Repotting Winter Hardy Cacti

[jerrytheplater]

I just de-potted all of my winter hardy cacti, as well as some others. They have been potted for years now and I know some have needed it for a few years. Plus, I have new Winter Hardy cacti in the mail, so I'll be ready for a day of repotting.

In the photo:

First row from the top, L>R: 1-a non winter hardy cacti I need to remember its ID. 2 and 4-Three year old Mammillaria grahamii grown from seed from Scottsdale, AZ. 3 and 5-Echinocereus triglochidiatus inermis purchased 6/28/2009 Miles2Go.

Second row, L>R: two Escobaria vivipara purchased 6/28/2009 Miles2Go.

Third row, L>R: 1- Escobaria missouriensis, purchased 6/28/2009 Miles2Go. 2 & 3- Pediocactus simpsonii purchased from John Spain at the 4/13/2014 CT Cactus and Succulent Spring Show and Sale.

Fourth row, Large Escobaria missouriensis purchased at the 4/13/2014 CT Cactus and Succulent Spring Show and Sale.

[jerrytheplater]

And I forgot to say what I've purchased and am waiting for:

2 Echinocereus reichenbachii (miniature)
2 Echinocereus reichenbachii ssp. perbellus
2 Echinocereus reichenbachii ssp. baileyi (Altus, OK)
3 Escobaria vivipara ssp. bisbeeana
2 Titanopsis calcareum- I'm going to try them over winter in my garage.

[Steve-0]

Nice plants, Jerry. That Esco m. on the bottom is massive! Looking forward to the potted pics.

I have a few Pedios and Escos, too. They're waking up with spring after a winter outdoors. Here's a Pedio. simp. growing some buds. It went all plump and happy in about a week when it woke up and got a big drink.

[keith]

Roots look good you grow them unheated I guess ? Where I live now it doesn't get cold enough for many of my winter hardy plants to flower for me or at least not very good.

its been a few years since we had freezing temperature at night. Just dry winds all Winter . the big unknow looks Notocactus Magnificus ?

[jerrytheplater]

Roots look good you grow them unheated I guess ? Where I live now it doesn't get cold enough for many of my winter hardy plants to flower for me or at least not very good.

its been a few years since we had freezing temperature at night. Just dry winds all Winter . the big unknow looks Notocactus Magnificus ?

Keith, I live in northern NJ. Most of the cacti in the photo above are grown in pots. They are outdoors in the sun Spring through Fall. I bring them into my detached, unheated garage in a south facing window for the winter right about when we start getting frosts: Mid to late September. No water once I bring them in till Mid March when it starts to warm up. I watered these plants very slightly a week before I decided to repot.

I did repot last Saturday and they have all been outdoors in the garage since. The plants I was expecting in the mail arrived 3/24, so they got potted up on 3/27 too. I have not watered them yet. We just got a cold spell and it might get down to 26F tonight. It was cold all day today. The water in my Sarracenia pitcher plant saucers was frozen all day.

Regarding the unknown cactus, I checked N. magnificus in Cacti, The Illustrated Dictionary and mine never had the white wool along the ribs. It still doesn't. But it sure puts out offsets along the outer edge of the plant.

Ever since I joined this forum I've been cleaning up my cactus files and getting back into the hobby. I've neglected my plants for years now. So, I found photo's which contain this unknown cacti from April 1, 2010, exactly 11 years ago. In both pictures, it is in the back row second from right. I still have the Trichodiadema bulbosum (front row, right side). It is sitting bare-rooted in my house along with my Madagascar Euphorbias. Tomorrow's project. That Ferrocactus latispinus (front row, third from left) is also still alive and was repotted last week too. It bloomed for me on Nov. 29, 2010. Don't think it has since. Surprised it has survived my neglect and abuse. The Gymnocalycium second from left in the back row is also still alive and is sitting bareroot with a flower bud waiting for tomorrow. I don't have any photos of it in flower. Let's see if the flower bud survives bare root and repotting.

rsz 2010-4-1 from work 3.jpg (115.01 KiB) Viewed 6719 times

rsz 2010-4-1 from work 4.jpg (155.12 KiB) Viewed 6719 times

Ferocactus latispinus 11-29-10.jpg (38.7 KiB) Viewed 6719 times

Ferocactus latispinus 11-29-10b.jpg (46.09 KiB) Viewed 6719 times

rsz 2015-2-12 Trichodiadema bulbosum 1.jpg (127.63 KiB) Viewed 6719 times

[jerrytheplater]

Here is a photo of the Pediocactus simpsonii taken June 11, 2017. I bought this cactus from John Spain at a Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show and Sale. That was April 11, 2011. I had it growing outdoors overwinter for a few years after purchase. But I've been growing it in a pot and overwintering in the garage since.

