Basic cactus care

[sweetleaf]

I dont like the white gravel much, and I shall change it as soon as I can
it looks naff to me.

[emseypop]

Very good sweetie, did mick get to see the pic's before he left? Someone was giving cacti away on freecycle today. Look at that big snakey one one the last pic!

[sweetleaf]

The snakey one is Caropegia Stapelliformis V. Serpentia ,(its about the only one I know by heart) and its grown about 12" since I got it, I love it, dont you?

[emseypop]

Its cool, good job you've got the perfect space for it!

[mickthecactus]

Looking good. Agree with you over the white stones. Try alpine grit or if you can go to it acquarium gravel.

Oh, and it's Ceropegia stapelliformis v. serpentina. Has it flowered for you yet?

[sweetleaf]

trust me to spell it wrong! No, no flowers yet Mick.

[sweetleaf]

The Aloe Claviflora you sent me in the summer has outgrown its pot, and sent out a long root out of the drainage hole, I know its not really the right time of year to repot, but Im seriously worried that if I dont I wont be able to get it out without damage by the spring. Advise me, please Mick?

[sweetleaf]

sweetleaf said:

The Aloe Claviflora you sent me in the summer has outgrown its pot, and sent out a long root out of the drainage hole, I know its not really the right time of year to repot, but Im seriously worried that if I dont I wont be able to get it out without damage by the spring. Advise me, please Mick?

Well as MIck didnt see this and he has gone off on his hols (not jealous at all am I )
Im going to go with instinct in this case and pot the poor thing on. I have potted up the semps and the new Aloe Amuditensis (sp) and I have all the stuff laid out so I may as well.

You can tell me off when you come back, Mick... if I did wrong!

[madonplants]

sweetleaf said:

sweetleaf said:

The Aloe Claviflora you sent me in the summer has outgrown its pot, and sent out a long root out of the drainage hole, I know its not really the right time of year to repot, but Im seriously worried that if I dont I wont be able to get it out without damage by the spring. Advise me, please Mick?

Well as MIck didnt see this and he has gone off on his hols (not jealous at all am I )
Im going to go with instinct in this case and pot the poor thing on. I have potted up the semps and the new Aloe Amuditensis (sp) and I have all the stuff laid out so I may as well.

You can tell me off when you come back, Mick... if I did wrong!

No expert, but don't think you can go too wrong, can you?

Anyway, won't the plant tell you if you have done wrong?

Keith

[sweetleaf]

This is a rare plant, Keith I was privileged to get one! Even Kew would be happy to have it. I cant take any risks with it. :

[madonplants]

sweetleaf said:

This is a rare plant, Keith I was privileged to get one! Even Kew would be happy to have it. I cant take any risks with it. :

As Mick is not around, is it worth a call to Kew for advice , if you are really worried?

Keith

[sweetleaf]

As they ask Mick for advice, I dont see the point really! I shall just pray!

[mickthecactus]

I've only just seen all this.

OK SL if you've repotted. It could have waited but it should be OK.
It doesn't really need watering.

I will have some more Aloes for you next year (and anybody else if they want them).

Going back further to rain water versus tap water, the only benefit of tap water is that you don't have to repot so often. You have to with tap water or the soil becmes to alkaline which they hate. Or you could acidify your tap water.

[sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

I've only just seen all this.

OK SL if you've repotted. It could have waited but it should be OK.
It doesn't really need watering.

I will have some more Aloes for you next year (and anybody else if they want them).

Going back further to rain water versus tap water, the only benefit of tap water is that you don't have to repot so often. You have to with tap water or the soil becmes to alkaline which they hate. Or you could acidify your tap water.

I repotted it and watered it Mick, it seems to have grown quite a bit over the summer months, to make sure it dried out properly I brought it indoors, it looks happy.

I have a rain water barrel, and I use that water for watering all my Cacti and my one lonely Orchid.

I would be very happy to look after more Aloes.... they are very nice looking plants.

[mickthecactus]

mickthecactus said:

I've only just seen all this.

OK SL if you've repotted. It could have waited but it should be OK.
It doesn't really need watering.

I will have some more Aloes for you next year (and anybody else if they want them).

