Phorum 5

[Discussion Forum] Re: when to water rebutias

ralphrmartin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:38:29 +0000

Rebutias are pretty hardy. I honestly think it doesn't matter if you water them now, or wait a couple of more weeks. If they are small, give them a drop now to stop them shrivelling too much.

[Discussion Forum] Re: root mealy

ralphrmartin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:36:55 +0000

Depends on the plants, but another option is to cut the roots off and treat it as a cutting.

[Discussion Forum] Manchester Branch Auction

Peter B — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:21:41 +0000

Following the announcement that the Northants/Oxford Branch Auction has been cancelled, Manchester Branch can announce that their auction will definitely go ahead. Date: Saturday May 1st 2010 Venue: St Thomas More Church Hall (Manchester Branch Meeting Hall) Kirkway (off Mainway), Alkrington, Middleton, Manchester M24 1PP Time: 1pm - doors open at 12 noon to allow viewing, which is highly recommended. There will be refreshments available between 12 & 1. All information available from me (send PM) or via the Manchester Web site at manchestercactus.co.uk where the pictures of over 100 of the plants available can be viewed. Alternatively you can go directly to the web site of the auction at http://manchesterbranchauction.webs.com/ This collection is a mature one that belonged to a long time collector who sadly passed away recently. The collection is housed in a 30x12 greenhouse to give you an idea of the size. Catalogues showing the same pictures as on the web site will be available shortly. It is planned to auction all suitable plants singly, makes lots of 4/6 plants from the smaller offerings and sell at prices around 50p/�1 any plants considered unsuitable for auction. Peter B Manchester Branch

[Discussion Forum] Re: Nursery Or Plants in Devon Help !

ralphrmartin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:18:03 +0000

Also Alan Phipps in Bristol. Tony Irons certainly grows nice seedlings, and Ren� Geissler always has some unusual things that are hard to find elsewhere.

[Discussion Forum] Re: Nursery Or Plants in Devon Help !

Mike P — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 21:17:01 +0000

Hi Chris Yes thats the one I was thinking of. Mike

[Discussion Forum] Re: A little bit of sunshine...

Ali Baba — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:33:38 +0000

Thats interesting. You could be right about the temperature, as mine started life in a cold frame, so perhaps it managed on the cooler summer weather with summer watering. I struggled with mine for quite a bit, although it grew reasonably well for years with summer water and a winter rest, and even flowered on and off, but it never [i]really[/i] flourished. Once it was in a heated greenhouse it kind of lost the plot and I couldnt get the hang of when it wanted to grow or not. Then I read Steve Hammer's article in the CSSA journal, and started to water it in the winter, just giving it a dribble in the summer, and it looks very happy now. I even have a little batch of seedlings on the go! :)

[Discussion Forum] Re: Nursery Or Plants in Devon Help !

Chris43 — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 20:07:49 +0000

A small detour once you get onto the M5 will take you to Tony Irons place at Portishead. I'm not sure of when he's open, but if you are travelling at a weekend then you should be OK. He sells a wide range of young seedlings, a lot of Mamms, but others as well.

[Discussion Forum] Re: seed raising

iann — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:45:42 +0000

Maihuenia is one of the very few exceptions that seem to like cold stratification. However in some cases, for example after long storage, stratification seems to be unnecessary. I'm not aware of any other cactus species where cold stratification has been shown to be effective, but I think its safe to assume that it works for the other Maihuenia and perhaps some more. Every Eriosyce species I've ever tried, except one, germinated over 50% and promptly with no special treatment. The seedlings show all sorts of development after that from vigorous to very weak, sometimes even within the same batch. I tried E. aurata from the society seedlist this year. I'd only tried this species once before and thought my success that time might have been a fluke, but same again this time with good germination and very large seedlings.

[Discussion Forum] Re: A little bit of sunshine...

iann — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:40:30 +0000

Mine absolutely hate summer water and I'm really not doing well with them. Strangely enough, one that I grew in a trough outside did great and flowered in late summer, so it mostly seems to be temperature that makes them sleepy in summer.

