Hello from Colorado, USA

[Wildhorse1]

Hi all, my name is Michael.
My interest in cactus started early in life, some 46 years ago when I won an Old Man (of the Desert) cactus in a Wrigley's Big Red gum contest when I was about 7 years old. My ability to keep cactus was short lived, but my interest was very much still going. My cactus keeping went dormant for many years then resurfaced about 20 years ago when I started collecting them again. As is life sometimes, situations changed and it was put on the back burner until just a few years ago when I started saving cacti that were doomed on construction sites.
Now I have a very new collection of about a dozen varieties and looking forward to more.
Even though I have had a few stints in keeping them, my knowledge in them and their care is severely lacking. So here I am, looking to gain friends and knowledge.

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My " Catus" with some of my collection. She doesn't know how to spell very well and thinks she may be one as well.

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My collection....until earlier today....

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when I went to Lowe's looking for pumice or sand to make a new soil mix...and saw this...

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I ended up with these 5 new ones and a little one not pictured. Was wanting to support the local nurseries....but it was hard only grabbing these 5 at only $5 a piece.

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So this is what I currently have, minus the little one and many Aloe Vera plants.


Looking forward to being a part of this community and learning from you all. Hopefully I am able to also be of help to someone when needed.

BTW, the Tuna is an experiment....the Catus is still looking for the Tuna and is getting a little irritated when I tell her there is a Tuna up there for her.

[gemhunter178]

Welcome! Nice bunch of plants!

[anttisepp]

Hello and welcome! Nice plants, now carefully through the winter. Be aware with pests - study their stems and roots, even rootball outside. Do you have native Colorado cacti? Where do you hold them (open air/greenhouse/window?)

[greenknight]

Welcome! Good-looking little collection. Pretty cat, too.

[Steve-0]

Welcome, Wildhorse1!

Nice kitty. Good start to your cactus collecting.

I'm kinda new hear, too, after looking for a proper cactus soil formula.

Currently over in the Salt Lake Valley.. Plenty of wild horses over here in the West Desert. Cactus, too.

My collection focuses primarily on cold hardy native species.

Steve

[Wildhorse1]

Welcome! Nice bunch of plants!

Thank you!

Welcome! Good-looking little collection. Pretty cat, too.

Thank you, she is a real character, but we love her anyway!

[Wildhorse1]

Hello and welcome! Nice plants, now carefully through the winter. Be aware with pests - study their stems and roots, even rootball outside. Do you have native Colorado cacti? Where do you hold them (open air/greenhouse/window?)

Thank you.
I never have really thought about pests on them before coming to this site. It only makes sense that there are pests that can be found on cacti though, I just always thought of them as so resilient to most everything but water and cold. So much for me to learn! Thanks for the pointer, they will definitely be getting a lot of attention over the winter. They are kept inside in the open during colder seasons, and outside in a partially shaded deck in the warmer months. The native species may get an improved outside location so that they can keep their full seasonal experience. I need to investigate if that is beneficial for them though.
I do have a few that are native to Colorado:
(Plus one more Opuntia sp. that is not shown, however it is very similar to the one pictured below.)

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[Wildhorse1]

Welcome, Wildhorse1!

Nice kitty. Good start to your cactus collecting.

I'm kinda new hear, too, after looking for a proper cactus soil formula.

Currently over in the Salt Lake Valley.. Plenty of wild horses over here in the West Desert. Cactus, too.

My collection focuses primarily on cold hardy native species.

Steve

Thanks!
I made the mistake of starting off with Miracle-Gro Cactus soil for my first few. I am trying to make some of my own now as well, following other's recipes.
I spent a lot of my life in SLC, went to Cottonwood High and skied a lot up Little and Big Cottonwood canyons and Park City. A lot of my extended family still live there. I have not made it out to the wild horses there yet, however I am well versed in their struggles. Sad.
I enjoy the native ones as much as the others. They do have the benefit of being able to thrive outdoors year-round.

[Steve-0]

Welcome, Wildhorse1!

Nice kitty. Good start to your cactus collecting.

I'm kinda new hear, too, after looking for a proper cactus soil formula.

Currently over in the Salt Lake Valley.. Plenty of wild horses over here in the West Desert. Cactus, too.

My collection focuses primarily on cold hardy native species.

Steve

Thanks!
I made the mistake of starting off with Miracle-Gro Cactus soil for my first few. I am trying to make some of my own now as well, following other's recipes.
I spent a lot of my life in SLC, went to Cottonwood High and skied a lot up Little and Big Cottonwood canyons and Park City. A lot of my extended family still live there. I have not made it out to the wild horses there yet, however I am well versed in their struggles. Sad.
I enjoy the native ones as much as the others. They do have the benefit of being able to thrive outdoors year-round.

Very Cool, dude! I'm not a Utahn....I'm from The South....with North Carolina as the springboard to Texas, Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia, Alabama and back again. Work brought me out west. Liking it well enough so far except for the #1 Worst Drivers in the country.

I was out in the West Desert this spring during a horse roundup. It is a sad affair for the horses.

Steve

PS- got some of those same cacti in my collection, too.