Please help with a few questions

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Serrie
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Joined: Fri Jul 15, 2016 7:20 am

Please help with a few questions

Post by Serrie »

Hi all,

I'm still pretty new with cacti, only about 3 years or so. Now a few months ago I have bought a few new ones and I had some questions which I wasn't sure where else they would fit in.

1st question is regarding this echinocereus. Since the last 2 weeks it started growing this 'thing' quite low on the plant. Is this a flower bud that it has started growing or is this something else?
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2nd this Notocactus Mammulosus, again I think the fluffier brownish growth are flower buds as it looks quite different from the new growth that has spines, am I correct?
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3rd is about my Epi, I think it might (finally) start growing a new leaf, is this indeed the start of a new leaf growing or just more roots?
Also I read that they liked being in smaller pots rather than larger ones (same as desert cacti I guess) is this right? I have no experience growing this cactus before I bought this one.
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4th is my Parodia, I think it has a seedling growing 'under' it, should I leave this in or take it out and plant it on its own, as it might have different needs than the larger plant?
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And as a bonus the first of (6) my Rebutia 'Bliss' flowers has opened
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Steve Johnson
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by Steve Johnson »

Your Echinocereus is definitely showing a bud, and it looks like your Notocactus has the very beginning of a few buds as well. I see a few aerial roots on your Epiphyllum, although I'm not sure if that little spot of new growth is a leaf or a bud. To be honest, my experience with jungle cacti is minimal, so hopefully someone else on the forum can confirm what's going on there. What you have on the base of your Parodia is either a seedling volunteer or an offset. With the vast majority of desert cacti, pups grow out of the parent plant's base. Based on your photo, my guess is that you have a pup, although you'll have to give the Parodia a really close inspection to see if it's a pup or a seedling.

Congratulations on your Rebutia's first bloom -- very attractive plant, and the flower color is beautiful! =D>
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Serrie
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by Serrie »

Thanks Steve!

Very excited with the Rebutia, I did not expect it to have different shades of pink, so that is a very nice surprise.
And now I have even more flowers to look forward to, thanks for confirming this for me.

Best to just leave the Parodia alone then - especially as I have not been able to find the granite for a decent price yet? (but I have people on the lookout with me!) Thanks again for the advice you gave me on this.

Hopefully someone will be able to give me some growing advice on the Epi, as I too have no experience with them. I just love the large plants and the flowers. Maybe one day! :D
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Steve Johnson
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by Steve Johnson »

Serrie wrote:Hopefully someone will be able to give me some growing advice on the Epi, as I too have no experience with them. I just love the large plants and the flowers. Maybe one day! :D
One thing I can tell you is that jungle cacti do well with fairly rich mixes that would spell trouble for a lot of desert species. I think the mix you're using now should be fine for the Epi. If you can get your hands on crushed granite, you'll be able to lean out the mix for your desert cacti. I'll think good thoughts for you on that one! :)
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DaveW
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by DaveW »

I get my crushed granite from Builders Merchants in the UK where it is used in concrete mixes for things like steps and paving slabs. You could see if your Builders Merchants sell it too. I also get limestone chips from them too. The granite is sold as 1/4 inch to dust, but you may need to sieve the fine dust out as that sets like cement unless well mixed with other ingredients.

You can of course grow "jungle cacti" in Orchid mix since they both inhabit similar environments, though the epiphytic cacti are not as fussy regarding soil.
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greenknight
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by greenknight »

An Epi will bloom better if it's a bit root bound, but yours is ready for a size larger pot. They're good in hanging planters, but small ones are hard to find and it's not ready for a big one. That is a new "leaf", by the way - but they're not really leaves, they're stems. Flower buds emerge from the areoles along the edge of the "leaves".

They're not difficult. They like more water than desert cacti, but still can't survive being over-watered. I always followed the rule that when the surface of the soil is completely dry it's time to water (and I never lost one to rot).

During Winter they need a cooler, drier rest period (similar to desert cacti) in order to set flower buds. Here's a page which gives more details - https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice/profile?PID=103
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Serrie
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by Serrie »

Thanks Steve, Dave and Greenknight for the help and info!

Just shows how much there is to learn.

I will try the Builders Merchants for crushed granite. - Is it a good idea to mix this with limestone or only for certain species?

I have some size up pots here, so I will repot the Epi. Glad to hear it is doing something now and it is growing a new stem.
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by esp_imaging »

As a rule of thumb - avoid limestone for South American cacti.

Many North American species are tolerant (often extremely tolerant) of limestone, opinions differ about whether some limestone tolerant species species actually prefer it or grow better without it.

As a starting point, I'd omit limestone from compost mixes, it may be something to experiment with in due course.
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Serrie
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by Serrie »

Had another look at my Parodia, it has now more little ones ( I counted 6 at the moment) growing through out the pot, so not just at the base of the big plant.
2 of them are a little red/brownish in colour, while the others are green, is this normal?

If I want these to survive is it still best to just leave them alone, in case they are offsets rather than from seed? - The plant had withered flowers when I got in some months ago, I assume these were from last year and had fallen off since, but it never had seed pots.

This photo shows 3 of them:
Image
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greenknight
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Re: Please help with a few questions

Post by greenknight »

Those are seedlings, definitely. Still best to let them be for now - tiny cactus seedlings don't transplant well, they'll have a much better survival rate if you let them grow for a year or two. When the mother plant is ready for repotting will be soon enough to transplant the seedling.

I have the same thing going on. Same variation in color, too - the more shaded ones are green, those that are more exposed are red. Both are doing fine. you can see them here - http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtop ... 72#p329357
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