Experimenting (and starting small)

[daiv]

Yes, excellent! Looking forward to some flower pics on some of those!

[RayC]

Yes, excellent! Looking forward to some flower pics on some of those!

Only time will tell, with the exception of the O. humifusa (which added a few pads last summer) none of mine have gone through a active growth season yet (others had been obtained mid-july or later last summer)

[RayC]

Its seems as though I can now see the first signs that some of the first-year-overwintered really are happy where they are:
O.Nameo-rose


O. Pony?

I also think I can see signs of something happening with the red fragilis.
They really have made some progress the past 3 days or so with temps in the 80's (first time since Sept here).

[Andy_CT]

Its go time!!

What's the red fragilis, red flower?

My O. fragilis v. brachyartha is the only Opuntia so far with new growth starting.

[ihc6480]

Good to see the new growth Ray. Also good to see someone else with O. pony and nameo-rose . I'll have to get some pics of mine with new growth up.

[RayC]

What's the red fragilis, red flower?

I think its supposed to be red. In general I have been trying to get red flowering ones (but of course yellows seem to be easier to obtain)

[daiv]

Hey Ray, again you guys are about a month ahead of us here. Those pads are nice and plump and the new growth is sure a contrast to what they look like when the snow first melts!

[RayC]

Well after about 11 months or so (including a wet summer and fairly decent real winter), I guess I'm going to have to say my 'experiment' is a success (thanks in large part to stuff on cacti-guide, Andy and Opuntia Bill in particular since they grow under similar conditions). Everything now has new growth.










The last pic is overview of the new section I just planted this spring. they all seem to be doing fine also so far.

[kevin63129]

Man,your garden looks awesome now.I am glad you had good luck over the winter.I am just starting out and I have been learning from professor bill and Andy and john weiser and the rest of the cold hardy growers.You are doing great.

[Andy_CT]

Looks good Ray

I'm not sure how many slugs you get in your yard but keep an eye out for damage it can happen fast. When the buds are tiny like this just a few bites can cause the pads to grow deformed.

[ihc6480]

Nice looking garden Ray and good to see the new growth

[RayC]

Looks good Ray

I'm not sure how many slugs you get in your yard but keep an eye out for damage it can happen fast. When the buds are tiny like this just a few bites can cause the pads to grow deformed.

I did find one the other day. Gonna give them a beer bath to swim in, supposed to work.

[Tom2643]

Looking good! The first winter is always the scariest.

[RayC]

Time for a little update since I don't have anything to contribute to this years hardy gardening topic (yet)
This one has a couple strange growths on it, I was going to cut them off but I guess I'll wait a bit:


Not surprisingly (since its native here in Ct)O humifusa looks pretty happy:





And everything else is doing good:


Also there appears to be a resident critter who is a little camera when I tried to get pic, but has left its mark:


Have had a few slugs, couple of which I caught 6 or 8 took their final bath in beer and succumbed. Little damage done to new growth but not to bad.

O ellisiana doing well also (but hasn't gone through winter here yet):

[ihc6480]

Your garden is looking good Ray Don't cut any strange growths off till you see what the flower looks like

I'll be waiting for pictures in the Hardy Gardening thread