Going back further to rain water versus tap water, the only benefit of tap water is that you don't have to repot so often. You have to with tap water or the soil becmes to alkaline which they hate. Or you could acidify your tap water.

That should read "the only benefit of RAIN water" not tap water.

Sorry.........

[sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

mickthecactus said:

I've only just seen all this.

OK SL if you've repotted. It could have waited but it should be OK.
It doesn't really need watering.

I will have some more Aloes for you next year (and anybody else if they want them).

Going back further to rain water versus tap water, the only benefit of tap water is that you don't have to repot so often. You have to with tap water or the soil becmes to alkaline which they hate. Or you could acidify your tap water.

That should read "the only benefit of RAIN water" not tap water.

Sorry.........

I didnt notice

I read it the other way round anyway!

[4pygmies]

I've sent for a packet of mixed cactus seeds from T&M - aren't you proud of me Mick? It says they are all very easy to germinate..I thought I'd start off with the easy ones and see if I can't progress....when's the best time to sow them please? And must they have heat? Dark? In soil or what?. Um...............

[mickthecactus]

4pygmies said:

I've sent for a packet of mixed cactus seeds from T&M - aren't you proud of me Mick? It says they are all very easy to germinate..I thought I'd start off with the easy ones and see if I can't progress....when's the best time to sow them please? And must they have heat? Dark? In soil or what?. Um...............

What a brave girl! Beautiful and brave........

Anyhow, don't sow them yet (I don't think you've got a propagator) until about May time. I'm going to put a seed sowing thread in later this month. when they arrive put them in the fridge until you are ready.

[4pygmies]

Okley dokley, my cactus hero..

[cheerypeabrain]

I'll have another go as well. I killed them last year....

[Sweetleaf]

I was looking at my Cacti today and they really do seem to need water.... if I give them some will they all peg it?

The ones that worry me are in the porch and it never gets cold in there, rather the reverse on a sunny day.

[mickthecactus]

sweetleaf2 said:

I was looking at my Cacti today and they really do seem to need water.... if I give them some will they all peg it?

The ones that worry me are in the porch and it never gets cold in there, rather the reverse on a sunny day.

Still a bit early. Don't worry. They can take it.

Are they cacti or succulents? If succulents you can give them a little. If cacti, look closely at the growing point. If there are any signs of growth they can have a little as well. Just enough to get them interested. If they aren't growing (and they probably aren't yet) they don't want it yet.

Incidentally, if you do water and feel uneasy about it put them into the propagator with the lid off.

[Sweetleaf]

mickthecactus said:

sweetleaf2 said:

I was looking at my Cacti today and they really do seem to need water.... if I give them some will they all peg it?

The ones that worry me are in the porch and it never gets cold in there, rather the reverse on a sunny day.

Still a bit early. Don't worry. They can take it.

Are they cacti or succulents? If succulents you can give them a little. If cacti, look closely at the growing point. If there are any signs of growth they can have a little as well. Just enough to get them interested. If they aren't growing (and they probably aren't yet) they don't want it yet.

Incidentally, if you do water and feel uneasy about it put them into the propagator with the lid off.

Thanks Mick, Its both Cacti and Succulents, and some do indeed show signs of growth,C. Serpentina particularly. Ill get the prop ready just in case.

[mickthecactus]

sweetleaf2 said:

mickthecactus said:

Still a bit early. Don't worry. They can take it.

Are they cacti or succulents? If succulents you can give them a little. If cacti, look closely at the growing point. If there are any signs of growth they can have a little as well. Just enough to get them interested. If they aren't growing (and they probably aren't yet) they don't want it yet.

Serpentina is pretty tough. Should be OK.

Incidentally, if you do water and feel uneasy about it put them into the propagator with the lid off.

Thanks Mick, Its both Cacti and Succulents, and some do indeed show signs of growth,C. Serpentina particularly. Ill get the prop ready just in case.

[mickthecactus]

mickthecactus said:

sweetleaf2 said:

Thanks Mick, Its both Cacti and Succulents, and some do indeed show signs of growth,C. Serpentina particularly. Ill get the prop ready just in case.

Don't know what happened to my reply there. I said that serpentina was pretty tough.

So, didjer water, didjer?