Looking for central FL. cacti enthusiasts...

[pokey1]

Hi! Just wondering if there are any cacti enthusiasts in the central FL. area.. I am a relatively "newb" collector, (74 species, and growing), and am looking for advice on the nuances of growing and maintaining cacti in this area, and how best to keep them healthy and happy, especially in the winter months. Thanks! Joseph

[apfire]

I am not far from you. Winter here is a piece of cake. Some cacti needed to be watered until the beginning of February. Send me a p.m we can talk.

[Harriet]

Hello, I'm up in Seminole County, and always happy to talk c&s!

[DaveW]

Have you tried contacting the cactus societies in Florida to see if they have any members in your area? Just looked on the Cactus & Succulent Society of America Website for Florida affiliates and came up with these:-

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CSSA home site is here:-

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[apfire]

Nice idea but Sarasota is quite a ways from Central Florida.

[BobbyZ]

Although I live 300 miles away I am a member of the Soutern Florida branch. Emy is a great president, their quarterly periodical is good,and his frequent emails are quite informative. I wish I could go down to their May cactus exhibit and sale, maybe this year. I was in contact with several N Florida central Florida members to try to organize a small group under the CSSA, We can meet at members houses quarterly. I love going down to the gardens in Winer Park, perhaps we can even meet there. I live in a golf course development and my C&S gardens aren't as extensive as Harriet, but I am sure I could always use some advise and sharing of info. I have ordered new Agaves and cacti to put in a new bed this Fall, I can't wait to get my hands dirty in Florida soil. Bobby Z

[Harriet]

Sarasota and Miami are far enough away from here that I would not want to make a 1-day round trip to either. That, and not really being a "joiner", keep me closer to home.

[DaveW]

Nobody more antisocial than me Harriet! However I have been a member of Nottingham BCSS branch for over 50 years now and never regretted it. Branches are where you gain knowledge on cultivation and new plants, particularly through their journals even if you cannot attend meetings. Most of these things can now be gained online through sites like this, or the online journals that are starting to appear, but the thing you don't usually get online is cheap plants at sales tables from members, or talks by other growers (at least until we get home Teleconferencing of them).

I am amazed also that in a cactus growing country with warmer climates than we have the price you are paying for plants when we in the UK can often buy them cheaper, even though our dealers have to provide greenhouses and heat them in winter. Also I was told that in many other countries people never actually give spare plants away to friends, or fellow club members, but always expect payment for them? I gather this mercenary habit also applies in some areas of the UK too though. However in Nottingham I have never had to pay another member for a cutting or seedling, knowing if I have something spare they want they will also get that free.

Branches are what the members make of them and I appreciate we in the UK are usually closer to branches than many are in the US, so less travelling. Also our society structure is different in that our branches are an integral part of the BCSS and not separate clubs merely affiliated to the CSSA as yours are. Obviously whether a club satisfies your needs often depends on how knowledgeable you or the members are, or the lecturers they use since we all always want to learn and progress in any hobby. Otherwise it can be a case of "the blind leading the blind", particularly if a club is full of people who just want to grow pretty flowers rather than make the effort to research their subject a little more, as most on this forum obviously do. We all were novices once, but you only stay that way if you don't make the effort to learn and read up on your subject.

A friend of mine, temporarily based in the US as part of his job, attended a local (maybe untypical?) US cactus club and was rather disappointed at the level of knowledge and talks given compared to UK BCSS branches, since they were largely from the club members, seldom getting in new knowledge from outside by using brought in speakers.

However our society lecturers are not in it for profit, so usually only charge travelling expenses such as fuel (the others never get booked again!), whereas in some other societies speakers seem bent on making it a money making activity through charging lecture fees rather than being in it for the love of the hobby and helping others by passing their knowledge on.

As an instance, I also once belonged to a UK photographic society where a speaker charged more to just come across town to give us a talk than our cactus speakers charged for a 30 mile journey both ways!

The difference is in the British Society all of our officials are unpaid volunteers, both at national and local branch level, so probably we have a different mind-set regarding remuneration over here, only giving proven expenses like travelling etc. You have a different setup in the US where CSSA officials are virtually paid as though it was a full time job, which obviously comes out of your subscriptions. A friend of mine who emigrated to the USA and became a US Society official for a time was amazed when they found what was being paid to officials having been an unpaid official in the UK previously. I have yet to see the officials remuneration listed in the American Journal to inform their subscribers what they are being paid, but they did advertise recently for a new CSSA editor in Desert Song saying:-

"The current contract is for $25,000 per year" (=£16,112.40p per year.)"

And that's just the editor alone. Contrast that with the British Cactus and Succulent Journal editor who merely gets expenses.

[BobbyZ]

DaveW You have spoken eloquently on the values and problems of societies. Many of our local grdening clubs are merely social teas for the ladies to talk about flowr basket design. I have a need for more knowledge. By the way I love the free online Journal Cactus Explorer, you Brits do it right, Y

Pokey1: I will continue researching avenues to recruit, We can also attempt to be a satelite group of the Southern FLA C&S. Their quarterly newsletters are informative and I have bought plants from some advisors. Being retired I have time to spend and redirect my energy from scientific research to my new obsession of a cactophile seeking knowledge and soilmates. BobbyZ

[Sharpy]

Pokey, Hey I am about a hour south of you. Would be happy to talk cacti, even though I have been very busy lately. Part of why I have not posted here in a while.

This is really late notice, but the Tampa C&S sale is tomorrow. Me, Paulzie and person from another group are all meeting up there. We will be there from around 10am to noon.

Will PM you my email.

Best of luck.

[paulzie32]

It was nice meeting you in person too Doug! Shame you couldn't make it Pokey1. The nearest CSS to me is downtown Tampa and the meetings are usually in the evenings in downtown... At rush hour. It's normally a 30-40 minute ride for me but at that time, just too far. After reading what DaveW wrote, I started thinking, I should start one near me... for my county. It may just be JoeG (the other guy Doug mentioned) and I for a time. But I'd think, if we could get a notice in a local newspaper (oneof those small free ones found in local businesses) with meeting time and place, then I'm sure it would pique the interest of at least a few other people. Before we know it, we could have a decent little group
I may get in touch with Emy and ask for some Advice on the running of a group first though He's a great guy and we've traded before.
As for selling vs. Trading with other club members... I have seen where one member brings a number of plants and sells them, but vie also seen members trading or sharing with each other. I think the economic situation is also different in the US than in the UK. I've had friends from the UK come visit, and they're shocked some people live in' what they refer to as caravans or on unpaved roads. But, there are a lot of people living in trailer homes over here and lots of areas of Florida with dirt roads. That may be the reason for some to sell as opposed to giving for free.
Oh, come to think of it, before selling, there was a raffle, where everyone got a ticket and as the numbers were drawn, you got your choice of any plant for free. What ever was left was for sale.