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Gymnocalycium bruchii of today. No special N:P:K calculations executed.

Ha Ha!!! What do you use??

jerrytheplater wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 4:19 am Ha Ha!!! What do you use??

Well, my soil mixes contain some organic stuff that alters or balances nutrients added with watering. Last growing season I used most often Schultz liquid plant food 2-7-7 (+Fe, Mn, Zn, EDTA). Now I put into mixes of newly repotted plants some granules of "Cactus & succulent 2-5-5" that contains also Ca, Mg, S found in our local stores. In winter I mostly use snow or rain water for watering.


Also from yesterday.

7george wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 3:15 pm

jerrytheplater wrote: ↑Sat Feb 25, 2023 4:19 am Ha Ha!!! What do you use??

Well, my soil mixes contain some organic stuff that alters or balances nutrients added with watering. Last growing season I used most often Schultz liquid plant food 2-7-7 (+Fe, Mn, Zn, EDTA). Now I put into mixes of newly repotted plants some granules of "Cactus & succulent 2-5-5" that contains also Ca, Mg, S found in our local stores. In winter I mostly use snow or rain water for watering.


Also from yesterday.

Thanks George. I know there are many ways of fertilizing plants. Each grower has his/her own method that works for them. And I doubt we will ever have a one method way of fertilizing because we all have our own different potting mixes, environments, and ideas of what the plants should look like.

Some like plump, fully expanded plants. Some like shriveled plants sunken down into the potting mix to simulate natural conditions.

Nice flowers and plants . I use some organic in my mix also, some species more than others .

" Some like shriveled plants sunken down into the potting mix to simulate natural conditions."

During Winter rest this will keep cactus from freezing . During the growing season they can ( hopefully ) plump up . I find if I water during the winter rest period I risk rot so I resit urge to water even when they look shriveled and sunken. Rarely freezes here but I think tonight its going to freeze.

keith wrote: ↑Sun Feb 26, 2023 12:16 am Nice flowers and plants . I use some organic in my mix also, some species more than others .

" Some like shriveled plants sunken down into the potting mix to simulate natural conditions."

During Winter rest this will keep cactus from freezing . During the growing season they can ( hopefully ) plump up . I find if I water during the winter rest period I risk rot so I resit urge to water even when they look shriveled and sunken. Rarely freezes here but I think tonight its going to freeze.

I'm not talking about those cacti that need dry conditions during the winter. I have a bunch of them out in my garage. They see temps down to neg 5 F. Its 22F out there right now. Last week they were in the high 60's during the day. I had them outside in the sun as long as no rain/snow was forecast. They were out over night too. Echinocereus, Escobaria, Pediocactus. Not all species.

I'm talking about keeping cacti really hard grown even in the summer. I was a member in the Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society where Fred Katterman is still a member. I remember talking to him at the spring show where he was selling some of his plants. They were really compact and nice looking. He said he aims to keep them looking like they look in habitat. I know his plants have been donated to the Desert Botanical Garden, but I didn't put the last sentence in the past tense.

hi Jerry , your friends cactus they were probably the kind I would buy then. Heres my 2 cents.

" hard grown " probably live longer as long as its not over done. Long time ago the owner of Abby Gardens told me this . That was a great nursery in Carpinteria CA. I think Mesa gardens followed this method also hard grown or natural grown. Other nurseries maybe not but they usually don't sell slow growing rare cactus, selling faster growing cactus that you can push with water and fertilizer. Miles Anderson told me you can push any cactus from seed to sale at 2 years , I pointed out a turbinicarpus and he said "well that's different. " I THINK he buys many common plants from CA and grows the rare slow growers at his home nursery. He also told me there are only a handful of big wholesalers and that's why all the retailers often have the same plants for sale at the same time.

I like hard grown because they adapt better to my growing conditions and are probably grown by a hobbyist so less chance of insect pests or rotten peat roots. Mostly I grow from seeds though .

Easter cactus already in Home Depot.
Oh, yeah: you better upgrade your useless thorns to this one...

I think those aren't species Hatiora gaertneri but a hybrid, H. gaertneri x rosea.

Strombocactus.


Sulcorebutia.

My Eriosyce senilis has bloomed again for me. The last photos I have of this plant blooming are dated 2010. I know I've neglected the plant a long time. I have been taking better care of it since last spring. Now it is rewarding me.

jerrytheplater wrote: ↑Wed May 03, 2023 10:41 pm My Eriosyce senilis has bloomed again for me. The last photos I have of this plant blooming are dated 2010. I know I've neglected the plant a long time. I have been taking better care of it since last spring. Now it is rewarding me.

rsz 2023-5-2 Erio. senilis 1.jpg

rsz 2023-5-2 Erio. senilis 2.jpg

Nice plant Jerry!

MrXeric wrote: ↑Thu May 04, 2023 9:45 pm

jerrytheplater wrote: ↑Wed May 03, 2023 10:41 pm My Eriosyce senilis has bloomed again for me. The last photos I have of this plant blooming are dated 2010. I know I've neglected the plant a long time. I have been taking better care of it since last spring. Now it is rewarding me.

rsz 2023-5-2 Erio. senilis 1.jpg

rsz 2023-5-2 Erio. senilis 2.jpg

Nice plant Jerry!

Thanks Eric. I bought it from Fred Katterman at a CT Cactus and Succulent Society show maybe in 2009. It was before he gave his collection away.

I am really embarrassed about the growth just below the top. It shows my neglect. Plus, it is putting out a pup up there too.

This is a Blue Beaver-tail which I grew from seed. Although it is about 8 years old it has not really grown much. It has always looked healthy but it is just now looking like it is about to take off.... and yes it has White flowers....Yeah

Weingartia sp. (tarabucoensis ?) First flower.