Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Discuss hardy cacti grown outside all year.
fanaticactus
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by fanaticactus »

Andy_CT wrote:Looks great! That flower might be the Granite, OK variety I grew due to the smaller size of it, some of the others are huge. I know I'll never get tired of seeing these in bloom.

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Are you saying my pictured one is a variety from Granite, Oklahoma? Is it a very local variety from that one location? I'm beginning to see more and more varieties with a geographical name attached to them. It's true that it's rather small; I have one much larger one that's shaped like a caveman's club, but no signs of budding--nor with any of the others. This particular one is in a particularly sheltered area. Maybe that accounts for its early start. I understand why you like the Echinocers so much; they're very showy in color and size.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
fanaticactus
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by fanaticactus »

hoteidoc wrote:Congrats, Dave; Thanks to Andy =D> Just put in 4 reichenbach. & 7 reichenb. v. baileyi seedlings this afternoon! Guessing I have to stick around Skyline Drive for another 2 yrs, & pray next 2 Winters are not repeats of this past one. 1st humifusa opened today & have dozens of buds; other O's started 4 or 5 days ago & were in high gear today. Hope to get pics posted, but will be a few days.
I'll be looking forward to seeing your photos, Peter. Those reichenbachii are quite the impressive cactus, aren't they? Are you O. humifusas holding up better than mine? The last two winters really did a number on the pads--gray and dried. Do you have any polyacanthas? I seem to have much better luck with them.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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hoteidoc
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by hoteidoc »

humifusa didn't miss a beat & the 2 plants probably have 60 buds plus pads! Have a poly, poly X fragilis, aurea, several fragilis cv's -- all a doing great, altho aurea only put out 1 pad & no blossom buds. Even have a humifusa pad cutting that was in a 3 X 3 plastic pot that sat outside (above ground) that's put out a new pad! Go figure :roll:
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
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Andy_CT
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by Andy_CT »

fanaticactus wrote: Are you saying my pictured one is a variety from Granite, Oklahoma? Is it a very local variety from that one location? I'm beginning to see more and more varieties with a geographical name attached to them. It's true that it's rather small; I have one much larger one that's shaped like a caveman's club, but no signs of budding--nor with any of the others. This particular one is in a particularly sheltered area. Maybe that accounts for its early start. I understand why you like the Echinocers so much; they're very showy in color and size.
Seed grown from a plant originally collected in Granite, OK. The plants I sent you have collection data of DJF1308, JRT219, JRT221 & SB211. I don't know what was what when I sent them to you but the DJF1308 (Granite, OK) has a unique flower that is small, plant isn't small the flower is.
fanaticactus
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by fanaticactus »

Because of a very generous shipment of Echinocereus and Escobaria seedlings and various Opuntia pads from Andy_CT, I was prompted to do some serious weeding in the garden. They're not all completely gone yet, but the overall look is 100% better. I added some more rocky soil and created a couple more areas that should be fairly well protected from those frigid northerly winds in the winter. The considerable sun and heat we've had recently have encouraged the O. humifusa to start opening up. The beautiful new Opuntia pink-red flower just opened this morning and the second bud followed by late this afternoon. Andy believes it's a humifusa hybrid. What's special about it is that it's just ONE PAD with NO roots! And, by the way, the larger cactus that's all brown on the top was one of the Trichocereus grandiflorus hybrids in my collection that definitely needed repotting, and I just felt it would not make it as a potted cactus. So I stuck it in the garden just for laughs in probably the most protected area to see if it could last the summer. I know it won't bloom, but rather than throw it out I thought I'd just let it stretch its roots.
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Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
Mark
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by Mark »

Your garden looks really good! Love the pink flowered Opuntia. Great job!



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hoteidoc
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by hoteidoc »

Really Nice, Dave! Like the mixture of different rock/boulder & different brick/blocks! Has a very "abandoned & being taken over by the "spiney creatures" " look ;-) Discovered another survivor of the "Winter from Hell" a few days ago -- the O. erinaceae v. ursina. Also had an O. aurea pad survive above ground in a plastic pot! Never any doubt with it -- It always looked better than the "in-ground" plant -- truly amazing how tough O's are! :-k
Once bitten by the cactus collecting/growing bug, there is no known cure!
There's no 12 step programme for Cactaholics...so I shall just have to get some more!!
fanaticactus
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Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by fanaticactus »

Now with everything else dying back for the coming winter, the extent and condition of the "cold-hardys" is fairly visible. I didn't get to add the one or two more gardens I had wanted to for the three remaining Opuntias Andy_CT sent me. I'll keep them indoors in a gravelly soil until Spring when gardening will begin again.
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IN THE NEXT PHOTO IS SOME GENERIC ECHINOPSIS (TALL ONE NEXT TO STONE BLOCK FAR UPPER LEFT) WHICH DOES NOT BELONG IN A VERMONT GARDEN. HOWEVER, IT WAS ON ITS LAST LEGS IN A POT AND HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE GROWING WITHOUT CONSTANT MEALY ATTACKS. I STUCK IT IN THE GROUND, KNOWING I'D PROBABLY LOSE IT ANYWAY. IT ACTUALLY PUT OUT SOME RESPECTABLE GROWTH THIS SUMMER, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE HEALTHY GREEN AT THE TOP. IT COULDN'T BE IN A MORE PROTECTED SPOT FROM THE HARSH NORTH, EAST AND WEST WINDS IN WINTER, BUT I'LL BE UTTERLY SHOCKED IF IT SURVIVES THE WINTER.
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Last edited by fanaticactus on Sun Oct 12, 2014 6:09 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
fanaticactus
Posts: 3194
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
Location: Grand Isle Co., Vermont

Re: Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

Post by fanaticactus »

Now with everything else dying back for the coming winter, the extent and condition of the "cold-hardys" is fairly visible. I didn't get to add the one or two more gardens I had wanted to for the three remaining Opuntias Andy_CT sent me. I'll keep them indoors in a gravelly soil until Spring when gardening will begin again.
DSC03887.JPG
DSC03888.JPG
IN THE NEXT PHOTO IS SOME GENERIC ECHINOPSIS (FAR UPPER LEFT) WHICH DOES NOT BELONG IN A VERMONT GARDEN. HOWEVER, IT WAS ON ITS LAST LEGS IN A POT AND HAD A LOT OF TROUBLE GROWING WITHOUT CONSTANT MEALY ATTACKS. I STUCK IT IN THE GROUND, KNOWING I'D PROBABLY LOSE IT ANYWAY. IT ACTUALLY PUT OUT SOME RESPECTABLE GROWTH THIS SUMMER, AS YOU CAN SEE FROM THE HEALTHY GREEN AT THE TOP. IT COULDN'T BE IN A MORE PROTECTED SPOT FROM THE HARSH NORTH, EAST AND WEST WINDS IN WINTER, BUT I'LL BE UTTERLY SHOCKED IF IT SURVIVES THE WINTER.
DSC03889.JPG
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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