Hana's cacti

[Hanazono]

3 Strombocactus disciformis were in flower in this morning. They are degrafted/own-rooted cacti.

[Hanazono]

1st filial Astrophytum hybrid, capricorne x red flowering asterias were in flower in this morning.
They are degrafted/own-rooted cacti.

[Hanazono]

Since the pot was too tight, I repotted a gymnocalycium spegazzinii v armatum sp nova yesterday.
I bought seeds and sowed in 2003.
Flowering buds will be formed soon.

[hegar]

Hello Frank,

you seem to be doing a lot of cactus repotting each year. What is the method you use, in order to keep possible problems for the re-potted plants at a minimum? I have always been a bit afraid to take a plant out of the soil or pot, because it is almost impossible to totally prevent tearing or injurying some of the plant's roots. Forum member Steve Johnson suggested to soak the freshly dug cactus roots for 30 minuntes in 1% hydrogen peroxide and then let them dry for two days or three, so the roots could heal.
Do you follow a similar regimen or do you carefully take the cactus out of its pot and then transplant the plant with the root ball intact into a bigger pot, filling out the space on each side with fresh growing medium? Perhaps you can do this, because your growing medium is free from pathogens.

I have also seen, that in many cases you do cut the roots back. How long do you keep the cacti with their roots exposed resting on their side, before placing them into their pots? Do you also use hydrogen peroxide, sulfur powder, or something that is antibacterial/ antifungal or is air drying sufficient?
Do you use rooting hormone or root stimulants?

Harald

[Mrs.Green]

G'morning Shane,

It sounds like the khoyo cultivar can be grown from seed?

Yes the khoyo cultivar can be grown from seed.

Does khoyo still change color if it's grafted?

Yes it does. Grafted khoyos change body colour.
Attached photo is a grafted young Astrophytum myriostigma cv red bean khoyo.

Frank

Hi Hanazono How does this ‘red bean’ looks like as an adult plant?

[Hanazono]

G'morning Harald,

you seem to be doing a lot of cactus repotting each year. What is the method you use, in order to keep possible problems for the re-potted plants at a minimum? I have always been a bit afraid to take a plant out of the soil or pot, because it is almost impossible to totally prevent tearing or injurying some of the plant's roots. Forum member Steve Johnson suggested to soak the freshly dug cactus roots for 30 minuntes in 1% hydrogen peroxide and then let them dry for two days or three, so the roots could heal.
Do you follow a similar regimen or do you carefully take the cactus out of its pot and then transplant the plant with the root ball intact into a bigger pot, filling out the space on each side with fresh growing medium? Perhaps you can do this, because your growing medium is free from pathogens.

I have also seen, that in many cases you do cut the roots back. How long do you keep the cacti with their roots exposed resting on their side, before placing them into their pots? Do you also use hydrogen peroxide, sulfur powder, or something that is antibacterial/ antifungal or is air drying sufficient?
Do you use rooting hormone or root stimulants?

We live in different places and have different experience and so repotting practice might be very different.

I have never worried about damaging roots during repotting. All damaged roots will be cut off before the repotting.
Since rotting of roots can not see from outside, I cut roots and check the section. The reason of cutting roots is to check root rotting.
I have never used hydrogen preoxide for cacti.

I bought a cactus which was imported from USA when I was 13 years old.
Short damaged roots were attached. I removed all damaged roots. As the result, all roots were gone but there were no issues for the rooting.
From the above experience, I do not worry about the length caci roots.

The time of cut to place depends upon the size of root.
Fine roots only: 1 week
Including thick root: 2 weeks

Cut roots drying is air drying.

I do not use any rooting hormones.

Frank

[Hanazono]

G'morning Mrs. Green,

How does this ‘red bean’ looks like as an adult plant?

Please have a look the attached photo.
The grafted red bean was degrafted and rooted. The current size is 16 cm in diameter and 20 cm tall.
The body colour does not change because the cactus reached to a mature age.

Frank

[Hanazono]

I lost many medium size asterias last spring and it was very hard to stop but .....
Attached phots are matured asterias which were in flower lately.

[mikethecactusguy]

I sure did miss your daily flower pictures.

[K.W.]

I lost many medium size asterias last spring and it was very hard to stop but .....
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Good evening Frank,

very nice to read from you.
Great plants as always and beautiful flowers.
What happened in the spring? Why did you lose so many plants?


Best regards

K.W.

[Hanazono]

G'morning K.W.

What happened in the spring? Why did you lose so many plants?

I start watering early spring. We had good rain in early spring and spring. I watered cacti every 2 weeks as normal evenif it was lower temperature and higher humidity than normal year. I think potting-mix was never dry-up in 2weeks in relation to abnormal weather.

The problem was root rotting. It is not all but I lost about 50 medium size asterias.

Frank

[Hanazono]

5 matured gymnocalycium species were in flower lately.

[keith]

The problem was root rotting. It is not all but I lost about 50 medium size asterias."

Ugh no fun !! I find asterias hard to grow easy to kill. I have two survivors out of 8 from seed 15 years ago. They are very shriveled up but I will not water until Spring . Normal types star county Texas plants grown from seed from Mesa gardens. Original plants died in unexpected winter rain in AZ , slowly turned orange. I grew more from seed because they are so easy to rot I need replacements until I figure out how to grow them.

[LateBloomer]

Hana have you noticed any big differences in degrafted and own root Astrophytum asterias?

In my mind grafted plants are nice for seed production but with the accelerated growth you are also reducing life expectancy… I’m aware that lots of growers degraft and they last for many years however they seem to also present the most issues no?

Also I remember a few years ago you said you trim Astrophytum tap roots so it has fine roots for less root rot risk but you don’t recommend this for ariocarpus… do you still not recommend trimming ariocarpus tap roots?

[Hanazono]

G'morning keith,

How have you been?

Original plants died in unexpected winter rain in AZ , slowly turned orange.

I think asterias is not easy to manage under natural rain fall. If there was a roof and you could control watering frequency by yourself, it would be easier. I keep asterias under a roof but they still have problem if weather was abnormal.

Frank