Vermont Cold-Hardy, 2014

[fanaticactus]

Now that most of the snow is gone on our property--most importantly on the small cactus bed--it's time to take a look to see how the cold-hardies withstood this long, subzero, windy winter. Thankfully, there was enough snow to cover this garden all winter, so I'm hoping it acted as effective "insulation" against those harshest elements. This is obviously going to take a LOT of TLC to get back into shape. This is how it looked yesterday in the late afternoon. One of the Opuntias may have some indications of new growth around the areoles. Wishful thinking.

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[hoteidoc]

Unfortunately, looks just like mine, Dave, only the rabbits are eating the biggest Semp heads! Silver-lining: 1) Will continue to add more & deepen the gravel & NAPA/Turface to ALL the beds; 2) most of the Agaves & Hesperaloes are doing well; 3) have GOBS of C-H seedlings to replace the "singles" that bit the dust!

[fanaticactus]

Today I took advantage of another sunny, warm day to finally weed the cactus garden and replenish some of the soil and rocks. Only about four or five nice days with sun and some nighttime rain really made the nasty stuff sprout and spread quickly. BEFORE:

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AFTER:

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Coexisting with some iris, a clematis vine, various sempervivums and a jovibarba, you might spot some large O. polyacanthas, some O. fragilis, C. imbricatas, six Echinocereus and a possible O. humifusa. I say "possible" since it resembles the humifusa, but has lasted two winters much better that the other two (center rear of garden). My first humifusas did well except the last two years. Right now they're both pretty much dead looking (gray, reddish brown, black and crispy), showing no signs of plumping up for the Spring. I'm thinking of digging them up and perhaps getting more polyacanthas and a couple more Echinocereus. Here was my big surprise! I spotted some new growth on what I think was an offset of a dying cactus from a couple of years ago. I'm fairly sure it isn't another Echino because the spine and rib structure are different and I isolated it in a more shaded, protected area of the garden. This leads me to believe it was from either an Echinopsis or Parodia, which in theory shouldn't be growing outside this far north. As for the new growth, could they possibly be flower buds?? It doesn't seem that pups would appear this far up the stem. I'd welcome your opinions on this "mystery".

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What does it look like I have here?

[Ruud]

Echinocereus viridiflorus? with buds.
Gr
Ruud

[hoteidoc]

Not sure on species, Dave, but reasonably sure with Echinocereus. Also like your "desert scrabble" & plant mix to your garden! Has a very "natural" look to it -- sort of like several newly "landscaped" yards from the floods I've passed. I'm sure the owners don't appreciate it, but they just acquired "for free" large areas of cobble/small boulder/debris-strewn cold-hardy cactus beds

[fanaticactus]

Not sure on species, Dave, but reasonably sure with Echinocereus. Also like your "desert scrabble" & plant mix to your garden! Has a very "natural" look to it -- sort of like several newly "landscaped" yards from the floods I've passed. I'm sure the owners don't appreciate it, but they just acquired "for free" large areas of cobble/small boulder/debris-strewn cold-hardy cactus beds

Echinocereus viridiflorus? with buds.
Gr
Ruud

Hmmmm...so it might be an Echino after all. I just didn't remember planting one over there separated from the others. Time will tell; the buds have me excited. Peter, I was trying for a fairly "natural" look (like everything else in VT!), so I appreciate the comment. I used up a bin of soil I mixed several years ago, intended for potted cacti, that proved much too dense even with the gravel. Under all that the soil is a good, loamy one with lots of sand, gravel & perlite to lighten it. What do you think happened to my once-reliable O. humifusas? I was very seriously considering getting an E. coccineus because I'm constantly dazzled by their vivid red flowers, plus I understand they are very cold hardy. I also don't think I can go wrong with one or two more O. polyacanthas. Do you recommend any particular nurseries for getting your cold-hardys? I like the looks, prices and extensive offerings of Intermountain Cactus out in Utah, but don't know anything about them. I'm just looking for some hard-grown ones that I wouldn't have to wait 4 weeks or more to have them shipped. I'm impatient, if you haven't noticed!

[hoteidoc]

Dave, my single E. coccineus died with all the others; humifusa just chugging along! Geoscape Desert Nursery has a good variety of Echinocer's -- & others. I've also bought big plants from Arizona Cactus Sales & Coldhardycactus.com with Kelly Grummons. Dave, I've also got a BUNCH of CH seedlings of pretty decent size that many I was going to plant in clusters once/if we get into warm weather. A few were going to get potted for my roadside stand, but let me know what you're looking for & I'll tell if I've got them "in size". I know I've got coccineus going, but I'll have to look later tonight after the propagators have been on (4 p.m.) for awhile, to see if any are ready to come out.
Peter

[Tiggy]

Seems like a successful venture there. Did you lose many plants? I also experimented with an outdoor patch this year, although I did provide some protection for when it was wet a and humid. On the whole though I am really pleased with the results, need to make a few adjustments this year and I think it will be even better.

