New cactus garden

Discuss hardy cacti grown outside all year.
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fanaticactus
Posts: 3194
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
Location: Grand Isle Co., Vermont

New cactus garden

Post by fanaticactus »

Realizing how late it is in the season, I vowed to get the soil mixed for a new, larger cactus garden and lay out a design before ordering the cacti I want. I post the photos here for critical comments from more experienced outdoor growers than I. First off, the exposure is due south, so it gets full sun all day. As you can see, it is snug to the foundation of the house, sheltering it from the strong and bitter north and west winter winds. Given the limitations placed by the lowness of the house to the ground (it's built on a slab), I tried to provide a few different levels and protective 'pockets' to help shelter the cacti, especially to help them start taking hold. I expect to plant a couple of O. polyacantha, O. fragilis/i]and a few Echinocereus like triglochidiatus, viridiflorus, fenderi, coccineus and maybe a Cory/Escobar & Pediocactus. We are just a few hundred yards from Lk. Champlain and so have a slightly milder climate than the rest of Vermont--right between Zones 4 & 5. I was working quickly in fairly oppressive heat and humidity this morning, so I didn't notice until I edited the pictures that the first block of stone facing on the front left (leftover from interior construction) is facing the wrong way. That will be fixed! Any further suggestions about the layout?
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I also made the older, small garden by the shed a little more attractive. Although it doesn't show the entire garden, this is the only photo I have of the original look:
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. Here is the modified view:
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Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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cactushobbyman
Posts: 1437
Joined: Sun Sep 11, 2011 8:01 pm
Location: Sanger, California

Re: New cactus garden

Post by cactushobbyman »

I do like the use of the broken pots to help retain the soil. Weather wise, you have to worry about the cold, and I have to worry about the heat. You know your weather better than anyone else, so I would go with what you have learned.
jnewmark
Posts: 10
Joined: Sat Jun 13, 2015 2:20 pm

Re: New cactus garden

Post by jnewmark »

Drainage is always the key with cold hardy cactus, although Opuntias are probably the least of your worries. I routinely give away Opuntia pads every year, here in NW Ohio ( Zone 5 ), but I have had no luck with Echinocereus. Most of the ones I have tried, have lasted a few years, but eventually rotted, due to the freezing rain, freeze/thaw conditions we get here. So, the more drainage you can give the plants, the better. I am going to try a raised bed this time, 24" deep, with mostly pea gravel and sand , with a small amount of top soil. Good luck !
fanaticactus
Posts: 3194
Joined: Sun Oct 25, 2009 7:44 pm
Location: Grand Isle Co., Vermont

Re: New cactus garden

Post by fanaticactus »

jnewmark wrote:Drainage is always the key with cold hardy cactus, although Opuntias are probably the least of your worries. I routinely give away Opuntia pads every year, here in NW Ohio ( Zone 5 ), but I have had no luck with Echinocereus. Most of the ones I have tried, have lasted a few years, but eventually rotted, due to the freezing rain, freeze/thaw conditions we get here. So, the more drainage you can give the plants, the better. I am going to try a raised bed this time, 24" deep, with mostly pea gravel and sand , with a small amount of top soil. Good luck !
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for all the Echinocereus I plant. So far, so good as long as they have lots of sun exposure and room to grow. I have one Escobaria that's taken hold and has grown noticeably this summer. I'm hoping for some flowers next year. I agree that drainage is the key, so I'm going to rake in more gravel before I do major planting.
Catch a falling star--but don't try it with a cactus!
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