Can I give a cactus a winter rest by putting it in the fridge.

[Dodi Russell]

This crazy idea popped up in my head : can you give a cactus it's winter rest in a fridge. Since I live in a tropical country, its always warm all year round. I heard that it is essential for the cacti to receive a winter rest(except discocactus and other tropical cacti) for them to bloom in spring and etc...
So is it possible for to give the cactus a winter rest in a fridge or is the thought experiment a waste of time which will kill the cactus.
If it is possible, what should I do and look for( lighting, temperature and other stuff). Please help

[DaveW]

Only heard of seed being stored that way, but that is tougher than the plants. It may be a case of minimum temperature before they actually start marking. I believe it is basically down to ice crystals forming in the sap why they actually get damaged. I would not try putting any plant in the fridge you are not prepared to loose.

https://cactuscare.com/survive-freeze/

viewtopic.php?t=9782

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/lowest-te ... 92007.html

Kew Gardens does have a "refrigerated" greenhouse for alpines, though not "refrigerated" in the usual manner:-

"The new house features a set of automatically operated blinds that prevent it overheating when the sun is too hot for the plants together with a system that blows a continuous stream of cool air over the plants. The main design aim of the house is to allow maximum light transmission. To this end the glass is of a special low iron type that allows 90 per cent of the ultraviolet light in sunlight to pass. It is attached by high tension steel cables so that no light is obstructed by traditional glazing bars.

To conserve energy the cooling air is not refrigerated but is cooled by being passed through a labyrinth of pipes buried under the house at a depth where the temperature remains suitable all year round. The house is designed so that the maximum temperature should not exceed 20 °C (68 °F)."

You could always put a pipe under the ground as they did with a fan on the end of it to blow cool air on the plants, but a fan alone will cool the air if it can either blow into a greenhouses or over the plants. People do not realise just how large an air circulation cacti often have in in habitat. When I was up a hill in Chile looking for plants, at one time of the day we were almost blown off out feet by the wind. The old idea of a couple of computer fans in a greenhouse comes nowhere near it, more like a wind tunnel.

Keeping your plants over winter in a greenhouse or a shed with a reasonably large fan, preferably set in the side, with a thermostat set to come on when the temperature gets above a certain limit may be better way of cooling the plants than a fridge.

[Jangaudi]

If you have the space, a Walipini, or underground greenhouse could do the trick. Due to the temperature deeper down in the ground being cooler (around 8°C where I live), even in the summer, a Walipini keeps summer temperatures moderate, and winter temperature mild. Being in a hot climate, it could cool it down for you. There's a lot of recources online about this...I'm a fan !

[DaveW]

Yes they used to have a few half sunken greenhouses (usually strawberry houses, I believe) in the UK. The staging's were at ground level. You have to make sure they are not in the lowest part of the site unless you have a pump, meaning they can be drained if they get flooded from being below the surrounding ground. Obviously in colder climates they also keep warmer in winter through maintaining a more even temperature throughout the year with the soil acting as an insulator.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EysR2mlhSmQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5SYBfG74VC4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TynzRWHsZOI

Other parts in column on right hand side of the above links.

[Dodi Russell]

I think I'll just grow the cacti the same way I have done previously( without the winter rest) because I live in a flat and it is impossible to build the sunken green house without a land. I might try putting a plant( that I have in excess) in the fridge just to see what will happen. If I do I will make an update on whether the plant has survived or not
Thanks for all the help.

[Pereskiopsisdotcom]

I would be more worried about the possibilities for mold and decay due to the lack of air circulation in a contained environment. That said, I've tried on and off for years to root various cactus cutting sold at Mexican grocery stores (mostly Opuntia) that were held in refrigeration (open air) and all of them have rotted once brought back to room temperature.

I store certain seeds (Escobaria and Echinocereus) in the freezer for months at a time and it always improves my germination rates.

[Shane]

I've wondered the same thing. I think normal fridge temps (high 30s) are pushing it for many plants. Especially since the air being blown in to keep the fridge cool is somewhat colder than that

I'd highly recommend wrapping them in something like bubble wrap to protect them from temperature variations. Also make sure to place them far away from the air vents

You could achieve higher average temps using a temperature controller (which run about $40 for a plug and go model). You could also get some led lights on a timer to simulate short winter days too (an old desk lamp, 1000 lumen bulb and timer will set you back about $10)

[DaveW]

Just a cheap fan would probably keep them cooler than ambient temperature. Depends how many plants you have, if only a few something not much bigger than a computer fan.

[mikethecactusguy]

also,remember a modern refrigerator is a dehumidifier. It draws moisture out of the space as it cools. That's why they now have fruit and veg. drawers to help keep the stuff from drying out.

[thomasn]

I'v never grown cactus in enclosed environments, but here are some thoughts if you want to try this setup based on how I grow miniature orchids.

I would put them the cactus in their own setup so you can control all aspects of the environment. (Again, keep in mind, I have never grown cactus in a sealed environment )

• I would get a chest freezer because they are large and horizontal (get one that looks like you could easily remove the top). I would remove the top of the chest freezer and cut a piece of plexiglass so the light can sit on externally if you want.

• If you want to add light, I'd try aquarium lights or T5s.

• For temperature, I would buy a day/night temperature controller - there are many brands thanks to the hydroponics industry. I would slowly acclimate them to the lower temperatures over at least month with a night low of 45F or so and high of 55F or something (you can work out the specific temps)

• Add air circulation with a couple of computer muffin fans (cheap but require wiring to ac/dc converter) or aquarium muffin fan.

• I would make sure they are completely dry before putting them in the setup. I would not water them at all in the setup. I would slowly reduce temps over a month, or increase over a month. They will want to grow when temperature is in the 60sF, and with light and water they would surely etiolate, but the slow reduction/increase of temps could induce flowering.

You do want to monitor humidity. If things are molding, you could consider getting 2 muffin fans to vent air in an intake/exhaust setup set on the day cycle, even though your fridge run more.

[leisurely]

My neighbor in Ohio use to take her specimen size Echinopsis in during early fall. She put the plant in the basement food cellar where there was no light and the temperature was about 50 F for the most part. Around Easter she brought the plant outside and acclimated it to light and water and by May she always had numerous flowers. If your refrigerator is around 40F it should work fine I would think.