Cactus are hibernating... let's have some fun!

[Ivan C]

Hello
I have had and loved cactus for years but have had problems identifying them and I can't seem to get them to flower most of the time. This year I WILL get at least some to flower and I am here to learn how. I have been using "All Treat Farms Premium Cactus Soil" for quite a while and I am giving that up in the spring. I have been reading and following the soil mix topics and will be repotting all my cactus in the spring. Hopefully that will give them a head start so they will flower for me. That should help with the ID also.
In the meantime I would love to identify all of my collection so I will call upon all you experts to help me out from time to time. I must tell you that I did start some from seeds with lots of success. Unfortunately they were grown from a mixed varieties pack so hence my identifying problem. I did one batch 4 years ago and another last year.

OK.... I will start with 5 for now.

This one is about 3" tall and 4 years old.

Possibly-Ferocactus emoryi ssp. emoryi.jpg (39.19 KiB) Viewed 2022 times

This one is about 4" tall and is the pup of the next picture.

Possibly-Parodia magnifica.jpg (51.71 KiB) Viewed 2022 times

This one was given to me. I lot of the pups were given away before I got it but it shows the flower (taken before I got it.... of course) which I'm sure will help ID it.

Possibly-Parodia magnifica(Mother plant).jpg (48.39 KiB) Viewed 2022 times

I am lost on this one. Maybe a Mammillaria?

#3.jpg (62.63 KiB) Viewed 2022 times

This one is about 2" tall.

#4.jpg (35.97 KiB) Viewed 2022 times

And finally the last one for tonight. This one is about 4" tall.

#26.jpg (26.47 KiB) Viewed 2022 times

I am thinking about some mineral mix for the spring but I have a lot of post to read through before deciding. I have some Horticultural Grade Diatomite (Diatomaceous Earth) and Coir to start. I'm trying to track down a local source of pumice and I would like to test out some DG (Decomposed granite) if I can find it as well. (Shows I have been reading...) I like to feel materials with my hands and get them wet and dry them out before I decide on a mix. There are so many experts here, I'm sure I will have tons of help.

Thank-you all for your time and any help you can give me.

Ivan

[Peterthecactusguy]

#4 is a saguaro,
#5 looks like an Opuntia or Cylindropuntia.. I use Diatomaceous earth..

[SnowFella]

Can't comment about what anything is but am I the only one getting a feeling there's some eoliation going on?

[iann]

#1 Thelocactus setispinus (or perhaps Ferocactus?)
#2 Parodia warasii
#3 Clumping suggests P. magnifica, but it doesn't look very blue

Is your diatomite a powder or granules?

[Ivan C]

#4 is a saguaro,
#5 looks like an Opuntia or Cylindropuntia.. I use Diatomaceous earth..

Hi Peterthecactusguy
Thanks for your thoughts. I'm hoping that #4 isn't saguaro. I checked out some pics and if it gets that monstrous, both I and it will be finding a new home according to my wife....

I'm not sure about Opuntia for #5. My sample is completely round. Most Opuntia seem to be flat to me. I would have sent more picture (which I took for my records) but really they only show all four side kinda... and they are the same only different, if you know what I am saying. I didn't want to use up more space on the server. I will keep that in mind.

I have just started to do some testing with the Diatomite but so far I do like it. Are you using only the Diatomite? It seems quite light to me. Might have to through a chunk of lead at the bottom. Just kidding of course

Ivan

[Ivan C]

Can't comment about what anything is but am I the only one getting a feeling there's some eoliation going on?

Hi SnowFella

They could very well be etiolated since I am not experienced at providing what they need or how they should look. I can, however, give you a bit of history if that helps.

In the early spring, my wife and I take out all the indoor plants including "my" cactus and succulents outside to get acclimatized slowly and they stay out all spring, summer and fall till cool weather set in. Now Mother Nature doesn't follow my watering schedule so I am forever moving them under shelter and back out in the sun. That will have to change next year as well... but that's another subject.
Also, not knowing what kind of cactus I have, I don't know what environment (food, water, and shelter) to give them. I do, however have a fairly good eye for seeing what most plants need (I hope) and I do know cactus are different. Since reading a lot of post the last few weeks I was surprised to learn most cactus are suppose to shrivel. Logic tell me when a plant is shrivels, water it!. Bad.... Bad... Bad... So I really don't know a lot. But I am learning.

Thanks

[sundanz]

What?? Shriveling??? I don't like anything shriveling, including me! I give water ( just a bit) if I see my plants shriveling! Guess I have alot to learn too.....

