Warm weather means

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Steve Johnson
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Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)

Re: Warm weather means

Post by Steve Johnson »

keith wrote:Early spring Flowers over now just waiting for the Escobaria minima to bloom. Epi Bokeii seem to be doing well in the diatomaceous earth mix. I suspect some other cactus don't like it at all ? I'm guessing they don't like it if they get stunted and quit flowering ? Mammillaria theresae might not like it? Maybe wants a more acidic soil ? I read it lives in rock cracks in the mountains of Mexico. Decomposed granite might work better ? have to try it. Or maybe its just hard to grow.

Down at the lower right you can see one lone small Echinomastus erectrocentrus , it doesn't like anything and soon will lose its roots like its siblings did. And they did so well in AZ must be the heat ?
Hi Keith,

I really like what you have on your bench -- would be nice to get a little more detail, so perhaps you could break it up into 3 or 4 photos.

Pumice has been working incredibly well for me, and I have a feeling you'll get better results if you get rid of the DE and go with pumice -- at least for the cacti that are struggling. (Maybe not the Echinomastus, and I've heard enough about how difficult the genus can be to stay away from trying one.) I add granite just to make my pots heavier, so whether you should too depends on whether or not wind is a problem for you. Here's a brief discussion to go along with the following pics, and maybe this'll be helpful:

http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtop ... 47#p322072" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
keith
Posts: 1860
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:50 am
Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

Hi Steve do you grow your North American cactus in straight pumice and granite gravel ? I acually use pumice I bought in AZ when I lived there it was reasonable 4 bucks for a .5 cubic foot bag.

Difficult to find here in Ventura county although I haven't looked that hard. Picture of mammillaria threseae back when they were happy. Grew them from seed don't know why they are not flowering anymore ?
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M. threseae
M. threseae
IMG_0374_1_1.JPG (161.11 KiB) Viewed 1950 times
keith
Posts: 1860
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:50 am
Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

Yea that picture was taken with my cell phone and then compressed when I uploaded it not much detail. heres a better picture.
Attachments
Epi bokeii
Epi bokeii
IMG_2323.JPG (52.26 KiB) Viewed 1950 times
various cactus
various cactus
IMG_2554.JPG (100.04 KiB) Viewed 1950 times
Mammillaria crucigera
Mammillaria crucigera
IMG_1917.JPG (80.63 KiB) Viewed 1950 times
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Steve Johnson
Posts: 4514
Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 4:44 am
Location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)

Re: Warm weather means

Post by Steve Johnson »

keith wrote:Hi Steve do you grow your North American cactus in straight pumice and granite gravel ? I acually use pumice I bought in AZ when I lived there it was reasonable 4 bucks for a .5 cubic foot bag.
Hi Keith,

Pumice and granite gravel is a good description, so I'll have to use that whenever I discuss my mineral mix -- certainly more helpful if people who've seen my posts before weren't quite sure what it is. And yes, I use it for everything, including the North American cacti. I get my pumice at the California Cactus Center in Pasadena. It's a longer drive for you than it is for me, but not that bad. Worth a visit to check the place out, and if nothing else, at least you'll come home with all the pumice you need.

By the way, thanks for sharing the latest photos you just posted. Lovely Mamm theresae you have (too bad it isn't flowering anymore), and those Epithelanthas really stand out!
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
keith
Posts: 1860
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:50 am
Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

Pasadena I should check it out I get down that way every once and awhile thanks for the tip.

New picture of M threseae showing what looks to me like poor roots not taking up water ? Most of my other plants are taking up water , see pectinifera pic, and its spring time so I would expect more growth with threseae. I'll give it a little more time and if it stays dry looking I'll re-pot threseae see whats going on? I'll take a picture of the roots and post it if I do. Yea I have wind problems with light pots . Santa ana winds in the winter are the worst.
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M. theresae
M. theresae
Mthresesae.jpg (27.54 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
M. theresae
M. theresae
Mthreseae2.jpg (26.69 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
Mammillaria pectinifera
Mammillaria pectinifera
Mpectineferea.jpg (60.91 KiB) Viewed 1936 times
keith
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Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

Echinocereus pectinatus v. wenigeri `ctenoides' seed grown from Mesa gardens locality Múzquiz, Coahuila, Mexico. 10 years old at least.

Orange yellow flowers last more than a few days. Pretty easy to grow but the spines will darken up with humidity. Background cactus is Escobaria viviperea from AZ seed.
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Echinocereus pectinatus v. wenigeri `ctenoides'
Echinocereus pectinatus v. wenigeri `ctenoides'
Echinocereus.jpg (65.8 KiB) Viewed 1913 times
keith
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Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

Dudleya pulverulenta flower buds. Afternooon sun and shade all Winter. Part of my backyard lanscape I put in.
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Dudleya pulverulenta
Dudleya pulverulenta
IMG_2729.JPG (129.1 KiB) Viewed 1898 times
Dudleya pulverulenta
Dudleya pulverulenta
IMG_2730.JPG (137.34 KiB) Viewed 1898 times
keith
Posts: 1860
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Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

Dudleya flowers
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Dudleya pulverulenta
Dudleya pulverulenta
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keith
Posts: 1860
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Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

Echinocactus flower. These can take the heat. In AZ I had many of these cactus and often Ground bees would fall asleep in the flowers and I would find them very early in the morning coved in pollen.

I only moved a few to California and they don't flower as well as they did in AZ just not hot enough here or maybe not cold enough in the winter ?

Epithelantha bokei flowers every year. I guess the weathers suits it fine here ?
Attachments
Echinocactus_horizonthalonius
Echinocactus_horizonthalonius
IMG_2769.JPG (59.84 KiB) Viewed 1846 times
Epithelantha bokei
Epithelantha bokei
IMG_2771.JPG (55.99 KiB) Viewed 1846 times
keith
Posts: 1860
Joined: Wed Jun 12, 2013 3:50 am
Location: S. CA USA

Re: Warm weather means

Post by keith »

I sprayed with Tetra San a couple days ago , didn't see any mites but this warm weather it won't long. I see the bigger ones, the predatory fast moving ones roaming around but not on the cactus.

so hopefully it wiped out any eggs being laid and I won't be bothered later on in the year by mites. 1 gallon mix did it.
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