Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
My set-up for growing my favorite cacti and succulents at our town home during our winter months.
I need my potted plants to be light weight and easily transportable because of my age, arthritic knees and leg edema.
During cold days, and at night during the winter months, I maintain my plants in small square plastic pots indoors on south facing windowsills that receive full
sunshine. On sunny winter days, when the temperature rises to around 60°F (approx. 16°C) -- which happens quite frequently in southern Arizona -- they go outside on the patio for the benefits of sunshine and fresh air, coming inside as the temperature drops at nightfall.
The plants that I grow, being mostly from tropical habitats, do not require a winter cold resting period in order to produce flowers the following spring (that is one reason I favor them) - winter dormancy for them results from the dry conditions they experience during this time. Therefor they only receive occasional very light watering or spraying to prevent shriveling and maintain general plant health.
Indoor windowsill staging:
Following are some photos of the winter set-up for growing my cacti outdoors (on the Patio) under 30% shade cloth:
"Wintertime" roll-around patio staging cart with 30% shade cloth
"Wintertime" roll-around patio staging cart with cacti in carrying trays
(Photograph taken this afternoon)
Four 2¾" (7cm) or five 2" (5cm) square plastic pots in each tray is all that I can carry these days. I transport them back and fortth between the windowsill and the patio - one in each hand (two trips).
That extra grey tray of plants on the left is bound for a Bach's Cactus Nursery greenhouse where the rest of my cacti are located.
I need my potted plants to be light weight and easily transportable because of my age, arthritic knees and leg edema.
During cold days, and at night during the winter months, I maintain my plants in small square plastic pots indoors on south facing windowsills that receive full
sunshine. On sunny winter days, when the temperature rises to around 60°F (approx. 16°C) -- which happens quite frequently in southern Arizona -- they go outside on the patio for the benefits of sunshine and fresh air, coming inside as the temperature drops at nightfall.
The plants that I grow, being mostly from tropical habitats, do not require a winter cold resting period in order to produce flowers the following spring (that is one reason I favor them) - winter dormancy for them results from the dry conditions they experience during this time. Therefor they only receive occasional very light watering or spraying to prevent shriveling and maintain general plant health.
Indoor windowsill staging:
Following are some photos of the winter set-up for growing my cacti outdoors (on the Patio) under 30% shade cloth:
"Wintertime" roll-around patio staging cart with 30% shade cloth
"Wintertime" roll-around patio staging cart with cacti in carrying trays
(Photograph taken this afternoon)
Four 2¾" (7cm) or five 2" (5cm) square plastic pots in each tray is all that I can carry these days. I transport them back and fortth between the windowsill and the patio - one in each hand (two trips).
That extra grey tray of plants on the left is bound for a Bach's Cactus Nursery greenhouse where the rest of my cacti are located.
Last edited by jp29 on Wed Feb 25, 2015 12:38 am, edited 3 times in total.
- Minime8484
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 12:09 am
- Location: Chandler, AZ
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
I really like that outdoor setup - and of course all of the really cool plants!
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Good morning James,
still very beautiful plants! A joy to look at them.
And maintaining well organized. . .
All the best!!!
K.W.
still very beautiful plants! A joy to look at them.
And maintaining well organized. . .
All the best!!!
K.W.
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Thank you Tristan. Are you still leaving your Discocacti outdoors at night?Minime8484 wrote:I really like that outdoor setup - and of course all of the really cool plants!
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Thank you, K.W. I just visited your page for my daily dose of cactus therapy -- spectacular display of great plants as usual.K.W. wrote:Good morning James,
still very beautiful plants! A joy to look at them.
And maintaining well organized. . .
All the best!!!
K.W.
- Brunãozinho
- Posts: 424
- Joined: Sat Aug 25, 2012 1:33 am
- Location: Paraíba, Eastern Brazil
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
That seems like such a confortable place for the cacti, they look good.
Bruno
- Minime8484
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 12:09 am
- Location: Chandler, AZ
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Yep! Both are actually in-ground right now. So far, so good! If it drops to the 30s, I'll probably cover them up unless it is forecasted to warm up quickly the next day.jp29 wrote:Are you still leaving your Discocacti outdoors at night?
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Thanks Tristan.Minime8484 wrote:I really like that outdoor setup - and of course all of the really cool plants!
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
And thank you, Bruno.Brunãozinho wrote:That seems like such a confortable place for the cacti, they look good.
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
We had our first freezing night in Tucson on Monday -- but as you know Tristan we have numerous micro-climates and, while the temp got down to 34°F (approx 1°C) at my town home, it did not get below 40°F (approx 4°C) at Dan Bach's. I am sure you were fine -- Phoenix is so much warmer than Tucson.Minime8484 wrote:Yep! Both are actually in-ground right now. So far, so good! If it drops to the 30s, I'll probably cover them up unless it is forecasted to warm up quickly the next day.jp29 wrote:Are you still leaving your Discocacti outdoors at night?
Anyway, my "chosen plants" enjoyed the warm early morning sunshine on my Scriptorium windowsill on Tuesday morning:
Last edited by jp29 on Wed Feb 25, 2015 12:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Thank you K.W. -- and the same to you!K.W. wrote:Good morning James,
still very beautiful plants! A joy to look at them.
And maintaining well organized. . .
All the best!!!
K.W.
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Well we have had a nice rebound -- the daytime temperatures this week are in the mid-80s°F (approx. 29°C) and the nighttime lows around 45°F (approx. 7°C). In my opinion warm sunshiny days following cold nights play a big role in successfully cultivating semi-tropical and tropical cacti outdoors in our "neck of the woods". The warm sunshine rejuvinates them after cold nights (above freezing) -- that is also a factor in the exceptionally robust growth of saguaro's in this region.jp29 wrote:We had our first freezing night in Tucson on Monday -- but as you know Tristan we have numerous micro-climates and, while the temp got down to 34°F (approx 1°C) at my town home, it did not get below 40°F (approx 4°C) at Dan Bach's. I am sure you were fine -- Phoenix is so much warmer than Tucson ....................
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Two new additions to my collection:
Euphorbia sakarahensis (Madagascar)
Euphorbia balsamifera subsp. adanensis (Saudi Arabia)
Euphorbia sakarahensis (Madagascar)
Euphorbia balsamifera subsp. adanensis (Saudi Arabia)
- Minime8484
- Posts: 1395
- Joined: Thu May 12, 2011 12:09 am
- Location: Chandler, AZ
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Nice, James! Never heard of that Euphorbia - looks interesting!
Re: Winter growing on windowsill & patio in Tucson
Thanks Tristan. Although it is hard to see them, there are four (very small) Cyathia on the Euphorbia sakarahensis.Minime8484 wrote:Nice, James! Never heard of that Euphorbia - looks interesting!