Karin

[teo]

If nr 4 is a saguaro: don't expect it to grow huge anytime soon, especially not in a pot in Canada (they grow very slow)

[peterb]

#4 looks more like an Echinocereus to me, probably engelmannii if it is an Echinocereus. One reason your plants are not flowering because they are still too young. The Ferocactus won't flower for another 15-20 years, probably.

peterb

[Bince]

Hello Ivan, from Victoria, BC. I put all my cactus plants out side in the spring after any chance of frost. I leave them there until fall. If you mix your soil mix properly you do not have to move your plants when it rains.
As for transplanting them, I might be doing it wrong but I transplant mine in the fall. The plant is going into hibernation and when it does start to send out new roots in the spring I am not disturbing them.
Good luck with your plants, keep reading you are doing fine.

[iann]

From their own website:

All Treat Farms® Premium Cactus Soil can be used straight from the bag. No additives are needed. This is a special blend of horticultural grade sphagnum peat moss, compost and washed sand. All Treat Premium Cactus Soil provides excellent drainage to ensure roots can breathe.

Are they serious? Sphagnum peat moss, compost, and washed sand, no additives required? Jokers.

[Ivan C]

#1 Thelocactus setispinus (or perhaps Ferocactus?)
#2 Parodia warasii
#3 Clumping suggests P. magnifica, but it doesn't look very blue

Is your diatomite a powder or granules?

Hi iann

Thank-you for your suggestions.

I just checked out Parodia warasii and you could be right with that one. My auto mechanic had the mother plant in full hot, and I mean HOT sun at his shop all day with the occasional cold coffee as watering. He would rip out pups and give them to customers so it has had a lot of abuse. Most I don't know and don't want to know. It did, however flower for him a lot. He is closing up his shop and his wife told him he could come home but he wasn't to bring that and a couple other cactus home with him. So I inherited them.

I don't see any blue in #3 at all. You are correct. It does, however have more of that brown in the centre which I will have to address when I take it out of its nest.

The diatomite is/are granules. I am in the process of checking it out and of course I started off wrong. I filled a square plastic 3" pot with the diatomite and totally soaked it, than drained out the water. (I should have used a clay pot which is what my cactus will be potted up in.) Anyway, I am letting it sit and every day I weigh it to see how much water has evaporated and how long it is till I need to water again. Which reminds me I have to leave you a message in How to mix the perfect soil. I am a bit confused with measuring the air percentage. I would like to add some weight with the diatomite like Steve Johnson and for the same reason... wind and weather conditions. Don't want to be picking up and repotting all summer long.

Granules Diatomite.jpg (95.12 KiB) Viewed 1967 times

When I checked into the diatomite it said it holds 150% of its weight in water. I had visions of 1/3 of a pot of diatomite bloating up to fill the rest of the pot. Of course that is not the case at all. I do like how it performs. But it is light. I will sift some of it down to create a smaller granular version and start some seeds with it as well. Our supply of different cactus is limited here so I may see about getting some nicer specimens from seeds. I love some of the ones I see in the posts I read. And I like a challenge.

Ivan

[Ivan C]

What?? Shriveling??? I don't like anything shriveling, including me! I give water ( just a bit) if I see my plants shriveling! Guess I have alot to learn too.....

Karin

Hi Karin

uuumm.. not sure i want to touch that one... hehehe

BTW, Your avatar might be a good guess for #2 as well.

Ivan

[Ivan C]

#4 looks more like an Echinocereus to me, probably engelmannii if it is an Echinocereus. One reason your plants are not flowering because they are still too young. The Ferocactus won't flower for another 15-20 years, probably.

peterb

Hi peterb

My tastes will change by the spring I'm sure. But then again 15-20 years goes by pretty fast some time.

Thanks, Ivan

[Ivan C]

Hello Ivan, from Victoria, BC. I put all my cactus plants out side in the spring after any chance of frost. I leave them there until fall. If you mix your soil mix properly you do not have to move your plants when it rains.
As for transplanting them, I might be doing it wrong but I transplant mine in the fall. The plant is going into hibernation and when it does start to send out new roots in the spring I am not disturbing them.
Good luck with your plants, keep reading you are doing fine.

Hi Bince

I'm working towards mixing my soil properly!!!

I don't want to take a chance on transplanting right now. And I am not ready with my mix decision yet.

Thank-you for the kind words.

Ivan