CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

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jerrytheplater
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CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by jerrytheplater »

The Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society will have its 38th Spring Show and Sale April 1-2, 2023 in Bristol, CT. I plan on going. Its been years since I've gone. https://www.ctcactussociety.org/annual-show-sale
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by jerrytheplater »

Tomorrow is the day. I still am planning on attending.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
SDK1
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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by SDK1 »

How was the show Jerry?
5b/6a - Indiana. Half the year growing outdoors, half the year indoors.

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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

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Unfortunately, I did not bring my camera. It was on purpose as I knew it would get in the way. Maybe this is a reason to get a smartphone.

I got there about 15 minutes before it opened and was maybe 40th in line. Rain and fog the entire 3 hours. I missed one turnoff and ended up on I-95 going along the southern border of CT and had to find a cross route back up to I-84. At least they run parallel to one another. CT-8 did just fine. I'm still a paper map kind of a person. No Wayze or Google Maps for me. The first rush was very crowded. I was looking for Malagasy Euphorbia primarily and cold hardy cacti secondarily. Only Euphorbia's were E. francoisii and was not interested in them. I did meet an 83 year old vendor with a 3,000 ft^2 greenhouse that has the plants I'm looking for. I got his card and plan on a visit. I'd say he's about a 1.5 hr drive away.

I ended up buying a Copiapoa humilis from one vendor-it has a lot of pups. I'm going to have to repot it as it is crowded in its pot. Also bought two Echinocereus triglochidiatus grown by a person from the NYC Cactus Club that collected the seed in New Mexico during a winter visit. He said he got the seed pod while the plant had snow on it. The plants are all out in my garage now so I can't read the tag. I still have not taken photos. He had some really beautiful plants and well grown.

Its been hectic since we returned from FL on 3/30 late at night. Had to attend to a lot of plant hobby items. Still need to get my overwintering water lily tubs ready for spring. I'm sure the lilies have started to grow already. That will have to be tomorrow.

I was able to reconnect with an excellent grower I met over 14 years ago. I'm hoping to visit him since we are both retired now.

The show plants were amazing. Again, the Malagasy Euphorbia's were what I was looking for. I was not disappointed. There was a Euphorbia decaryi that had maybe 50 stems on it all coming out of the center of the plant. They arched down over the edge of the pot. The tufts of leaves surrounded the entire plant. I have never seen anything like it. Now I wish I had brought my camera. I wonder if it is possible to artificially stimulate branching to get a plant like that.

One category was trough planters. People bring them in as they are so you can see them still dormant or just starting to wake up. We are still getting frosts at night. It was maybe 60 today. Supposed to be warmer tomorrow.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by jerrytheplater »

Those E. triglochidiatus seeds came from Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Took some photos today. I have to process them before posting. Got the waterlilies completed today.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
SDK1
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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by SDK1 »

Sounds like it was a good time overall. Bummer about not finding the euphorbia you were looking for but hopefully you'll find a source for one soon. My go-to's are always Miles2Go and Aridlands for some of the more uncommon stuff but I'm betting you checked there already.

On the note of the branching E. decaryi, I'm sure you could grow one like that with some judicious attention to pruning. There's a good amount of overlap between bonsai enthusiasts and cacti/succulent enthusiasts I've found, mostly because we tend to source the same ingredients for soil mixes. Anyway, I bet the same principles that bonsai practitioners adhere to regarding pruning and shaping could be applied to a Euphorbia decaryi. Would be a fun little project. Portulacaria afra was always one I've had fun with when it comes to bonsai practice. Very low stakes considering how hardy it is and how fast it grows.

I actually just got an old Canon so I could take pictures without relying on my phone for it so it's funny to see you mention that. I hate being on my phone as much as I am but taking pictures was one if my biggest reasons for still relying on it so much. Life is much better now that I got a separate camera.

Those E. triglochidiatus seeds sound promising, I'd be curious to know if they're the inermis form that I've seen online pretty regularly. I'd imagine not, but I guess the original inermis form came from a wild population so it's possible. I just like the short spine or spineless forms of cacti so that's where my head goes.

Do you have an in ground water feature that you put the water lilies in come springtime? Or do you have above-ground ones that you fill up each year? The wife wants to replace a small fountain that came with the house we bought last year with a proper water feature and I'm still ruminating on the options.

Would love it if we had a proper C+S Society in Indiana, but it's never seemed to really take off. Sounds like the CT show was a good time though, there's always something interesting to see.
5b/6a - Indiana. Half the year growing outdoors, half the year indoors.

