The Cactus Thread

[Zigs]

They look like they're going on a 'root' march.

Aarrggh

 

[Zigs]

More flowers on the Matucana this morning

 

[Anniekay]

More flowers on the Matucana this morning

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I think I shall get a Teddy for Cousin it. He seems to encourage flowering.

 

[Sheal]

I was just thinking if my old teddy bear was sitting there you wouldn't see the cactus.

 

[Zigs]

Teddies are good for keeping an eye on cactus grafts too, especially Grump Bear

 

[Jersey Devil]

Thought it best to start a thread that' just for Cacti and Succulents, rather than putting them on the what's looking good thread and getting in the way of other flowers.

I'll post about what's happening at the moment, upcoming cacti events and the odd video. Feel free to plunge in with any questions and of course your own Cacti and Succulents

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WoW !!! I am totally awed by you posts on this thread. I love your succulants. I have to learn how to grow them. You live in England? and do these plants grow outdoors ?!!! I gotta learn this s**t fast, I love those things. Gotta research, Temps, watering, sunlight, everything. Do these things grow outside in Winter too ? I live in New Jersy, USA. Can I grow this stuff ? I grow tons of Aloe plants. So many I can't give enough away. But I have them indoors. If I bring then outside in the Summer they seem to start dying. They are so easy to take care of and spread like rabbits. But your stuff...wow

 

[Jersey Devil]

Re potted a new Leuchtenbergia principis today, easier to call it an Agave cactus

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Poor little guy looks so sad... probably from getting stuck so much

 

[Zigs]

WoW !!! I am totally awed by you posts on this thread. I love your succulants. I have to learn how to grow them. You live in England? and do these plants grow outdoors ?!!! I gotta learn this s**t fast, I love those things. Gotta research, Temps, watering, sunlight, everything. Do these things grow outside in Winter too ? I live in New Jersy, USA. Can I grow this stuff ? I grow tons of Aloe plants. So many I can't give enough away. But I have them indoors. If I bring then outside in the Summer they seem to start dying. They are so easy to take care of and spread like rabbits. But your stuff...wow

Hey JD

Very few grow outdoors here, not just because it's too cold, some of them can tolerate a bit of frost for a short while, but because it's too wet. The roots rot off if they stay wet. You should get away with some of the Opuntias that grow in Canada, like the Opuntia humifusa and the Opuntia basilaris but mostly they need to come inside in the winter into a cool dry place. They don't want to be in a centrally heated house because they need to go to sleep over winter. If they don't they grow too long and skinny and won't flower the next year

 

[Jersey Devil]

Hey JD

Very few grow outdoors here, not just because it's too cold, some of them can tolerate a bit of frost for a short while, but because it's too wet. The roots rot off if they stay wet. You should get away with some of the Opuntias that grow in Canada, like the Opuntia humifusa and the Opuntia basilaris but mostly they need to come inside in the winter into a cool dry place. They don't want to be in a centrally heated house because they need to go to sleep over winter. If they don't they grow too long and skinny and won't flower the next year

The Opuntia need to come inside in Winter? And what "inside" do you mean if not heated...Is a 60 degree basement ok for storage in Winter ? Show me a picture and explain the enviroment where you keep yours in Winter please

 

[Zigs]

The Opuntia need to come inside in Winter? And what "inside" do you mean if not heated...Is a 60 degree basement ok for storage in Winter ? Show me a picture and explain the enviroment where you keep yours in Winter please

Most cacti, only a couple of them can suvive a Northern winter outside and even they can end up looking a bit knackered. By inside I mean an unheated greenhouse for most of them but there are several that need to stay above freezing. I lost quite a few a couple of years ago when the temperature suddenly dropped to 8 degrees below freezing and stayed there for a week

Basement with enough light would be ok but if it's too warm then the cacti won't go to sleep and if they keep growing in the winter they will grow long and thin (etiolation)

I've shown a few that can survive outside in this video

And then later on in the year when the Opuntia was flowering.

 

[Zigs]

Things are starting to quiet down in the Cactus House

 

[Zigs]

Captn. Neem Oil is after the Salty Monk now

 

[Zigs]

Late Echinopsis flower

 

[Zigs]

Tetters bought me a mug for my birthday too

 

[Zigs]

Gymnocalycium flower

 

[Zigs]

Ferocactus has flowered again



And an unexpected late flower on the outside Opuntia

 

[Anniekay]

@Zigs I got a cousin for Cousin it !! The only name on it is Starburst Opuntia. I've never seen a variegated Opuntia before so, naturally, I had to have it !!
What can you tell me about it Zigs.?

 

[Zigs]

Cor

Other than I've not seen that one before?

I've got some Variegated Opuntia monacanthas but they're much flatter pads than that, I'll have a look for a pic in a minute.

Your one seems much more like the regular Prickly pear Opuntia. I'll see if I can find anything out

 

[Zigs]

Found it,

It's a variegated variety of Opuntia cochenillifer

 

[Anniekay]

Found it,

It's a variegated variety of Opuntia cochenillifer

Thank you Zigs !! ( cochenillifera is a mouthfull !!)