[Discussion Forum] Re: A little bit of sunshine...

Ali Baba — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 19:17:19 +0000

Of course you are right iann! :) [i]Aloinopsis setifera[/i] It is resolutely a winter grower for me. I keep meaning to try crossing it with Titanopsis...

[Discussion Forum] Re: Nursery Or Plants in Devon Help !

Mike P — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:55:03 +0000

Hi You could always do what I have done a couple of times if you use the M4/M5 method which is to make a small diversion north from Bristol and visit Rene Geisler near Slimbridge. There is also another nursery near Bristol you could take in. There was a nursery out near Yelverton but I heard a rumour it has closed. Hi Derek I would be interested in popping in some time when I am down visiting my family. Mike

[Discussion Forum] Re: Have you watered yet?

Lindsey — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 18:05:26 +0000

Cactus Jack Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Too cold yet , i'll wait for April I always tell people who are unsure when to water cacti (yes, I mean cacti, :cac2: >:D< not things like Gibbaeum!) only to water them during Summer Time.

[Discussion Forum] Re: NORTHAMPTON / OXFORD AUCTION CANCELLED

David_K — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:56:21 +0000

With only just over 4 weeks to go the number of plants offerred for sale was so small that when the Branch committee met last night they felt there was no option but to cancel the event through lack of support. We would like to apologise to anyone who was making plans to come to the auction but it would not have been viable to continue. We hope members will give greater support to Oxford if they host the auction next year.

[Discussion Forum] Re: A little bit of sunshine...

iann — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:43:14 +0000

Aloinopsis setifera. Or some other type of A. luckhoffii.

[Discussion Forum] Re: A little bit of sunshine...

dragonlil — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:34:36 +0000

Very pretty Al, what is it?

[Discussion Forum] Re: Have you watered yet?

David Robson — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 17:03:06 +0000

yes i have spend the day watering, but each year i do this the weather turns bad, i have repotted many of my large cacti, but will not water them yet. david

[Bugs, Birds and Other Critters] Re: Harlequin ladybirds.

Diane — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 16:14:05 +0000

I don't know, Dot!! I had 4 or 5 in my bedroom yesterday, they must have hibernated in there over winter, I "helped" them out of the window! The warmer weather must be waking them all up!

[Discussion Forum] Re: Aloe 47:1:2010 - Botanical Expedition into Angola

Herts Mike — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 12:04:41 +0000

I must rejoin...... Mike.

[Discussion Forum] Re: Aloe 47:1:2010 - Botanical Expedition into Angola

Al — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:35:09 +0000

Yes, I agree, it is an excellent issue & written in Ernsts inimitable style. The photographs are excellent too. I must say that I am hardly ever disappointed with an issue of the "Aloe" journal. Al

[Discussion Forum] Aloe 47:1:2010 - Botanical Expedition into Angola

topsy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:03:33 +0000

I have just received my copy of Aloe, the first for 2010 and have to say that it is an extremely interesting issue dealing entirely with Angolan succulents (36 pages from cover to cover). There is scarcely an advert in the whole issue (just the BCSS membership ad, and the upcoming Succulenta 2010 congress), so there is plenty of space given to the text and pictures of succulent plants. This was a trip made by 45 enthusiastic biologists and the account is written by Ernst J. van Jaarsveld. The overall impression from the pics is that this is a very verdant country, but no doubt that is because of the time of year of the expedition and the areas visited. If you don't take this publication, find someone who does, or get your branch library to start taking it. Suzanne Mace

[Discussion Forum] Re: Nursery Or Plants in Devon Help !

derek harold — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:36:22 +0000

Hi, no nurseries in Devon sorry to say , but should you be near Newton Abbot you are welcome to visit my collection, varied plants mainly hard to grow types , discos melos arios astros ,32 ft g/house full . Im off to Belgium on Wed for 5 days, back on Monday The melos are in my conservetory. Mail me if interested. Derek.

[Discussion Forum] Re: Have you watered yet?

DaveW — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:14:26 +0000

Unless you are prepared to heat in colder spells to dry plants out be a little careful starting watering since there has just been a piece on BBC Radio saying reports from around the country are saying the season is at least a month behind this year. Meaning in effect we are still in February, not March as far as the weather is concerned. Late seasons usually catch up, with normally early flowering plants flowering alongside mainstream ones. But if you run a cold greenhouse we could still get a cold snap with plants staying damp for too long before new roots are formed. Probably initially mist spraying is still the best policy. DaveW

[Discussion Forum] Re: seed raising

Herts Mike — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 09:07:23 +0000

Some years ago I put Eriosyce into the fridge - and forgot it. When it was found about 2 months later one seed had actually germinated in the dark and the cold! Mike.

[Discussion Forum] Re: seed raising

Darren S — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 08:17:43 +0000

I don't know if it helps but Maihuenia seed from Succseed last year was sown in March in the greenhouse (no extra heat) and when it showed no sign of germination by early May I put the pot in the fridge for four weeks. When i moved it back into the greenhouse in early June every seed germinated within a couple of days.

[Discussion Forum] Re: The cactus police in action

pijaya — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 06:56:05 +0000

Since Lophophora are perfectly legal here I will admit I tried Lopho smoothie once many years ago as a friend of mine prepared it just for experiment, and have not try it ever again. I would describe it as extremely bitter, and not even have the slightest halucinogenic effect but I didn't try much because of bitterness (and as DaveW mentioned, I was concern more about the systemics!) Anyway from this experience I do not recommend anyone to eat this cactus just for the halucination effect because you will sure be disapointed (really bad taste and no effect observed, not to mention systemic pesticides and the cost involved). Strangely, [i]Lophophora williamsii[/i] has been one of the best selling cacti in Thailand. Cactus nurseries are producing them in large numbers to supply to both domestic and foreign customers. I have seen foreign buyers who buy only seedlings of L. williamsii (and nothing else) in large numbers. I wonder?!!...

[Bugs, Birds and Other Critters] Harlequin ladybirds.

Dot — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 22:48:47 +0000

We seem to have a mini swarm of harlequin ladybirds in one of our rooms, one has landed on the computer keyboard, and another has just flown into the fax machine!. Is it a good idea to catch them and put them into the greenhouse? Dot.

[Discussion Forum] Re: The cactus police in action

iann — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:58:24 +0000

That's if you believe what Castaneda wrote ;)

[Discussion Forum] Re: How to germinate seeds: TEPHROCACTUS bonnieae , T.geometricus?

iann — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:54:51 +0000

There seems to be a whole range of experiences from "no problem at all" by the experts to "nothing at all" by many others. I find most Tehprocactus come up pretty easily if not exactly promptly. There may be a particular narrow temperature range that they want because I've had them sit in the greenhouse for months, then all pop up together. That temperature range has been on the warm side in my experience. T. bonnieae I find a little more difficult, but the end result just seems to be a lower percentage germinating. Here's one from last year at maybe six months old. [attachment 22362 bonnieae7.jpg]

[Discussion Forum] Re: The cactus police in action

Phil Hocking — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:52:35 +0000

I did taste a Trichocereus many years ago and it was so foul I can still remember it. Lophophoras are far too beautiful to take a knife to and anyway, if you've read Castaneda you'll know that you'd have to destroy lots of them for any effect. Far better just to be in the presence of the plant I think. That can send you into raptures. Somerset Phil

[Discussion Forum] Re: How to germinate seeds: TEPHROCACTUS bonnieae , T.geometricus?

Roger M — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 21:48:37 +0000

See my remarks under Seed Raising. I have never found much trouble with Tephros of the species you mention. Just normal seed raising techniques should do the trick, unless the seeds are dud