Better outside?

[fanaticactus]

Now that I have a greenhouse, I've found that several cacti (Opuntia, Ferocactus and Parodia to mention three) appear to do much better outdoors starting in late Spring and going through early Fall. I'm wondering if any generalizations can be made about the genera that seem to grow better (faster, bigger, few or no problems with mealybug, flowering, etc.) when they are placed outdoors. This assumes they would all have very loose, fast-draining soil in their pots and they appreciate lots of fresh air (I guess that one criterion applies to practically all cacti), sudden summer rains and day/night temperature swings that on the average have a range of upper 80s > lower 50s (roughly 32>11C). I can give them practically any sun exposure from full to full shade and any mix in between. The ones I have found do better and last longer inside the greenhouse are Gymno, Rebutia and Epiphyllum. My collection does not contain many (if any) genera considered difficult or "finicky" to raise, except maybe the Leuchtenbergia principis, which is currently in the greenhouse and appears to be doing well. Other than those mentioned above, I have mainly hybrids of Chamaecereus, Echinopsis and Lobivia, plus Echinocereus, Eriosyce, Mammillaria, Stenocactus and Thelocactus. I would appreciate any general information and/or observations from personal experience. Thanks!

[Saxicola]

My guess is that the biggest factor is cooler night temperatures. Arid climates usually have pretty big temperature swings across a day. I think 50s to low 60s at night is ideal for all but the most tropical species (e.g. Uebelmannia and Melocactus). In your greenhouse it may stay 70 or warmer in the summer. Humidity and light levels may also be playing a role.

[fanaticactus]

My guess is that the biggest factor is cooler night temperatures. Arid climates usually have pretty big temperature swings across a day. I think 50s to low 60s at night is ideal for all but the most tropical species (e.g. Uebelmannia and Melocactus). In your greenhouse it may stay 70 or warmer in the summer. Humidity and light levels may also be playing a role.

I'm fairly confident our temperature fluctuations late Spring through early Fall are very suitable for growth, just as there are wide swings of temperature in the desert between day and night. The major difference is that we, of course, are much more humid here, in which case I just don't water them as much. My main concern is their exposure to sudden, drenching rains. Even if they are accurately forecast, taking all the plants back into the GH and back out again after the rain is a huge job I can't do anymore, especially if I am away. I would not expose seedlings or any of the miniature or small-growing cacti to the uncontrolled elements outdoors; I intend to keep them in the GH. I'm just wondering if any other potted genera would be "forgiving" or sturdy enough to leave outdoors in our New England weather.

[Steve Johnson]

I'm just wondering if any other potted genera would be "forgiving" or sturdy enough to leave outdoors in our New England weather.

Don't know if this helps you, but think about the desert cacti that experience summer monsoons in the wild. To quote from a PM Craig Fry recently sent me, "The best time for extra heavy waterings for all Mexican plants is late summer, during the monsoon season."

[fanaticactus]

I'm just wondering if any other potted genera would be "forgiving" or sturdy enough to leave outdoors in our New England weather.

Don't know if this helps you, but think about the desert cacti that experience summer monsoons in the wild during summer. To quote from a PM Craig Fry recently sent me, "The best time for extra heavy waterings for all Mexican plants is late summer, during the monsoon season."

Hmmmm That's definitely something to think about, Steve. I'm reminded of the old story, true or not, of when a woman was asked how she kept her cacti (indoors and potted, I assume), she replied that she subscribed to a Phoenix or Tucson newspaper, and every time the weather report indicated rain out there she watered her cacti! Anyway, that should make me feel OK about setting out my Mamms (except I would NOT set out my new, tiny, already-flowered theresae), which I know are commonly from Mexico. But what about earlier rains, like now and during early July? I wonder if that would give them TOO much water? When I have a moment to go to my books and the Internet, I'll refresh my mind on which others are from Mexico.

