Purchases for the cold-hardy garden

[fanaticactus]

Now that my new cactus beds are just about prepared, I want to start looking for some cacti to use in them. Obviously, my choices are fairly limited here in northern VT, straddling Zones 4b and 5a. I'm already aware of many Opuntia and Cylindropuntia, Escobaria and Echinocereus and have some established in my first garden, thanks primarily to Andy in CT. I'll be looking for others in Leo Chance's very informative book Cacti & Succulents For Cold Climates.

My question right now concerns where I should be looking to buy--from a cold-climate nursery (e.g., Idaho, Utah), where my choices might be quite limited but their stock is already used to subfreezing temperatures (I don't need many more Opuntia for fear they'll overrun the space I have), or from other nurseries in warmer climates (e.g., California, Arizona). If I get them early enough in the season and establish them over the summer, will they be ready to survive their first northern New England winter, especially ones from warmer climates? The gardens are very well protected by shed and house foundations from the harsh north wind and they will get full sun practically all day during the spring and summer.

[fanaticactus]

Should I consider the silence on this topic as meaning that no one knows which is the better choice, or that it really doesn't make a difference? Just go trial and error?

[adetheproducer]

I would think buying young specimens would be your best bet, any changes in environment from supplier location to your location will be more easily resisted and them will have a good amount of time to settle in to your local conditions. They get less flexible with ability to copy with changes as they age but after that where you get them from should really make too much difference. You could always start seeds to then they are used the the climate straight away.

[fanaticactus]

Thank you, adetheproducer. I will scout out some sites to purchase perhaps a few plants already grown in colder climates. I'll look for other experimental seedlings that might be able to put on some substantial growth during Spring and Summer here (providing we get those seasons; we had a very long Winter with below normal temperatures). It's probably too late to get seeds growing well enough to place outside this year, but I can certainly try that in the future once I see how well my gardens do.

[iann]

I have far more success with plants I grew myself than anything bought in. Very few growers expose their plants to even the slightest frost, let alone the repeated hard freezes they'll get from me. I have one Echinocereus troglochidiatus still alive outside that I bought, but they take some killing.

Your temperatures are much colder than mine. Pediocactus could take it, but they'd run into trouble in summer.

[fanaticactus]

I have far more success with plants I grew myself than anything bought in. Very few growers expose their plants to even the slightest frost, let alone the repeated hard freezes they'll get from me. I have one Echinocereus troglochidiatus still alive outside that I bought, but they take some killing.

Your temperatures are much colder than mine. Pediocactus could take it, but they'd run into trouble in summer.

It looks like there's no certain solution for this year. The 'raised from seed' comments seem to support my experience, as the Echinocereus seedlings which 'Andy_CT' have sent me a couple of times have survived every winter--and the last two were very brutal. I'll invest a little bit of cash and experiment a bit, as long as I can get them shipped fairly quickly so they get a good start.

[Andy_CT]

For little fuss you want Northern forms of Escobaria vivipara and missouriensis plus Echinocereus viridiflorus (did I send you any of these?). I've had real good luck so far with small forms of Echinocereus coccineus one from Taos, NM and another from Southern Colorado, I grew them from seed though. I also have one plant of Echinocereus mojavensis from Eastern Utah that I bought from Mesa Garden that is a nice small clump now and not a mark on it. Other plants I'm so far having luck with are Escobaria leei, sneedii & organensis. A few Corphantha sulcata seedlings survived last winters record cold February under two feet of snow. These last ones would be considered trial and error but they might work for you with protection.

Plants from Mesa Garden are small but they are probably the least pampered you'll find from a store.

If you need seeds to play with let me know.

[fanaticactus]

For little fuss you want Northern forms of Escobaria vivipara and missouriensis plus Echinocereus viridiflorus (did I send you any of these?). I've had real good luck so far with small forms of Echinocereus coccineus one from Taos, NM and another from Southern Colorado, I grew them from seed though. I also have one plant of Echinocereus mojavensis from Eastern Utah that I bought from Mesa Garden that is a nice small clump now and not a mark on it. Other plants I'm so far having luck with are Escobaria leei, sneedii & organensis. A few Corphantha sulcata seedlings survived last winters record cold February under two feet of snow. These last ones would be considered trial and error but they might work for you with protection.

Plants from Mesa Garden are small but they are probably the least pampered you'll find from a store.

If you need seeds to play with let me know.

This is so weird, Andy. I had just clicked to search Mesa Gardens for this season and I found your e-mail. I ran out to the garden to check on your seedlings. First, the viridiflorus didn't make it through the winter outdoors, even though it was very protected. It was very small to begin with. I appear to still have the Escobaria and, judging by your descriptions (red vs. white spines), the vivpara seems to have done very well over the winter. It is firmly rooted and appears to be swelling in this sun and heat we're having. The missouriensis is barely above ground and the flesh looks very red--like sunburn? No problem with the Echinocer.. It's still early for buds, but they are firm in the soil; I set upright the ones that had been pushed over horizontal by the snow and ice. Many of the flat-pad Opuntias look very dessicated and brown, but I remember they were last Spring, too. They seem worse this year. The Cylindropun. also look crispy brown. But the (O. fragilis are OK, except many now have exposed roots, which Dean has strongly suggested I replant. I like your suggestions of the Echinocer. cocinneus & mojavensis and the possibility of the Cory sulcata. The new beds are just about ready to accept some more seedlings, so let me see where I stand with what I have on hand and I'll let you know if I need anything. I really appreciated your continued help.

[Andy_CT]

I've had one or two E. missouriensis do that, turn real red. Probably won't make it but they are tough. I guess its just a transplanting thing, sometimes they don't like it? Many other missouriensis have done exceedingly well and I even planted some that were smaller than my pinky nail. You definitely want a few of these in your garden as the bright red fruit they produce in Spring is a real eye catcher. If they can survive in Montana and North Dakota they can survive in Vermont. Finding more northern forms for sale might not be as easy.