Hi Frank. Very amazing process on the Pediocactus. I just went back to the start on Dec 2 to see the single areole grafted. Then followed it along till today. It really grew fast! Only two months to a new plant! It looked like there were more than one offset showing on your graft. Did only one grow?...

Leaving a cactus outside here might not work. We are overrun with deer and I think they might eat cacti. (they will come up to the porch). I'll have to investigate this issue. I too am overrun with deer. And mice. And Chipmunks. I have yet to see deer eat any of my cacti. All that are out are spiny...

I was away for a month late in the year. When I returned the cactus was affected with mealies . I picked off as many as possible. The mealies in hard to get areas I lightly zapped off the cactus with water from water bottle. A couple weeks later the cactus started rotting at the bottom. I know Melo...

Absolutely. October temps here are still very warm. I don’t start winding things down to winter over plants until early December. I also grow tropical fruit trees, peppers, etc… and they all keep growing in October and November here That explains why I see these S. leucophylla as weaker plants. I'm...

Mid to low 20s for a few nights a year most years. Lots of low 30s-40s nights in Jan and Feb. not super cold by most places standards. The problem is most of those temps in the 20s or low 30s are immediately after heavy rain as we only get that when cold weather troughs dip down from the north and ...

It’s north Florida so in Jan and Feb I have to protect most things from the deadly cold + wet combo but other than that yes they seem to grow well here! Question on your "deadly cold"! I'm growing some Sarracenia pitcher plants (S. flava) that are seed grown from seed collected in Sumatra...

Nice. Your photo's make me think those are the greenhouses where I saw very large clumps of Euphorbia decaryii growing along the edging. It is not really that far for me to get there for a day trip.

I'm wondering why you put the layer of Scoria on the bottom to begin with? Pot too deep and didn't have a shallower one? Have you ever used a clay pot sealer? The one I've been using is a spray can of clear sealer. Kind of like a varnish. It has a lot of solvent: acetone, toluene, and the sealer is ...

T. pseudopectinatus and T. valdezianus are producing flower buds despite being very cold (nighttime temperatures as low as -6C/21F, daytime barely above freezing). It's always astonishing how adaptable these plants are. I am quite sure it doesn't get that cold in habitat (a quick search says around...

Pretty interesting.

56C is 133F. That is amazing. I've never seen temperatures that high, although closed cars can get very hot. Never measured the temperature in there.

Watering: I'll change what I've said based on Steve's reminder of your temps and what you just updated a few minutes ago. Go with what Steve said about the light watering after potting. New photos: Thanks. Much clearer to me at least. The hole is larger than a puncture from the spine of another plan...

Those last photos showing your washed cactus are so much clearer than your first ones-at least for me. Can you take a photo of the "damaged" area again? As far as your washing off the soil-you did a pretty good job, but not perfect. You are not a monster. Try using a spray to get into the ...

Wow Fred. That's pretty cold. My son is currently at Fort Leavenworth in Major's school. I'll have to ask him about his temps. We might be out there in March or April.

Don't worry about your plant being top heavy. Once you get the roots free and dried out as Steve said above, (and dried out can mean up to two-three weeks if needed.). Again, after the roots are dried out and you repot in a mineral based mix, the mix will hold your plant. From what I can see in the ...