Getafix Posted December 27, 2012 And how happy is the mrs about it Well yeah, that's an ongoing discussion!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stillman Posted December 27, 2012 The spot where I Bap'd my Tricho crest has gone nuts, looks like one part is going to grow like a normal column which is interesting. Some more Hybrid adeniums are forming flowers. And my TBM graft is starting to push a bit. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
naja naja Posted December 27, 2012 My peru crest grew a column for a bit, but it has since reverted to crested growth. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Nemisty Posted December 28, 2012 Cacti are basking in the summer heat. Not a single plant in the whole garden isn't growing. Noticed the first visible signs of mutation in the seed from Nitrogen. My Macro/Peru? finally waking up for the first time since I bought her about 8 months ago. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Mr. Bowser Posted December 29, 2012 Today I discovered the freezing point of my T. cuzcoensis is somewhere between -5 and -10 C! This was the only cactus I had out in the snow, and it seemed just fine down to -5C and still kinda squishy ribs I was thinking about bringing it inside the house for a couple months til temps stayed around 0 to +5C ... Checked on it this morning after hitting -10C and it was frozen solid oh well, glad it was just one, and not the flock! 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mutant Posted December 29, 2012 cheers, today I checked out my freshly potted mandrakes in the GH. It seems the survival rates are at about 30% - not bad, it seems I could stay a bit more on the dry side. well they are succulents in the wider sense! also potted some newly rooted TBMs, a new-comer 'true blue' , lol, and pachanoi crests Re. grafted TBM IME TBM become longer when grafted which is funny, as it looks like someone is trying to get his penis bigger. And it works! lol re>BAP maybe the best idea is to graft the new pups, so as not to wear up and confuse the main body? tricho monster /columns I got two strains of pachanoi monster, one came from Kada and it tends to form columns too. I got some of these rooted - it should be very interesting to see how they grow. Funny thing is that I remember kada telling me his did not do columns for him. The other strain is only cresty so far. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowfella Posted January 2, 2013 Finally a pup on my TBM that doesn't start at the outset of winter, came with just 2 "segments"...sent 1 pup out in at the start of winter the first year I had it. Then sat without doing a thing over summer. Sent another 2 pups out at the onset of last winter, stunted their growth too. Now finally an offset that might turn into something! 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CβL Posted January 2, 2013 Today I repotted just shy of a dozen cacti that had been getting sick and tired of their pots being cramped. The mix was yet again some random concoction that I made up on the fly to what I thought would work well. I think I used roughly 40% CC normal mix, 33% compost, some blood and bone, and the rest equal parts very coarse sand (coarser than builder's sand) and fine pumice (3mm), with some 7mm pumice for good meash. I got a spine broken off in my fingertips again while separating a few bridgesiis that were in a single pot - not happy at all about that. I also gave some seasol + liquid ferts to almost all of the plants this evening. A few of my bigger Trichos are not too happy having used most of their soil and getting blasted with a very hot sun all day, two had black spots on the growing tip - guess I need to water more often in summer. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Getafix Posted January 2, 2013 Today I repotted just shy of a dozen cacti that had been getting sick and tired of their pots being cramped. The mix was yet again some random concoction that I made up on the fly to what I thought would work well. I think I used roughly 40% CC normal mix, 33% compost, some blood and bone, and the rest equal parts very coarse sand (coarser than builder's sand) and fine pumice (3mm), with some 7mm pumice for good meash. I got a spine broken off in my fingertips again while separating a few bridgesiis that were in a single pot - not happy at all about that. I also gave some seasol + liquid ferts to almost all of the plants this evening. A few of my bigger Trichos are not too happy having used most of their soil and getting blasted with a very hot sun all day, two had black spots on the growing tip - guess I need to water more often in summer. I have always watered my cacti hard in the summer. I am flat out pre watering each day at the moment in anticipation of the next week with temperatures getting up to 45 degrees and staying there for a few days!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CβL Posted January 2, 2013 I think you're onto it. I think I also forgot how often I watered the plants last year , as it was probably more often than this year. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowfella Posted January 3, 2013 Positioned all the plants for the outdoors bed in preparation for getting planted in first thing in the morning. And realised I had to many plants picked out for the space so I had to take some out, mainly giant growing species like T. pasacana, T. terscheckii, T. candicans and Parodia schumanniana. Still likely going to be seriously overcrowded in a year or 3 I'd say. 6 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Distracted Posted January 3, 2013 Checked out a cutting I took a month or so ago that has in the last two days withered and rotted away in the heat even though it's been in the shade. Crazy :/ Also moved a macro log I have in a pot into the shade because the sun is turning it yellow/brown. Some cacti seem to only be able to take direct sunlight when they're in a column. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
