planthelper Posted September 19, 2008 mutant, if you got nothing better to do than rotate your plants, well than do so, but who rotates the cacti in nature? teotz, google each term you don't know yet, and than post your findings, like that some of us can learn from your efforts, and it's not like often the other way around. no problems though, your zest and enthusiasm is very wellcomed. your idea with the light doesn't get my approval, me too say's etitolation, on top of maybe other stress factors, like central heating and very dry air. i think that central heating can be good and bad for cacti depending on excactly what's going on... if your cacti shrink fast, than the air is too dry, and you will have to water just a little bit. remeber what i said about, lophs taking in moisture via there skin at nightime in nature, that keeps them "fat", if there is no moisture in the air, they might shrink a bit.... but don't worry, i know many happy lophs growing in very cold climates, which don't get any water for 5 months or so, and they sit just at the windowsil. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted September 23, 2008 mutant, if you got nothing better to do than rotate your plants, well than do so, but who rotates the cacti in nature? Hmmm, they are not in nature, they're in artificial pots reaaaaaaly far away from where they naturally belong... Yeah, I have been rotating several of my plants [whenever I remember] so as they have a nice shape, thats the idea - for cacti it's also about preserving them going straight up, not making curves and so... hey, you missed this question, and I think it's of general interest, apart from my own... What about the grafted pairs? which plant gets the attention? mytrilos, which are the stock or lopho which are the scion define the preferances? [actually this is more of a general grafting question, rather than wintering stuff] Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted September 24, 2008 (edited) Hmmm, they are not in nature, they're in artificial pots reaaaaaaly far away from where they naturally belong... Yeah, I have been rotating several of my plants [whenever I remember] so as they have a nice shape, thats the idea - for cacti it's also about preserving them going straight up, not making curves and so... hey, you missed this question, and I think it's of general interest, apart from my own... What about the grafted pairs? which plant gets the attention? mytrilos, which are the stock or lopho which are the scion define the preferances? [actually this is more of a general grafting question, rather than wintering stuff] i hope i didn't come across too strong making my point about rotating... i am sure that if you rotate them on a regular basis, they will benefit from this. my issue is that, if somebody reads this and rotates them for the first time, and they live somewhere with lots of sunlight, "sunburn" is a likely outcome of this scenario. aswell if one would forget to rotate for a while, the plants could get burned once you rotate them. anyway, there is no doubt in my mind that this works for you very well, but in my garden this practice would mean lot's of additional work, for little benefit, or even in the worst cases, the result would be disastrous. i don't know the answere to your question about the grafts, i only ever use peres or echinopsis as a stock. i water the grafts over winter a little, but i try to avoid that the lophs "burst" because of too fast growth. Edited September 24, 2008 by planthelper Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted September 24, 2008 i hope i didn't come across too strong making my point about rotating... LOL, that's OK, I suppose you sounded a bit harsh to my ears, by no worries mate of course you got a point about the fact that's it's not practical to rotate a number of plants on a regular basis - I only do that with my 3 tricho cacti, especially if I feel they're beginiing to curve ... I suppose I never had a burn because I acclimated them from scratch to lots of sun.. I used to do it also with my big brug, but I stopped as someone here {?} said the flowering circly might be interrupted or skipped if you moved them... but i try to avoid that the lophs "burst" because of too fast growth. by that you mean something like the 'splitting' of stone plants? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
planthelper Posted September 24, 2008 yes, with "burst" i mean they split open, because they swell up more than the skin can hold back, and than pathogenes move in and can kill the specimen within a short periode of time. i think that lophs which are grafted on peres at times shrivel up very fast, i mean they are more sensitive to underwatering than there mates which still grow on there own roots. i think, the thing with rotating the cacti, is so close to my heart, because, i learned the hard way that, often doing this and trying this to help plants, in fact only harmed them. quite a few times, we read stories here, were somebody just recieved there plants and than in an attempt to do the right thing ends up killing the plant or damaging it. sorry for the sidetrack, but it goes somthing like followes... i recieved a xxxx plant and have put it inside my east facing window.... all is well... than, i just read, some people grow monster xxxx plants outdoors,and have done so... suddenly the plant looks a bit wilted... i just read, not to give this plant full sun, and will put a humidety dome over it to help it to recover, moves it back indoors... anyway, i think you get my drift. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teotzlcoatl Posted October 5, 2008 I've decided to put my cacti in the coldhouse until it gets really cold (like down in the 40s) then they will be moved downstrairs into the basement, it will be room temperature and have a little light during the day, they will not be water, but I will mist them once or twice a month. Does this sounds good? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
uarewotueat Posted October 22, 2008 teo, your lophs will be absolutely fine down to 4c and lower, go to www.lophophora.blogspot.com and have a trawl through it... he has kept his lophs in an unheated greenhouse for the past few years with temps as low as -4c without any problems... i still have some living outdoors now, temps have been as low as 2c - 3c recently. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teotzlcoatl Posted October 22, 2008 Excellent, but I still may move them indoors, in the dead-cold of winter. Good to see you around Uarewotueat. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mitchnast Posted November 15, 2008 I have an insulated (but completely dark) shed for the winter, and a space heater that is set to 4°c It is dry and nothing has been watered for weeks. should this be ok till april? I just don't have a way to keep them dormant AND provide light. what im wondering is, is the pitch darkness ok for the dormant plants? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teotzlcoatl Posted March 10, 2009 I wintered my cacti partly in a cold house and put them in dormacy with cold and no water then brough them indoors and put them under lights. Worked well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted March 12, 2009 Teotz, here's a friendly advice. STOP THE ONELINER POST If you wanna contribute .... " tell us the whole fucking story!!! What about the glands?" Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teotzlcoatl Posted May 6, 2009 It seems like they did good over the winter. Glands? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted May 6, 2009 Glands? Lol, its a quote from fear and loathing in las vegas, when duke is high on norepinephrine or something like that Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Teotzlcoatl Posted May 7, 2009 Dude that is what I was thinkin'! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
