Hello fellow Adenium lovers,

I live in a semi desert environment and have 4 Adenium Multiflorum's in clay pots.

A couple of years back I unwittingly starved them of water as I was afraid of over-watering. But in my super-dry hot environment I started watering every day as this showed good results and the adeniums finally started growing and the caudex thickening as well as some flowering.

This year I repotted them into wider clay pots. I half filled the pots with chipped stone and then on top of that added organic potting soil.

I couldn't find perlite or pre prepared cacti soil anywhere where I live.
So I figured that since the potting soil was only deep enough to surround the roots, with plenty of stone chip underneath for drainage... that this might be okay.

But I now I wonder if I've done the right thing, mainly because the potting soil doesn't seem to dry out quite as quickly as the previous soil (which had more gritty sand in it)

My question is this:
Given that my previous experience - although it was when in smaller pots I experienced too much drainage (hence my needing to water daily)

Do you think that my above mentioned new solution is okay or foolhardy?
The ADENIUMS look healthy enough at this stage. But I noticed that the potting soil does not dry out as quickly as before (and so now I water less frequently)
Obviously I am trying to adapt to my particular environment (where the ground and pots actually get hot to touch!
But how can I tell if this will result in problems root rot or not??

Thanks for all your knowledgeable insights

I think your plants will be okay ...

the added soil will require more time to dry out .... noticed that myself after repotting from 5" to 6" pots -

keep in mind - commercial potting soil is made to retain water - but adenium do not need the extra water retention ...too much water retention will cause root rot .....

adenium need as much drainage as possible ....where drainage is more important than water retention.... make the potting soil as "chunky"/coarse/gritty as possible -
with that said, i might suggest that you mix in more of that chipped stone within that "potting soil" layer -
add coarse sand and lump charcoal if available

watering should be to saturation ....at least the total volume of the pot

water according to what the outdoor temperature is ....

as I type this - the daytime temperature in South Africa is in the low 80's F .... watering (to saturation) can be held back to once every 7 to 10 days...as daytime temperatures increase (into the 90's F), then increase watering to once every 5 to 7 days ...as daytime temperatures hit the 100's F or above, increase watering to once every 1 to 3 days

as temperatures cool - reduce watering

Thanks very much for your input!

It is heading towards mid summer in SA now and I had repotted my Adeniums into bigger pots just before spring began.

Do you think the adeniums (as they are now no longer dormant) will 'resent' being taken out of the pots again so that I can mix some coarser material into the potting soil?

Hope this isn't a silly question but thanks most kindly

they will thank you later with improved growth

remove plants from pots ... knock off as much as the old potting soil as possible .... while being careful not to break any stems, roots or scar the caudex

then - in separate container - mix the sand, rock and lump charcoal to the old potting soil ....

while you have the plants out of the pots ...as you repot, sprinkle / layer in a pellet type slow release balanced fertilizer such as 13-13-13 or 14-14-14 ....this will provide the nutrients necessary for flowering and thickened caudex

wait a couple of days ...then water thoroughly to saturation ....4 or more passes may be required - insure water drains freely from drainage holes

Thank you so very much for your helpful advice 😊