Neoporteria taltalensis watering questions

[graffiti]

Greetings all. Long time reader, first time poster.

Just got a bunch of cacti from Mesa. One of the specimens included was, as the title alludes to, a N. taltalensis.

I've gotten them all potted up (here's a link to a gallery of them plus a few of my others). Now I'm doing research as to how to care for each species.

Most are your standard mostly sunny, dry and cool in the winter; and mostly sunny, warm and water after drying out in the summer. The Neoporteria seems different though, as a native resident of the Atacama.

Looking at the seasonal weather averages for Caldera, Chile I see 10% chances for drizzle in March and a 6% chance in October. That's not much water. And I can't help but think a plant in the ground is going to have more water available to it than one in a pot that gets equal amounts of rain.

My concern is that if I only water it twice a year, I will desiccate the roots and kill the plant. I know cacti roots work differently than your standard tropical house plant, but I don't know how much that matters when you're talking only watering twice a year.

Any advice from people that have experience with Atacama cacti would be appreciated.

[Steve Johnson]

The 2 Atacama cacti I have are Eriosyce napina glabrescens and odieri. I keep them completely dry in winter, then occasional deep watering in spring, but only during stretches of warm, sunny weather. When the summer heats up in earnest, I'll give them good soaks every 2 weeks. If I went by the water these species get in habitat, they'd be dead. I think the watering needs for taltalensis under pot cultivation should be pretty similar to what I'm doing. Just make sure the mix dries out top-to-bottom between waterings. I'll quote Ian's #1 rule about watering -- when in doubt, don't!

[iann]

Good one! I'm sure if you only watered it twice a year it would look wonderfully "authentic" but perhaps you'd like it to grow a bit and maybe flower every now and then? Cacti in Chile also benefit from really quite heavy and frequent fog. Essentially they sit on the hillsides at cloud level and get more water than you'd think.

In cultivation they really don't need any fancy treatment. Water in summer, cool and dry in winter. Probably they'd be fine watered year round if your climate was sunny enough and warm enough in winter. They aren't very tolerant of rich peaty soils, but if you have the right soil then they aren't difficult. Watch out for their trickery, where they look wrinkled even though you just watered them a few days ago. Resist! Eventually you'll hit the sweet spot and they'll suddenly be fat and happy. Probably about a week before winter

[graffiti]

Good one! I'm sure if you only watered it twice a year it would look wonderfully "authentic" but perhaps you'd like it to grow a bit and maybe flower every now and then? Cacti in Chile also benefit from really quite heavy and frequent fog. Essentially they sit on the hillsides at cloud level and get more water than you'd think.

In cultivation they really don't need any fancy treatment. Water in summer, cool and dry in winter. Probably they'd be fine watered year round if your climate was sunny enough and warm enough in winter. They aren't very tolerant of rich peaty soils, but if you have the right soil then they aren't difficult. Watch out for their trickery, where they look wrinkled even though you just watered them a few days ago. Resist! Eventually you'll hit the sweet spot and they'll suddenly be fat and happy. Probably about a week before winter

Yes, flowering would be nice. I like spines, but flowers are a nice change.

I'm in New England, so I will let them go dormant for the winter in a cool bright room. I've got it planted in a mix that's about 2 parts coarse sand, 2 parts pea stone (anywhere from 1/8" to 1/2" diameter), 1 part perlite, 1 part fired diatomaceous earth oil absorbent (essentially Turface) and maybe half a part homemade compost. Water doesn't drain straight through it, but it drains quite quickly.

I'm pretty good at watering discipline. I don't go by looks, I go by weight. I do my best not to water with my well water (it's full of calcium) instead opting for rain water or water from the brook behind my house. All of my plants, from the seed geraniums and impatiens to the streps, agaves, cacti etc all seem to appreciate that.

Thanks for your input.

[Saxicola]

I don't like letting any of my plants go completely dry between waterings (during the growing season) if I can help it. They may tolerate it but they will not grow their best if they think a severe drought is upon them every week. The rainfall totals and the amount of water the plants get in the wild are two different things. They may only get an actual rain once every few years but the fog is regular and condenses on the plant and drips down to the roots pretty regularly.

[DaveW]

As Ian and Saxicola say, for many plants in Northern Chile rain is not their main source of water. They are mist climate plants largely watered by the Camanchaca, a fog bank or actually low cloud that springs up off the cold water of the sea and drifts inland at a certain height, often running up the valleys like a river of fog and the plants only exist in the areas it reaches.

These videos have been posted before but explain it:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hMOlLt8K5o" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvHpvp9qSR4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Some of North of Chile had exceptional rain earlier this year which caused extensive flooding since the water ran off the dry ground more like tarmac rather than immediately sinking in.

http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2015/0 ... le/390024/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[graffiti]

Interesting. I've seen a documentary about the Atacama and for some reason I forgot the fog effect. I'll be watering them forth first time later this week, and I'll give the Neoporteria a drink, even if only a small one.

[DaveW]

I believe Fred Kattermann used to spray his Eriosyce and Copiapoa's rather than watering them. However what he considered spraying rather than actually watering overhead with a hosepipe I am unsure as it's simply a matter of degree. There is nothing to stop you mist spraying the "Chileans" between watering anyway.

[graffiti]

I think I'll dip water the first time to really settle the roots then continue with spraying for water. It would seem that late evening and early morning would be the right time to do this to keep them from burning in the sun.