Lancer99's Mostly Euphorbias Topic
I had the same question. Last year the garage seemed to work out fairly well, but that was late spring. I continue to be impressed at how well cactus can handle sitting cold, dry, and dark for months and months and the come out in spring and keep right on growing!lancer99 wrote:Harriet, I definitely won't be leaving the g/h up this winter. It's going to be taken down so I can use it next year, if need be.
I have to move the cacti out of it first, but given my "present economic situation," they will end up either on the floor in my sunroom or in the basement. Not ideal, but you gotta do what you gotta do
-R
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Although it has lasted well for a year now and seems none the worse for wear, I found that same greenhouse to be such a nuisance to put up (mostly because the heat made it unbearable to work in) that I would not be happy to take it down. And now it has so many plants in it that I am truly in trouble if I have to move or remove it. I sympathize with you about moving your plants!lancer99 wrote:Harriet, I definitely won't be leaving the g/h up this winter. It's going to be taken down so I can use it next year, if need be.
I have to move the cacti out of it first, but given my "present economic situation," they will end up either on the floor in my sunroom or in the basement. Not ideal, but you gotta do what you gotta do
-R
It’s not the fall that kills you; it’s the sudden stop at the end.
Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)
Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)
The only problem with the garage was that it was far from cheap to heat it, even in an enclosed space! So this year they're all going into the basement. I haven't watered any of the non-opuntioid cacti since the middle of September, so I think they're pretty dormant at this pointdaiv wrote: I had the same question. Last year the garage seemed to work out fairly well, but that was late spring...
I did buy a bunch of winter-hardy species in anticipation of putting up an outdoor cactus bed, so they will stay on the patio, with a cover to protect them.
Tony, well spotted! I find this plant incredibly frustrating. It leafs out nicely during the summer, but I can't get it to bloom. The first two years I had it, I kept it pretty dry, then last summer kept it pretty wet. No difference! And it's now sprouting new leaves, just as it did the last few years. If you have any cultivation tips for this plant, they would be most appreciated!Tony wrote:...is that a pachypodium brevicaule on the right or something the cat dragged in?
That pic is from the summer of '08, I don't have any more recent ones.
Thx,
-R
Got it! That makes a lot of sense. I have been thinking about some sort of overwintering "shelter" that might enable me to expand in the future.lancer99 wrote: The only problem with the garage was that it was far from cheap to heat it, even in an enclosed space!
I envision a cement-block structure built into the side of a hill. Situated so that you could run a wheel barrow or other cart right into and would not care if it got dirty. And it would be super-insulated and then heated with an electric heater on a thermostat kept at 45F with minimal energy.
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Sorry I dont have any tips as I have never grown it.
It doesnt really do anything for me so I have no plans to buy one for my collection. Now if someone were to give me one I wouldnt turn it down, but Im not holding my breath.
My guess is it probably just wants more light and more heat to bloom, beautiful blob anyway.
It doesnt really do anything for me so I have no plans to buy one for my collection. Now if someone were to give me one I wouldnt turn it down, but Im not holding my breath.
My guess is it probably just wants more light and more heat to bloom, beautiful blob anyway.
Forget the dog...Beware of the plants!!!
Tony
Tony
Winter losses:
From L to R, Euphorbia classenii, E. aeruginosa, E. uhligiana, and another E. uhligiana.
The same species I had trouble overwintering last year! The E. classenii is in fact from a cutting of a much larger plant that started to die off last winter. The two cuttings of E. aeruginosa are from a much larger plant that started to die off last winter. The E. uhligiana cuttings are from...is this starting to sound familiar?
So maybe these species just don't like me.
On the other hand, and just to confuse things, they were all within a few inches of each other, and close to the glass in my sunroom. I keep the temp in there at about 54-55 degrees, and the ceiling fan runs 24/7 on its lowest setting, but maybe they were just all in a cold spot.
In any case, if I only lose four plants over the winter, I'll consider that a success!
-R
From L to R, Euphorbia classenii, E. aeruginosa, E. uhligiana, and another E. uhligiana.
The same species I had trouble overwintering last year! The E. classenii is in fact from a cutting of a much larger plant that started to die off last winter. The two cuttings of E. aeruginosa are from a much larger plant that started to die off last winter. The E. uhligiana cuttings are from...is this starting to sound familiar?
So maybe these species just don't like me.
On the other hand, and just to confuse things, they were all within a few inches of each other, and close to the glass in my sunroom. I keep the temp in there at about 54-55 degrees, and the ceiling fan runs 24/7 on its lowest setting, but maybe they were just all in a cold spot.
In any case, if I only lose four plants over the winter, I'll consider that a success!
-R
I have lost some Euphorbia too, and I don't know why. I suspect one of them (E. gorgonis) was a goner from the time it arrived, but the others (greenwayii, 'not virosa' and one other) are all my fault I guess.
On the other hand, my E. decaryii and E. milli x decaryii are going like gangbusters and seem to like my kind of abuse.
Seems like you just have to enjoy the successes and learn from the failures.
On the other hand, my E. decaryii and E. milli x decaryii are going like gangbusters and seem to like my kind of abuse.
Seems like you just have to enjoy the successes and learn from the failures.
It’s not the fall that kills you; it’s the sudden stop at the end.
Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)
Douglas Adams (1952 - 2001)
This is the time of year (Euphorbia-wise) that I've learned to dread...not quite winter, not quite spring. When a perfectly healthy plant, a plant that either grew a lot in the previous season...or didn't...can dry up overnight. I don't understand how can they dry up overnight, but they do.
E. heterochroma, a goner:
E. bougheyi variegata, which grew happily the last couple of summers...another goner:
E. williamsonii...think I can get a rootable cutting from this one:
I've learned not to mind plants like this...they usually recover (E. malevola):
Harriet, the medusoids are in general hard to get going, so don't beat yourself up about that!
Euphorbias are supposed to be easy to grow compared to cacti......that ain't true!!!
-R
E. heterochroma, a goner:
E. bougheyi variegata, which grew happily the last couple of summers...another goner:
E. williamsonii...think I can get a rootable cutting from this one:
I've learned not to mind plants like this...they usually recover (E. malevola):
Harriet, the medusoids are in general hard to get going, so don't beat yourself up about that!
Euphorbias are supposed to be easy to grow compared to cacti......that ain't true!!!
-R
Last week we had a major windstorm, with gusts up to 60 mph, and it knocked down one of my two concrete block 'n' board benches, the one with most of smaller "should be hardy down to 0 degrees" opuntioids.
Here's a pic from the middle of when I was cleaning up:
In the end, I think I got almost all the labels back in the right pots, but there are five plants and seven labels (that's not right!) that I'm still trying to match up.
-R
Here's a pic from the middle of when I was cleaning up:
In the end, I think I got almost all the labels back in the right pots, but there are five plants and seven labels (that's not right!) that I'm still trying to match up.
-R
