Aiko wrote: ↑Tue Mar 26, 2024 2:37 pm Just sow! You will otherwise regret it when you are 55 and think "oh men, I should have sown some when I was ten years younger".

I agree wholeheartedly! In my opinion it's never too late to sow. One can enjoy watching the tiny seedling grow just as much as majestic old specimens.

Some more T. schmiedickeanus (both from locations in Miquihana, Tamaulipas) are opening flowers today:

Bottom picture is of Echinocereus russanthus? I like that colour a lot.

I'm guessing a mix of pumice, scoria, decomposed granite, and akadama would be in order? Maybe pumice, scoria, and akadama in the mix with DG top dressing? I have no experience with DG (it's not available in my area), but I read that people use it in mixtures with good results (e.g. Steve Johnson o...

@ Lolavy: High 80s (measured in Fahrenheits, not Celsius :D ) are not too high temperatures for any cactus species, even Copiapoa, assuming that you are talking about daytime temperatures. For germination success of most species very important thing is difference between daytime and nighttime temps....

I had terrible results with organic substrates for sowing. In almost all cases I had detrimental fungal infection sooner or later in the seedling pots. Probably I made a mistake by sterilizing substrate before sowing and therefore killing beneficial microorganisms. Anyway, for a long time now I've b...

Thank you Keith, excellent photographs. A. fissuratus in first picture is very pretty - hard to replicate such flat shape in cultivation

Regarding the chlorine issue, see this: https://www.gardenmyths.com/chlorine-chloramine-plants/ The article mentions a potential chlorine problem in hydroponics, but none of us are growing cacti hydroponically even if the potting medium is a pure "semi-hydroponic" mineral gravel mix. Than...

I apologize for resurrecting relatively old thread, and I'm not sure if this is right thread at all, but I would like to discuss the effect of chlorine in tap water on our plants. It is somewhat confusing subject for me for I always thought water should be kept in an open dish for at least 24h to &q...

Thank you for the link Dave, very good looking cactus.

Hello Frank, I have a question: do you root Ariocarpus scions once you degraft them from Pereskiopsis , or do you re-graft them on more permanent rootstock? I have never grafted any Ariocarpus species and I wonder if the Pereskiopsis grows deeply into them like it tends to do on some other scions? B...

I only wash small grade pumice (0-3mm) which may contain too much fine particles. For larger grades (e.g. 3-5mm) usually it is not necessary.

According to the LLife Encyclopedia of Cacti S. taratensis is now placed in Rebutia (ex Sulcorebutia) steinbachii.
I would also place the cactus from pictures in S. taratensis, which is extremely variable by itself.

T. pseudopectinatus f. rubriflorus and T. schmiedickeanus "sandiensis" (NL, Sandia 1590m) are in flower today. Sky has been overcast for the last couple of days so I brought them under the grow lights in order to open completely (to polinate and take pictures).

MrXeric, I really enjoy your threads. Beautiful plants and amazing photographs.

zpeckler wrote: ↑Wed Mar 06, 2024 2:44 pm Wow, that's a really cool species! Never seen a Mamm with the fuzzy spines before.

M. plumosa has hairy spines.