Question
desert rose
Hello my name is Debbie . We were given a Desert Rose. Its been 3 months and the plant is very loose in its pot now,so we were thinking its time to change the pot. I have sent you a picture to your yahoo address. right now I would say its in a pot that measures of 5"I. D. x 3.75"H.It sits on the bar where the sun shines directly on it about 1-3 hours a day.The leaves keep falling off,but quickly grow back.
AnswerDebbie,
You said you only gave me an 8 because I did not tell you how to cut it back. Please review your question above and note that you did not ask that question. The only place I might cut anything off is the one branch that sticks up higher than the rest of the plant. Simply take a pair of sharp scissors and cut it off at the same height as the rest of the plant but make sure you make your cut at an angle. Be aware that it will take 2 years for that branch to grow a new growing point and start producing flowers again so I try to do as little pruning as possible on this plant. Pruning is not wise unless it is a necessity. Please make sure you ask a question before you get upset with me for not answering it. Thank you and good luck.
Darlene
Debbie,
It doesn't appear to need repotting to me but it may need sandier soil so if you feel you must get a 6 inch diameter pot with a drainage hole. Also get a bag of cactus soil. Cover the drainage hole with a paper towel and put a layer of cactus soil in the bottom of the pot. Then carefully remove the desert rose from it's olf pot and gently remove as much of the old soil as possile. Then place the desert rose in the new pot at the same level it was at in the old pot. It should not be buried any deeper, if anything it should be raised further out of the soil to reveal more of the swollen tuberous root. Dump more cactus soil in around it and you can use a chopstick to poke soil down in between the roots to get soil to sift down in between the roots without damaging them. Keep adding cactus soil until you get it to the same level or just below the level it was at before. Your desert rose needs more than 1-3 hours of sun a day if it is ever going to get it's beautiful blooms. This plant needs 8 hours of sun, in the summer when the temperatures are above 50 degrees for night time lows it needs to go outdoors in full sun ant then you will get beautiful blooms like you see at this sight:
http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=desert+rose+blooms&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&ta...
If you have more questions write again. Good luck.
Darlene
