Winter Growth

[dvdmsy]

Heya,
I have a couple opuntia polyacantha variations that I rooted in August. They're sitting in my apartment in Brooklyn. I'm afraid to keep them outside over the winter, so inside by the window they sit. This week, they've started sprouting new pads. I could put them outside to convince them that it is indeed still very much winter, or I could ignore them, let them do the weird etoliated thing that they might do. Thoughts?

[adetheproducer]

You could just pinch them off now be for the etoliated grow starts or even get a grow light so the growth is normal.

[MrPintxo]

You don't need to keep opuntia polyacantha indoors, It's a cold hardy plant and can easily resist below 0º (centigrades) temperatures.
However, I wouldn't put it outside right now, going from indoors to outdoors in the midle of winter could be a fatal shock for the plant.

[dvdmsy]

MrPintxo – thanks, yeah, I figured it would be a real shock to them. Next winter they can brave the Northeast outdoors.
adetheproducer – I think I'll pinch them off then (once I'm sure they're etoliating). Thanks...