Listening to: Periphery, Termina, Queen Kona, Veil of Maya, Knocked Loose
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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

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SDK1 wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 3:35 pm Those E. triglochidiatus seeds sound promising, I'd be curious to know if they're the inermis form that I've seen online pretty regularly. I'd imagine not, but I guess the original inermis form came from a wild population so it's possible. I just like the short spine or spineless forms of cacti so that's where my head goes. I bought plants, not seeds. They were collected near Rio Rancho, NM. Poor photo below. I need to take a better one, but for now since its resized. I took it hand held and I rock a little. I have to break out my tripod.

Do you have an in ground water feature that you put the water lilies in come springtime? Or do you have above-ground ones that you fill up each year? The wife wants to replace a small fountain that came with the house we bought last year with a proper water feature and I'm still ruminating on the options. I cut two plastic 55 gallon drums I brought home from work so they hold about 35 gallons. Used a Sawz-All. One is submerged in the ground and the other is above ground. I store all of my 4 pots in the one in the ground over winter. I empty the above ground one in the fall. I also empty the in ground one in the fall to clean and collect any tropical fish I put in it for mosquito control. I put all pots in the in-ground and fill with water. Empty in spring and re-distribute the plants. Photos below.
Copiapoa humilis in a 2.5" sq. pot. Needs repotting.
2023-4-4 Copiapoa humilis CCSS show.jpg
2023-4-4 Copiapoa humilis CCSS show.jpg (104.19 KiB) Viewed 3714 times
Echinocereus triglochidiatus Rio Rancho, NM in 2.5" sq pots. I'm not repotting this year.
rsz 2023-4-4 Echinocereus triglochidiatus Rio Rancho NM CCSS Show.jpg
rsz 2023-4-4 Echinocereus triglochidiatus Rio Rancho NM CCSS Show.jpg (123.46 KiB) Viewed 3714 times
This is my in ground tub as it was on 4/4/2023. The Iris versicolor plant is visible under water growing away. All of the other pots are below it. Both water lilies were sprouting.
rsz 2023-4-4 In ground before cleaning.jpg
rsz 2023-4-4 In ground before cleaning.jpg (194.58 KiB) Viewed 3714 times
The one in the 2 gallon pot really needs division. I can see 6 growing points. I was going to wait till next year, but I have a friend with a small plastic pond right outside of his largest greenhouse that is just crying for one of my divisions. I guess I'm going to have to do it! If you are interested in a division and will pay for shipping, I'll send you one. You can PM me. It has to be right away though. Now is the time to divide. The plant is a hybrid hardy lily Nymphaea pygmaea Rubra. It was developed in 1906 in France by Latour-Marliac. https://iwgs.org/iwgs-certified-collect ... r-marliac/ https://www.gardenia.net/plant/nymphaea-pygmaea-rubra It is a very small plant. If you have a bigger pond, you have so many other choices.

Flower:
rsz 2019-7-13 N. pygmaea Rubra.jpg
rsz 2019-7-13 N. pygmaea Rubra.jpg (104.23 KiB) Viewed 3714 times
All three of my tubs from July 2, 2019. That was the year I bought the lily and planted it in my above ground tub. The other plant there is a miniature Cattail. In the in-ground tub you will see some Cardinal Flowers, miniature cattail, and a fern growing around the tub that just appeared. Still have it, but have to hack it away to prevent it from shading the tub. The third tub is the cut off end from the drum. Maybe 6-8" deep. I grow aquarium plants in it that can take full sun. Pull them out in the fall.
rsz 2019-7-2 All three tubs.jpg
rsz 2019-7-2 All three tubs.jpg (176.26 KiB) Viewed 3714 times
You have to keep Racoons away by screening. I have a sharp mesh I put around the above ground tub. Cuts the critter if it tries to reach into the water. Works great. I have to cover over the in ground tub to exclude the 'coons. Deer will eat some plants.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
SDK1
Posts: 70
Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2022 7:13 pm

Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by SDK1 »

jerrytheplater wrote: Thu Apr 06, 2023 8:15 pm I bought plants, not seeds. They were collected near Rio Rancho, NM. Poor photo below. I need to take a better one, but for now since its resized. I took it hand held and I rock a little. I have to break out my tripod.

Ah I see, my mistake. The seedlings look nice though, I believe those are rather cold-hardy aren't they? Will you grow them in the pot for a couple years and then plant them in the ground?

I cut two plastic 55 gallon drums I brought home from work so they hold about 35 gallons. Used a Sawz-All. One is submerged in the ground and the other is above ground. I store all of my 4 pots in the one in the ground over winter. I empty the above ground one in the fall. I also empty the in ground one in the fall to clean and collect any tropical fish I put in it for mosquito control. I put all pots in the in-ground and fill with water. Empty in spring and re-distribute the plants. Photos below.