The same goes for the large Escobaria missouriensis at the bottom of the bare root photo. I also kept it out doors over winter, but now keep it in pots. Purchased April 13, 2014 at CCSS Spring Show. Photos taken June 11, 2017.

rsz 2017-6-11 Pediocactus simpsonii 1.jpg (121.84 KiB) Viewed 6714 times

rsz 2017-6-11 Escobaria missouriensis 2.jpg (144.72 KiB) Viewed 6714 times

rsz 2017-6-11 Escobaria missouriensis 3.jpg (112.14 KiB) Viewed 6714 times

[jerrytheplater]

Keith: Did a little further reading about N. magnificus in "Cacti for the Connoisseur" by John Pilbeam. I think you have the correct ID for it. Thanks. In Pilbeam's book he says that N. magnificus has one drawback in that it gets brown spots from still winter cold conditions. I know I have been neglecting some of my cacti which I've been storing at work and not bringing back home to be outdoors for the summer. This plant is one of them. And it is really brown at the bottom and up a considerable way. I may end up just potting up some of the pups and discarding the original plant. We'll see.

[jerrytheplater]

I put all of my newly potted winter hardy cacti outdoors in the sun today. I didn't water even though its been a week since repotting. I did cover them to block some of the sun. I didn't really take a photo to be able to ID each plant. I could make a list of what I have, but they are all listed in the first and second post above. I am going to bring them into the garage tonight. Temps going down to 36F tonight. If these were not newly potted I'd leave them out even to 28 or so.

The netting I used to block some of the sun:

rsz 2021-4-3 winter hardy cacti newly repotted 1.jpg (239.4 KiB) Viewed 6659 times

Looking under the netting:

rsz 2021-4-3 winter hardy cacti newly repotted 2.jpg (79.45 KiB) Viewed 6659 times

Looking down on the plants without the netting:

rsz 2021-4-3 winter hardy cacti newly repotted 3.jpg (153.03 KiB) Viewed 6659 times

[RorBurg56]

Definitely a nice cosy little setup

[jerrytheplater]

Definitely a nice cosy little setup

Thanks. They all made the adjustment to full sun. No more screen over them. I just read that we had more than our normal rain for the month of July. Normal is about 4" and some areas got 11" while I probably got 7-8". All of these guys did fine in it without protection.

[RorBurg56]

That's good to hear. Yes the daily rain is here for me now too and only darkness lies ahead. Actually had some small gymnocalcyium anisitsii offsets root out and get good and fat after being left with the crassulaceae in persistent rain over the last few weeks I've been away.

[keith]

Here is a photo of the Pediocactus simpsonii taken June 11, 2017. I bought this cactus from John Spain at a Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show and Sale. That was April 11, 2011. I had it growing outdoors overwinter for a few years after purchase. But I've been growing it in a pot and overwintering in the garage since."

the cactus in the picture is Escobaria sneedii I think, also cold hardy like pediocactus

[jerrytheplater]

Keith

I just checked my copy of Cacti, the Illustrated Dictionary for both P. simpsonii and E. sneedii. Along with the P. simpsonii Steve-O posted, I think I agree with you. I need to get a photo of them now before they shrink down for the winter. I just put all my cacti in the garage to prevent the forecasted rain for the next two days from soaking them.

[jerrytheplater]

Keith

I just checked my copy of Cacti, the Illustrated Dictionary for both P. simpsonii and E. sneedii. Along with the P. simpsonii Steve-O posted, I think I agree with you. I need to get a photo of them now before they shrink down for the winter. I just put all my cacti in the garage to prevent the forecasted rain for the next two days from soaking them.

I just posted some new photos of the possible Pedio in Cactus ID to really see what this plant is. It is more expanded now that I've watered it more this spring. viewtopic.php?t=47092