would appreciate an ID on this one

The clay pellets are interesting. Sorry we posted the same time, my post is in reference to the clay pots.

Helen, Thanks the answers. I don't think its off topic at all as it has to do with growing cactus. I'm always looking for new ideas. I wonder if it works well for you because your humidity is high? In Reno, the humidity is very low - often gets to 0. Yes, zero percent humidity. Do the roots go all the way down and dip their toes into the water reservoir?

Sunkissed, What nice plants! But what is #3?

Daisy

Daisy the roots will fill the container and seem to enjoy dipping their toes!
I suspect you are right about the humidity being a big factor. If it were low I would think the continuous water supply would be a big advantage though it would require regular waterings.
Also I have thought that the heat/sun would effect the roots. Here are some pictures of some of my solutions for constant water supply and root overheating. They haven't been perfected - works in progress you might say.

helenchild, nice set up. I don't have to worry about watering plants down here, but how to keep them from drowning. :-))

Daisy, the third plant is Agave geminiflora.

How many agaves are in that pot? It looks like a few. I'm curious because it's hard to tell.

Yeah, I meant to say "humidity and rain". Rain is here all year long, although winters are usually drier, we can still get some cold fronts that bring heavy rain...those are the ones that have done in some of my succulents. I'm prepared in the summer for all our heavy rain, I keep most my succulents on a covered porch, it is getting quite crowded on that porch. ☺

I have seven of those agaves in that pot...LOL. I honestly didn't think they were going to survive. I found them at a local nursery behind a shed in a plastic seed tray, so root bound I had to really work hard to get them out. I already had the plant for several years and have never seen it in garden centers around here since, so I knew what a treasure find it was. To my surprise it is taking off like crazy and loving the new home. Come spring I know I'll need to thin out the pot, and I want to try some in the ground to see what happens. I never see them in gardens around here, so maybe they freeze, but I've never taken my original plant in and it gets all the rain Florida has to offer, winter and summer.

This message was edited Sep 12, 2015 7:24 AM

Other side of my porch...☺☺

My front walkway garden and my succulent garden in my back yard. Then I have many scattered through out the yard. You see I just can't rid myself of my S Calif. roots. ☺

Here in Phoenix where it is dry and very low humidity I mostly use plastic pots. Clay dries out so fast in the real heat of summer you have to water twice a day sometimes.
I also use the clay pellets like Helen Child does after learning about them here on DG as she said. They work great for many of my succulents and adeniums. Here are a few: