If you were to start over, what would you do differently?

[Kipody]

Imagine that you wake up one morning and discover that your collection was stolen overnight… or that an aggressive nematode killed all your cacti or that a small meteor hit your greenhouse . Imagine you are forced to move to a different country and cant take your cacti with you…

These all sound like terrible scenarios but they also open a possibility to do things better or differently…

Since I might be experiencing one of the above options … I would be happy to hear what you would do differently if you were to start your collection from scratch all over again. Maybe I could learn from your ideas…

[anttisepp]

I'd begin to collect Blossfeldia though...

[Steve Johnson]

Imagine that you wake up one morning and discover that your collection was stolen overnight… or that an aggressive nematode killed all your cacti or that a small meteor hit your greenhouse . Imagine you are forced to move to a different country and cant take your cacti with you…

These all sound like terrible scenarios but they also open a possibility to do things better or differently…

Since I might be experiencing one of the above options … I would be happy to hear what you would do differently if you were to start your collection from scratch all over again. Maybe I could learn from your ideas…

I'll send you a PM.

[MikeInOz]

I would sow aztekium, pelecyphora and lots of ariocarpus. As many as I could get. But it's never too late......

[oneday]

I wouldn't plant Kalanchoe in my outdoor garden, at least not the species that invade everything if there is anything else

[7george]

I'd begin to collect Blossfeldia though...

Or Frailea's maybe... This is just on a theory. The passion takes over common sense. I had a chance to start over from 0 when I moved to Canada and now again am out of growing space and keeping inappropriate species.

Sometimes I have a thought to leave my collection outside to adapt during the winter and to see how many would survive next spring.

[westfork]

I would build my berms using at least 80% river rock (1/4" - 1") in the soil mix instead of the 1/3 rock, 1/3 very coarse sand/ pea gravel, and 1/3 good topsoil I used back then. We have very cold winters and drainage needs to remain open even when soil is frozen deep.

[AirWreck]

I wouldn't have put my plants outdoors. I would have kept them indoors under gro-lights. Bringing them outdoors exposed them to rust fungus which has killed about half my collection. That was about 18years ago. The remaining half remain infected after all these years.

[Wiandry Adi]

Imagine that you wake up one morning and discover that your collection was stolen overnight… or that an aggressive nematode killed all your cacti or that a small meteor hit your greenhouse . Imagine you are forced to move to a different country and cant take your cacti with you…

These all sound like terrible scenarios but they also open a possibility to do things better or differently…

Since I might be experiencing one of the above options … I would be happy to hear what you would do differently if you were to start your collection from scratch all over again. Maybe I could learn from your ideas…

I was actually planning for this, as I'm on a plan to build a rooftop garden on a new house (hopefully someday I can afford to build it ) which means I will either work on entirely new plants or I still have enough few plants that last with me. Though, in this scenario, it's gonna be the former one so it'll be heartbreaking to see my lophophoras go but...

...life goes on. I can live with that, but maybe every time I saw my new garden, I'll shed some tears remembering what I used to cherish

[Steve Johnson]

I wouldn't have put my plants outdoors. I would have kept them indoors under gro-lights. Bringing them outdoors exposed them to rust fungus which has killed about half my collection. That was about 18years ago. The remaining half remain infected after all these years.

Well, it depends on where you live. With that in mind, see this:

https://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=43816

Outdoor collections work remarkably well in a Mediterranean climate (like mine for example). If growers either want or need a greenhouse, IMO their collections are still outdoors. The only caveat with greenhouses -- ventilation fans are required to keep the air flowing.

[Hanazono]

My current cacti collection is 4th which means I restarted 3 times from Nil. All interraptions of collections were caused by relocation in relation to my jobs. Between 3rd and 4th, I moved from Northern Hemisphere to Southern Hemisphere.

Climate, available cacti, available potting-mix and pot and locla law in relation to cacti may be different from previous location but you can restart to collect cacti to meet with the situation of new location.

I am not sure next one which may not be happened.

[7george]

Between 3rd and 4th, I moved from Northern Hemisphere to Southern Hemisphere.

First I thought that cacti are totally forbidden in Australia because of that old story with Opuntia and rabbits...

[Hanazono]

G'morning 7george,

First I thought that cacti are totally forbidden in Australia because of that old story with Opuntia and rabbits.

I have lived in just two states, New South Wales and South Australia and I do not know the situation of other states. Opentia species are "pest plants" in South Australia and you can not keep them. Two states, Westan Australia and Tasmania can not bring cactus plants from other states in Australia.

It is not acceptable "I did not know" in relation to law issue and so I joined a local cactus and succurent society just after moved in South Australia to get accurate information.

Frank