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So, following my first 'proper' winter (and by proper, I mean that I followed the guidelines re watering, dormancy and light, temps have been a bit hit and miss though) despite all attempts to send them to sleep, I have a few casualties By no means major issues, as I am sure that with a little gentle(?) pruning they will regain all, that has been lost. But, you live and learn and just keep growing

However, several species of seedlings have survived my poor facilities and made it to 'spring' (well ish lol) without any damage Seedling pics to follow but first, I thought I would show off my triumph ( you wouldn't know that this is a relatively new hobby). These plants have been with me over a year and the first was in flower when it arrived, but these are my first flower, from a plant in my care for this length of time!

Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus
Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus v rubriflora - If you look very carefully at the middle (maybe with a magnifying glass ) I believe I can see the very tip of a bud forming...
Ah, the joys of spring!!

Nice ones!

Love the spines on that cactus. Flowers are great, too.

Congratulations, CactiHunter - You're an inspiration ! because this is one of the 3 Turb's that going into next propagator batch in mid-April. Also a "newbie" & haven't gotten to experience the thrill of seed-to-flower yet! I'm happy just to have 3 dozen survivors from last year's 16 species' effort.

I would say inspired but not inspiring

Neither of those are from seed I am afraid to say but there are a few on the way I have an Austrocephalocereus from seed sown Nov 09, which is my oldest seed grown plant, but I have a few younger seedlings that I feel I will see flowers from, before that one!!

Some of the babies, not quite a year old, sown May 2011.
This one is showing some really odd growth ^^^
I do have lots more babies but am struggling (as you can see) to find decent light to take pics in, the Lophs are dark coloured enough to take my appalling photography attempts

My OH treated me to a valentines trip to a Nursery nearby (well two hour drive but semi nearby ) which has an extensive C&S collection started in 1948! Some of the columnars were 15-18 feet tall and according to one of the staff, some had been cut back extensively but "they just keep going" The collection was impressive with some really lovely plants and a massive variety too! All kept in an unheated greenhouse (but apparently there are 1000s more in another secret location )

Anyway, I came away with these! Belated pressies but well worth the wait

C. strausii is a well rooted cutting from the mainstem of a plant that was approx. 18ft tall when cut. It is approx 6" in diameter and probably 2.5ft tall
Cephalocereus Senillis (maybe )
And a freebie being thrown out, which I had to rescue, which I think maybe O. engelmannii v linguiformis (which having read a post by A. Dean Stock, I now know to be mutant growth of the standard O. engelmannii Thanks Dean, I am listening).
All in all a successful day was had! I shall be trying to visit the bigger collections/nurseries in the UK this year. If I have to watch the British and World Touring Car Championships, him indoors will be coming Cactihunting

Beautiful Silver Torch! and senilis! Must have had a bad batch of seed, because Cl. strausii was only 3/25 & most of the other seeds were @ least 50%, some near 100%. Gonna give it another shot in mid-April. They are beauties!

Nice collection.

wow, that's a very early first flower! have you begun watering already?
great looking seedlings too

Thanks all!

I haven't watered any of the plants since October and they have been in 'cold' storage since then. Unfortunately, my conditions for them aren't good and they have only been at around 11-20C. They are in a downstairs bathroom with the window cracked open to reduce the temps as much as possible. I noticed the buds during my inspections. I have been checking them frequently as the high temps are obviously going to cause more dramatic dehydration. They are now on my south facing kitchen window sill!

Many of my plants have buds on them and they haven't seen a drop of water since Oct. either. Last year I watered some plants when they produced buds about now and a Mammillaria bombycina rotted a week later. Better safe than sorry with the water (when in doubt, don't).

Dehydration is only dramatic when the plants look thirstier than habitat photos.