

Astrophytum asterias is prone to red rot, which is not caused by bacteria and should be considered from a physiological standpoint. Low temperatures, insufficient sunlight and excessive moisture will inevitably cause red rot. The roots of Astrophytum asterias have their subtle points; it has fairly strong resistance to diseases caused by ordinary bacteria, and there is no need to use fungicides.

How to Grow the Astrophytum asterias Succulent

I. Astrophytum asterias Care Tips

1. Potting soil: The root system is relatively shallow, so when potting, the sphere should not be planted too deep, and the bottom of the pot should be lined with plenty of tile pieces to aid drainage. Use a mixed potting soil of leaf mold and coarse sand, with a small amount of bone meal and dried cow manure added.

2. Fertilizing: During the growing season keep the potting soil moist and provide plenty of sunlight; fertilize once a month with a fertilizer specially made for potted flowers.

3. Temperature: In winter the sphere enters its dormant period, and the temperature should not be too high, with 10°C being suitable. Keep the potting soil dry; mature plants should be repotted once every 3-4 years.

II. Astrophytum asterias Propagation Methods

1. Sowing: Sow mature seeds at the end of April. The suitable germination temperature is 22-25°C, and they germinate 3-5 days after sowing.

2. Grafting: Carry this out in May-June. Hylocereus undatus or Echinopsis multiplex is commonly used as the rootstock, and the scion is a seedling or an offset. After grafting, they survive after 10-12 days, and can bloom the following year.

How to Sow Astrophytum asterias

1. Collecting Seeds

Astrophytum asterias can be obtained by sowing, and you can also collect the seeds yourself. However, Astrophytum asterias is cross-pollinated, so two Astrophytum asterias that are not related to each other are needed for pollination before seeds can be produced.

2. Sowing Season

Sowing is often done indoors in pots in spring. They germinate 3-5 days after sowing. Seedlings grown from seed can bloom after 3-4 years, when they have grown to 5 cm in diameter.

Precautions for Sowing Astrophytum asterias

1. Slow Growth

It should be noted that seedlings grown from seed grow slowly. If you feel you do not have enough patience, you can grow the young seedlings in a covered, humid environment. However, seedlings grown this way are not as easy to care for as those grown naturally, and their resistance in the later stages will be somewhat weaker.

2. Preventing Spindly Growth

In places with poor light, the young seedlings will become spindly, so be sure to give the pot some sun.

The propagation methods for the Astrophytum asterias succulent are sowing and grafting. Although the sowing propagation method for the Astrophytum asterias succulent is relatively easy, its growth is very slow, so for flower lovers who are quite skilled at growing flowers, the editor still recommends using the grafting propagation method, as it is better.