[A. Dean Stock]

They don't have to be Mexican species. We have monsoon rains in July through August most summers. Last summer it started in June so we had an entire summer with rain about every week. Very unusual, but the cacti didn't seem to mind at all and I have about 600 plants outside on mounds in full sunlight and exposed to whatever falls from the sky. I've lost plants in the Greenhouse but never outside. I can't imagine keeping Opuntia or Echinocereus species other than outside in the summer even in your area.
Dean

[fanaticactus]

They don't have to be Mexican species. We have monsoon rains in July through August most summers. Last summer it started in June so we had an entire summer with rain about every week. Very unusual, but the cacti didn't seem to mind at all and I have about 600 plants outside on mounds in full sunlight and exposed to whatever falls from the sky. I've lost plants in the Greenhouse but never outside. I can't imagine keeping Opuntia or Echinocereus species other than outside in the summer even in your area.
Dean

This is most encouraging, Dean. I suppose if I have given my cacti a loose, fast-draining enough soil, they won't drown and would certainly enjoy the fresh air. All my Opuntiaare already outdoors (I don't have many in pots) and I am willing to give most of my Echinocereus a shot at it.

[iann]

I just looked up the climate stats for Grand Isle. Very interesting! Your summer temperatures are comparable to mine here. Winters are colder obviously. Probably sunnier than England, most places are. Annual rainfall is similar, but you have wetter summers and drier winters (probably doesn't seem that way when the snow melts!).

For comparison I keep very few cacti outdoors because it simply isn't warm enough for them to grow well. Also a little too wet. In winter very few can survive outdoors, not so much from the cold but just from being wet *all* the time. There are plenty that can go outdoors without harm and certainly one or two drenchings won't kill most, but except for the warmest sunniest spells of weather they are better off with the added help of a greenhouse.

I do keep a few Echinocereus out all year, mostly out of sheer stubbornness, and a handful of Escobarias. And a Maihuenia, probably the happiest of all. Growth is slow, flowers are an occasional bonus. Escobarias regularly rot. I know some people that grow Opuntias outdoors with success, and in some of the driest warmest parts of the country a wide range of cacti survive outside. The constant winter rain and humidity combined with the occasional drop into single digits F mean very few can take it here.

[jp29]

.......... I'm reminded of the old story, true or not, of when a woman was asked how she kept her cacti (indoors and potted, I assume), she replied that she subscribed to a Phoenix or Tucson newspaper, and every time the weather report indicated rain out there she watered her cacti! ..........

That brings to mind another Arizona story .......... about Gila Bend : a notoriously hot and dry desert town where it is said that sometimes two or three years go by without any measurable rainfall. There was this little three year old boy who had never experienced rain - then suddenly one summer day it rained on him! Well the shock was so great to his system that he fainted -- and they had to douse him with two buckets of dust in order to revive him!!

James

[jp29]

Tucson weather for June 2014:

http://www.accuweather.com/en/us/tucson ... her/346936" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

We actually had a couple of days under 100 deg. F - finally some rain (thunderstorms) in the offing - it has been months since the last rainfall. But look at the beginning of July!

All of my Brazilians are outdoors under 30% shade cloth - blazing sunshine early morning to nightfall - no other covering, hence optimum air circulation - no plant sunburn or scorching - bountiful flowering and fruiting - life is good!

Last week in the propagating house (30% shade cloth):






James

[fanaticactus]

Tucson weather for June 2014:
We actually had a couple of days under 100 deg. F - finally some rain (thunderstorms) in the offing - it has been months since the last rainfall. But look at the beginning of July!

All of my Brazilians are outdoors under 30% shade cloth - blazing sunshine early morning to nightfall - no other covering, hence optimum air circulation - no plant sunburn or scorching - bountiful flowering and fruiting - life is good!


James

You've obviously created the perfect environment for your cacti, James. They look super--very neat and beautifully grown! It's interesting to see such a specialized collection. I've visited Tucson and I loved everything about it; I will definitely have to make a second trip there. And I chuckled at your Arizona anecdote.