Susi

[fanaticactus]

Dave, my single E. coccineus died with all the others; humifusa just chugging along! Geoscape Desert Nursery has a good variety of Echinocer's -- & others. I've also bought big plants from Arizona Cactus Sales & Coldhardycactus.com with Kelly Grummons. Dave, I've also got a BUNCH of CH seedlings of pretty decent size that many I was going to plant in clusters once/if we get into warm weather. A few were going to get potted for my roadside stand, but let me know what you're looking for & I'll tell if I've got them "in size". I know I've got coccineus going, but I'll have to look later tonight after the propagators have been on (4 p.m.) for awhile, to see if any are ready to come out.
Peter

Wow...thanks, Peter! I'll take a look at those websites and see what they have. Do they ship fairly quickly? I still have heard nothing from Cactus Limon. Would your seedlings be ready to plant outside this Spring to survive the next Winter? I'll consult Leo Chance's book (the one you showed me last June) and see what some of my best choices are. I was going to say about your last post that with the silty, rocky debris down in the valley there, maybe you have a ready market for your wares! (while not minimizing the losses they may have suffered and the mess to clean up).

Seems like a successful venture there. Did you lose many plants? I also experimented with an outdoor patch this year, although I did provide some protection for when it was wet a and humid. On the whole though I am really pleased with the results, need to make a few adjustments this year and I think it will be even better.

Susi

Truthfully, Susi, my cold hardys in the garden fared much better than the ones in the greenhouse and the ones I had room to bring inside. Everything except that O. humifusa pulled through beautifully; the humifusa may slowly recover in parts, but it looks horrible now. The cold was so brutal and severe here this Winter, the GH heater was constantly on set to about 80F (27C) to protect from the subfreezing temps inside, but it did get down to 19F (-7C). Panic prompted me to throw layers of newspaper over the cacti remaining on the benches and I just prayed for the best. Between sun scorch and mealybugs last Summer and the awful cold and continuing mealy situation this Winter in the closed environment, I estimate I lost about 60-70 plants. This is my "rebuilding" year, and I'm taking it slowly, expecting better success with shade cloth and an exhaust fan to deal with the all-day sun where the GH is. I'm checking daily for mealies, trying to keep them under control.

[hoteidoc]

Dave, both of those nurseries ship within 10 days @ the latest. As far as seedling size, my friend Dan, out in Lincoln, Neb. (CactusDan19 on Flickr; also active on TooColdforCactus & Cactus & Succulents Groups -- both Yahoo) says he puts them out @ 1 - 1 1/2" & for the most part they do fine as far as getting established & Winter survival. Of course he took the same heavy losses we all did this Winter, but he's been @ it for 40+ yrs & has 1000's of plants & seedlings & seems to have or had or grown every C & S in existence

[fanaticactus]

Echinocereus viridiflorus? with buds.
Gr
Ruud

I held off commenting on this, Ruud, until I could compare the cactus in question with the dried "carcass" of the E. viridiflorus that died. I had forgotten I might have removed an offset and placed it in the garden. Frankly, I thought the parent was too far gone to have a viable part left on it. I had only remembered taking an Echinopsis or Parodia pup to put in the garden a couple of years ago; I guess they're gone by now. The viridiflorus spines and ribs are quite different from the reichenbachiis on the other side of the garden. So I think you may be correct in your ID and I thank you very much. Still, I am shocked it apparently has three buds; it remains no bigger than a small pup--not even the size of a nickel.

[Ruud]

They can flower at very small size.
Gr
Ruud

[Andy_CT]

It is E. viridiflorus and I imagine I sent it to you. I'm drowning with them. They are sprouting from seed freely in my garden on their own some of which are flowering already. They can flower when very small

Echinocereus viridiflorus by filmo70, on Flickr

Your dead'ish' looking Opuntia is not a O. humifusa but would be called O. caespitosa now (or soon anyway). It has red centers in the flowers right? Mine did that too, would look so bad that you would bet money it wouldn't recover but it always did recover. If the better looking one has all yellow flowers then it is the real O. humifusa.

E, coccineus can be really hardy or maybe not. My nice one that did perfectly for 6 years half rotted out this winter. It somehow survived as the pups are growing but the main stem turned to goo. My coccineus seedlings that I grew are fine so far. "So far" being the key phrase.

I bought item 277.66 from Mesa Garden and it doesn't have the slightest mark on it after 5 years. However it is TINY for a claret cup plant. It now has about a dozen pups but is only like 4 inches wide and high! Hasn't flowered yet.

Item 270 from Mesa Garden flowered last year but croaked this winter. It is really hit and miss with claret cups.

I'm also trying a "White Sands" triglochidiatus. Its purely in survival mode for the few years I've had it, not much growth.

The Echinocereus baileyi plants I sent you flower yet? They are getting pretty big here.

[Tiggy]

Just clicked onto your "Flicker" Andy. Great pictures.

Susi

[Tiggy]

I also found that the plants that I left in the cold seem healthier in the long run, and are flowering more abundantly than ever before when I was trying to protect them. I lost a few, not so much to the cold as to the fact that I kept the front of the frame open as much as possible but some plants got wet as the water splattered back onto them. My fault, I should have made an overhang. I did try to adjust it but it wasn't a lot of difference so I just had to try and be one step ahead of the weather and close the front if any "wet stuff" was likely to arrive. Here is a link to photos of the shelter that I made to protect them from the wet and humidity of which we have lots of here especially during the winter. There are also some photos of plants flowering after being left to the cold. We are often below zero here though probably nowhere near as cold as you.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/89973039@ ... 383469537/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Susi