Search found 203 matches

by Sutremaine
Mon May 06, 2013 4:51 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Finally graduating to custom soil mix
Replies: 37
Views: 4134

Re: Finally graduating to custom soil mix

Depends on the cactus really... Large lumps of ungrabbable spines can be wrapped in twisted net curtain (or some other open fabric) to form a sort of basket. Work as many spines as possible into the fabric -- the more you can get stuck in, the less pull there'll be on any one spine. If you can get i...
by Sutremaine
Mon May 06, 2013 12:37 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Uebelmannia Pectinifera
Replies: 23
Views: 3552

Re: Uebelmannia Pectinifera

Fresh growth -- a good sign on anything, but especially species with difficult roots. I got these just under a month ago and repotted them into something completely different to what they were in, so it's good to see them settling in. Speaking of roots, the other one (which had a worse start due to ...
by Sutremaine
Sun May 05, 2013 8:06 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Uebelmannia Pectinifera
Replies: 23
Views: 3552

Re: Uebelmannia Pectinifera

And here's what we like to see on our Uebelmannias...

Image

That's all from the last week, as it's only just started getting considerably above 15 degrees during the day.
by Sutremaine
Thu May 02, 2013 12:48 am
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Finally graduating to custom soil mix
Replies: 37
Views: 4134

Re: Finally graduating to custom soil mix

If you're mixing the pumice with soil then the extra fragments and dust from the pumice probably don't matter, unless the pumice came with a coating of goop clogging up the surface
by Sutremaine
Tue Apr 23, 2013 12:14 am
Forum: General-Succulents
Topic: Growing Lithops and Other Difficult Mesembs
Replies: 144
Views: 237320

Re: Growing Lithops and Other Difficult Mesembs

Cat litter must be a type that does not become mushy in water, often sold as "lightweight". It is made from clay, but it is fired to it is hard and doesn't clump. Maybe someone can recommend a brand, but I don't know of any available in the US. Turface. Not cat litter, but the same kind o...
by Sutremaine
Mon Apr 22, 2013 11:53 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Uebelmannia Pectinifera
Replies: 23
Views: 3552

Re: Uebelmannia Pectinifera

So irresistable... What are you growing them in? I just bought a couple of those (about an inch wide), to replace the two I've probably killed (about that size, judging by the spine proportions). I think I may have smothered them to death, as the 2010-sown Melocactus and the squishy rot-prone specie...
by Sutremaine
Mon Apr 22, 2013 10:53 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Finally graduating to custom soil mix
Replies: 37
Views: 4134

Re: Finally graduating to custom soil mix

@sutremaine---once we've measured the various porosities for our potting mix, what do we do with that information? Are there guidelines on what the porosities should be for different cacti? I've been looking for numbers on that. For soils (for which the most non-advertising information is available...
by Sutremaine
Mon Apr 22, 2013 8:39 pm
Forum: General-Succulents
Topic: In-Ground Soil in a Pot
Replies: 4
Views: 1165

Re: In-Ground Soil in a Pot

You might be able to get away with it in a pot connected to the ground (making a very small raised bed), and in a hot dry place or with cacti with vigorous root systems, but I'd save this stuff for hungry leafy plants. A leaner mix than this is better for all cacti.
by Sutremaine
Mon Apr 22, 2013 5:55 pm
Forum: General-Succulents
Topic: Sinocrassula yunnanensis
Replies: 2
Views: 1488

Re: Sinocrassula yunnanensis

I bought one of these last year. I can't tell you what it likes as I ignored it for some reason, but I can tell you that it survived last winter out in the open in a not particularly sheltered place sitting in a non-draining tray. They will propagate from fallen leaves. I believe they may like a lot...
by Sutremaine
Mon Apr 22, 2013 12:42 am
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Walmart Cactus and Succlent soil..
Replies: 11
Views: 1803

Re: Walmart Cactus and Succlent soil..

'Cactus & Patio / Container [....] Mix'? Wow, and I thought mixes for both cacti and palms were being optimistic.
by Sutremaine
Mon Apr 22, 2013 12:37 am
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Finally graduating to custom soil mix
Replies: 37
Views: 4134

Re: Finally graduating to custom soil mix

The pumice should be as large as you can get it while still being mixable with the coir. The finer coir will be holding the vast majority of the water, so the coarser (and less water-holding) the pumice is the drier the overall mix can potentially be. If you find the coarse pumice too dry, you can a...
by Sutremaine
Wed Apr 17, 2013 6:43 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Artificial Light over Windowsill
Replies: 13
Views: 2101

Re: Artificial Light over Windowsill

If you can get the 4' tube and its pins between the two walls of the windowsill and still have a couple of centimetres either side, use the 4' tube. It'll be more efficient, and you'll get better light coverage. Also, buy a light meter and check that you're getting a significant amount of tube light...
by Sutremaine
Wed Apr 17, 2013 2:10 am
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Why isn't my lighting working?
Replies: 22
Views: 2723

Re: Why isn't my lighting working?

Probably not relevant, but since nothing at all is working it's a little hard to tell. If I don't get any breakthrough on this, I'll just take everything to the next meeting and see if anyone has any ideas.
by Sutremaine
Tue Apr 16, 2013 5:28 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Why isn't my lighting working?
Replies: 22
Views: 2723

Re: Why isn't my lighting working?

I tried running some steel wire into the ground connector and then wrapping it around the tube.

Thanks for the suggestions, but I think I'll head on over to the BCSS forums and see if anyone wants to pick up the ballast and everything at the next meeting and try and get it working.
by Sutremaine
Mon Apr 15, 2013 12:30 am
Forum: Grafting
Topic: Can you use a piece of root as a stock?
Replies: 1
Views: 1198

Can you use a piece of root as a stock?

I'm just curious, and haven't been able to find anything on Google because the words are too common.

Instead of taking a scion and attaching it to the vascular bundle of the green part of the stock, could you attach the scion to the vascular bundle (or whatever it's called) in a large, woody root?