Tropical Pinguicula

Tropical pinguicula or butterworts are relatively easy to care for. Make sure that they are growing in low nutrient, rocky soil mix and water with distilled water. Unlike many other plants, they can grow in containers with no drainage holes!

Most butterworts have two growth phases: succulent and carnivorous. Do not do anything to try to make them change phases. They will do it when they feel like it, and you should follow their lead.

In the succulent phase, they will be much smaller and need less water. Allow them to stay mostly dried out and only water occasionally. In the carnivorous phase, they will get larger and covered in dew and should be watered more. Water them every time the top of the soil gets dry, but make sure they are not sitting in water.

Keep them at room temperature indoors and avoid temperatures any lower than 55F. Put them under grow lights or in a spot that gets sun. “Brighter lights, cooler nights” will help the leaves of some plants develop more of a blush color.

If your pinguicula are not catching many gnats, you can fertilize them. Use Schultz cactus fertilizer diluted according to the instructions on the container. Make sure you are mixing it with distilled water. Spray your plants’ leaves every other week. Do not water the plants with fertilizer. Only spray the leaves.

If you would like to multiply your plants, you can pull off some of the leaves and place them onto your low nutrient soil. They will hopefully begin to grow new plants. In my experience, some pinguicula are better than others at doing this.

Echinopsis cacti

Echinopsis cacti are fairly simple to keep happy. They need well drained soil mix and a pot with drainage. They are perfectly alright to be watered with tap water.

To root a cutting, put on your gardening gloves and simply bury it in your soil mix. The gloves are important to protect you from the spines. Let it root for two weeks before beginning to water it.

Do not overwater your cacti! It is best to let them get dry and then stay dry for a little bit before watering again. Water less in the winter.

You can fertilize your cacti with Schultz cactus fertilizer, but it is best to take it easy. Fertilize them once a month or so by pouring a small amount of fertilizer solution into the soil mix. Skip fertilizations during the winter months.

If you want to multiply your cacti, you can take cuttings. Put on gardening gloves. Take a knife, and wipe it down with rubbing alcohol before holding the top of the cactus with one hand and using the other to saw through the stem with the knife. Set the cutting down and let the end callus for two weeks before rooting.