Arjen's 2014

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Tue May 27, 2014 5:20 pm

Thanks for the advice, Arjen. I've jotted it down for reference. One question: What exactly is "coco peat"? Is it like coir (shredded coconut husks) or like peat moss--or unlike either? Thanks again.

adetheproducer · Post by **adetheproducer** » Tue May 27, 2014 5:33 pm

I think it is coconut choir but blitzed up into bits rather than left as fibres. My opuntia came in it mixed with scortia pellets. Seems pretty decent as organic soils go, deffinately better than peat but I still removed it all (which was easy) and potted in a much more mineral mix.

Ralf · Post by **Ralf** » Wed May 28, 2014 5:36 am

Wow, really nice flowers, Arjen!
Especially the whole Lobivia are awesome.

Arjen · Post by **Arjen** » Thu May 29, 2014 9:24 am

thanks ralf!

I think it is coconut choir but blitzed up into bits rather than left as fibres

yes, exactly that

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Thu May 29, 2014 3:36 pm

Thanks for the explanation, adetheproducer and Arjen. I'm not sure if that's available over here. Please someone let me know if it is.

Arjen · Post by **Arjen** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 6:00 pm

: gymnocalicium brachypetalum 020614.JPG (60.79 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: gymnocalicium erinaceum 020614.JPG (41.8 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: gymnocalicium gibbosum 020614.JPG (36.85 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: gymnocalicium mesopotamicum LP052 020614.JPG (33.02 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: gymnocalicium nataliae BOOS14 020614.JPG (31.69 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: neochilenia pulchella KH1125 020614.JPG (49.93 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: notocactus erubescens 020614.JPG (50.03 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: notocactus mammulosus var. roseoluteus 020614.JPG (39.97 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: notocactus mammulosus var. turecekianus 020614.JPG (43.51 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: notocactus rutilans 020614.JPG (41.69 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

: turbinicarpus sp. huizache 020614.JPG (39.78 KiB) Viewed 2037 times

K.W. · Post by **K.W.** » Mon Jun 02, 2014 11:21 pm

Good morning Arjen,

what a bunch of flowers!
The Weingartia (Sulcorebutia) fantastic. . .

Best wishes

K.W.

Arjen · Post by **Arjen** » Tue Jun 03, 2014 6:39 am

Gute morgen K.W.

Thank you for your kind comment

Ralf · Post by **Ralf** » Thu Jun 05, 2014 8:02 am

Really beautiful flowers, Arjen!
It seems that your greenhouse pays it out.

Arjen · Post by **Arjen** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 6:40 am

oh yes, it makes ALL the difference!

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Fri Jun 06, 2014 3:43 pm

A question, Arjen, just out of curiosity. I see that many (if not all) your cacti have a top dressing of what appear to be marble chips. Do they cause any appreciable change in the pH of your soil mix? I know marble contains carbonate minerals and is basically crystallized limestone. Would enough limestone wash out of it to raise the pH from the desired neutral to slightly acidic quality of the soil? I've used marble dust and much smaller chips, along with crushed eggshells, in the soil mix for cacti that like to grow in a limestone area. Or maybe my additions are not right for my desired result of a higher pH level for those cacti. I'd be interested to read what you and anyone else feel about this. Thanks.

Eutow_Intermedium · Post by **Eutow_Intermedium** » Sat Jun 07, 2014 11:22 pm

Nice to see happy plants with wide open flowers

Can't say I have ever seen a G. Natalie Portman plant before ?

.

And I do like the Noto Rutilans blooms , very nice indeed. I do always love the dark stigma's

Arjen · Post by **Arjen** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 7:19 am

Eutow, to my shame (?) I have to admit I don't know who that is...

Fanaticactus, I don't really measure my ph unless I suspect something to be wrong
What I can tell you is that I don't use marble, these are small river pebbles, very common here
Many people use them as top dressing

fanaticactus · Post by **fanaticactus** » Mon Jun 09, 2014 1:41 pm

Arjen wrote: Fanaticactus,
What I can tell you is that I don't use marble, these are small river pebbles, very common here
Many people use them as top dressing

Thanks for the clarification, Arjen. They look just like the marble chips we can get by the sackful.