Robb's Topic

[AaronR]

Yeah, that's the one right there! Thanks for the ID, I listed it and will hunt down seed next season... even though I'll have to come up with a new idea to fend off the door to door salespeople.

[Steve Johnson]

Great pics with your latest posts -- thanks for sharing them with us, my friend! Since my collection is just starting on winter dormancy, hopefully I can rely on seeing more of your cacti to help get me through the next few months. So keep 'em coming!

P.S. The flowers on your Copiapoa tenuissima are way bigger than the ones I've seen on mine.

[KittieKAT]

I have a cutting of one if you'd like to swap something for it Aaron?

[Robb]

A belated Happy new year to you all!! May all your plants grow well in 2015!
Here are some 2014/2015 photos.

Mammillaria theresae
2013's display was better, probably due to the fact that it didn't have mealy bugs then. Actually, half the greenhouse is infected with the suckers and I am reluctant to use pesticide because of the beneficial insects that might be lurking about.


Lobivia saltensis



Echinopsis obrepanda

[Robb]

Turbinicarpus something A friend from my cactus society gave this to me, it came from one of the original collections in Christchurch. The label says lophophoroides, but the flowers don't look right.



Pygmaeocereus akersii
I apologize for the fuzzy photos, it was evening and the camera wouldn't focus.




Mammillaria slevinii


Rebutia fulviseta
It disappeared under a magnificent cloak of blood red for a few days.



Trichocereus sp (In outdoor bed)

[Robb]

Not much has been blooming in the last few weeks. All the plants are looking tired and wrinkled, hopefully I can plump them a bit up before winter sets in. All in all I think that this has been a great cactus growing season for me, despite some of the set backs I experienced. Growing in a greenhouse has been a bit of a learning curve in terms of heat regulation. But this has been the hottest summer on record for Christchurch, and I have managed only a few sunburns so far. So I think that I did a pretty good job . There have been heaps of flowers this year, I can attribute the greenhouse to that ! Next growing season I would like even more flowers (obviously), to solve the mealy bug outbreak on my plants (I thought I had solved this in 2013 ) and to get even more seed-grown flowers!
Anyway, here are a few photos I snapped in the last couple of weeks.

Echinopsis oxygona
This was one of the cacti stolen from me that I was able to get back. It's nice that it can still reward me with blooms after it's ordeal.




Epithelantha micromeris seedling
Gotta love the fine detail that only macros can let you see.


Thelocactus tulensis seedling


Turbinicarpus lophophoriodes seedling
You can see the spines changing from the first juvenile phase.


That's all for now
-Robb

[Cleistocrazy]

Robb,

You have a very nice selection of plants. I look forward to seeing more pictures from you when the flowering season begins again!

Bob in Chula Vista, CA USA

[Robb]

Well, I am declaring that the growing season down here is nearly over. Here's what my greenhouse looked like this morning, the pictures do the explaining.


Inside it is calm and tranquil, despite the storm raging on outside.



Some cacti are still managing to flower even though that it is less than 5 degrees inside.


I don't think there will be many more flowers this season. So from now on I'll be covering my seedling adventures!
Happy growing!
-Robb

[Robb]

Well, after a cold yet drier than usual winter, spring is here! Things are starting off to a slow start, so far only a few plants are in bloom, but as the days get warmer I hope I'll be treated to the usual spring symphony! Sadly, minus the Mammillaria deherdtiana which rotted off over winter due to a mealy bug infestation which is currently tearing through the greenhouse .

Anyway, here are the flowers!

Mammillaria elongata



Echinocereus davisii- a treat for the eyes and the nose.



Happy growing!

[K.W.]

Robb,

I wish you a great season!
I am naturally very jealous, in Köln, the season is slowly but surely over.

B.t.w. a great storm protection design at Your greenhouse!

The pictures I've missed in April - was at the time in Arizona.


Best wishes

K.W.

[Robb]

Thank you very much K.W! I hope that your army of Lithops and Conophytum will get you through the winter.
The storm protection was designed to stop the polycarbonate popping out in high winds, which because the greenhouse is on an exposed site, are rather damaging.

Happy Growing!
-Robb

[Robb]

The season is finally underway!

Stenocactus crispatus



Turbinicarpus pseudopectinatus rubriflorus



Turbinicarpus krainzianus



Turbinicarpus viereckii



Weingartia
The label says trolii, but I am a little doubtful it is.




More to come!