That's a neat idea, I like that. My wife was talking about getting a trough or something like it from TSC and piling rocks or something up around it to kind of disguise it like you've done with your in ground one, but keeping it above ground. Still thinking about that, pretty sure I could find something for cheaper/free locally so I'm just keeping an eye out. Does the in ground one freeze solid over winter? Putting fish in for mosquito control is an interesting idea, wouldn't have thought of that. Do you put a pump in it for oxygenation or do the fish just come up to the surface for air when they need it? I was planning on putting a pump in whatever I get because there's already an electrical box right next to the fountain that's there right now.

You have to keep Racoons away by screening. I have a sharp mesh I put around the above ground tub. Cuts the critter if it tries to reach into the water. Works great. I have to cover over the in ground tub to exclude the 'coons. Deer will eat some plants.
We've got tons of deer that wander through our neighborhood and I've been thinking about how to control for that so I appreciate the tips. Giant rats they are, drives me nuts how DNR is only increasing the bag limit the past few years after 40+ years of such huge populations of deer that our forests have no understory or herbaceous layer that isn't invasive and we have dead deer in all the ditches and fields because they just starved or succumbed to tuberculosis. Sorry for the rant, it just irritates me.

Those tubs do look good though, I'm thinking about doing something similar now. I like the manageable scale of it and I think it would work well in the garden I have planned for the area around it. I appreciate the offer of the lily and I'd love it but I just don't have an area ready for it and I'd feel terrible just to get it and watch it rot before I get the space ready. Maybe next year.

That fern looks like Sensitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis, to me. Kind of reminiscent of Swamp Agrimony. Nice fern, we have it in some nicer areas around here.
5b/6a - Indiana. Half the year growing outdoors, half the year indoors.

Listening to: Periphery, Termina, Queen Kona, Veil of Maya, Knocked Loose
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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by jerrytheplater »

SDK1 wrote: Sat Apr 08, 2023 6:28 pm Ah I see, my mistake. The seedlings look nice though, I believe those are rather cold-hardy aren't they? Will you grow them in the pot for a couple years and then plant them in the ground? I will leave them in the pot. I will not be putting them in the ground. I did grow some in a trough for a few years, but it didn't work out. Not sure why.

Does the in ground one freeze solid over winter? It does not freeze solid so far. It is about 28" deep.

Putting fish in for mosquito control is an interesting idea, wouldn't have thought of that. Do you put a pump in it for oxygenation or do the fish just come up to the surface for air when they need it? I was planning on putting a pump in whatever I get because there's already an electrical box right next to the fountain that's there right now. No pump. The fish swim as they wish. I don't even feed them. They reproduce such that the 6 initial adults will end up with at least 40 at the end of the season. White Cloud Mountain Fish can take temperatures down to the mid 40's. I bring them in in late September.

Those tubs do look good though, I'm thinking about doing something similar now. I like the manageable scale of it and I think it would work well in the garden I have planned for the area around it. I appreciate the offer of the lily and I'd love it but I just don't have an area ready for it and I'd feel terrible just to get it and watch it rot before I get the space ready. Maybe next year. No problem. Its looking like I'll be dividing every other year.

That fern looks like Sensitive Fern, Onoclea sensibilis, to me. Kind of reminiscent of Swamp Agrimony. Nice fern, we have it in some nicer areas around here.
Thanks for the ID on the fern. I'll have to look it up. Never bothered trying to ID it.
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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jerrytheplater
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Re: CT Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show

Post by jerrytheplater »

SDK1: Here is a very worthwhile book if you are going to start a tub. I've met Ted many times at fish clubs. He's come to our Aquatic Gardening club too. My Iris versicolor came from him. I gave him a few offsets of the N. pygmaea Rubra.

The Tub Pond Handbook: https://www.amazon.com/Tub-Pond-Handboo ... B091W9WLDP

For plant suppliers I like to buy from places that actually grow the plants.

The oldest in the US is Wm. Tricker Inc. in Independence, OH. https://www.tricker.com/

They had a location in Northern NJ up till 1986, but sold it and it is now Waterford Gardens. That is the place I go, because I can drive there in 30 minutes. Plus my father went there in the late 1930's. https://waterfordgardens.com/

Another old one in MD: https://lilypons.com/

Here's one I have not heard of, but it came up in the search: https://www.lilyblooms.com/waterlilies/
Jerry Smith
Bloomingdale, NJ
45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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