El Presidente Hillbillios Posted January 3, 2013 realised the goats have eaten the growth tip of every cacti in the front yard! damn third world problems LOL 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Getafix Posted January 3, 2013 Checked out a cutting I took a month or so ago that has in the last two days withered and rotted away in the heat even though it's been in the shade. Crazy :/ Also moved a macro log I have in a pot into the shade because the sun is turning it yellow/brown. Some cacti seem to only be able to take direct sunlight when they're in a column. Yeah the heat is crazy.I had to take emergency action today after work, hope I'm not to late. Built temporary shade covers,(old stakes and bed sheets) to cover three of my new planted out cacti beds. They took a hammering today and with 44 degrees forecast for tomorrow I don't think they would have survived another day in the sun. Will be building proper shade cloth covers this weekend, I underestimated the power of the SA sun!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowfella Posted January 3, 2013 I kept the plants I'm putting outside under full sun but also under temporary shade using insect screen for about a month now to harden them off, still going to be keeping a close eye on them in the coming days though. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Getafix Posted January 3, 2013 I kept the plants I'm putting outside under full sun but also under temporary shade using insect screen for about a month now to harden them off, still going to be keeping a close eye on them in the coming days though. My plants that got a little toasted have been outside in full sun for months and doing fine but today they got hammered, caught me by surprise. I think I am going to run shade cloth over them for the rest of the summer as they are currently positioned so they catch at least 12hrs sun a day which is obviously too much in this heat Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
qualia Posted January 4, 2013 man, my plants got fried today, the sausage plant is bright orange on the tip, the others now look like they're var. variegata. say, do you think they'd be alright out in the sun still? i don't want to mollycoddle them but i don't want them to die either, it's going to only be high 20's, ranging to mid 30's for the next week, not the temparature where i'd ordinarily worry. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Getafix Posted January 4, 2013 man, my plants got fried today, the sausage plant is bright orange on the tip, the others now look like they're var. variegata. say, do you think they'd be alright out in the sun still? i don't want to mollycoddle them but i don't want them to die either, it's going to only be high 20's, ranging to mid 30's for the next week, not the temparature where i'd ordinarily worry. I reckon you will be okay if the temperature is dropping to that range from tomorrow. Mine have looked the same after the really hot days but seem to revive themselves over night. It is the continuous super hot days I would be worried about. I am not taking any more chances here. Have just been to Bunnings and bought a heap of shade cloth and stakes and am going to build cover for my young cacti beds tomorrow. We still got a few days forecast around the 40+ and I reckon it will kill them. Just keep a real close eye on them, they should recover in the next day or two with the lower temps. Cheers 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowfella Posted January 4, 2013 Here's what the heat just before christmas did to one of my plants, it was already hardened after more than a year outside but I had to take it out of the ground about 2 months back when I started building the new bed = 2 months unpotted and in shade. Spent the day planting in the lot I arranged up yesterday, to hungover this morning to get up and do it early so stupid me did it under midday sun One of them started showing signs of sunburn so I gave it a little personal sun shelter in the form of insect screen, some wire and a couple of rocks to hold it down. 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted January 4, 2013 ^ His neighbors will be jealous, calling him names like 'teacher's pet' and 'softie' 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Getafix Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) Well I got up early today and built shade cloth covers for my newly planted out beds. The little ones can't hack 40+ yet and the larger ones have only recently come out of pots so root systems not very established yet. They suffered yesterday but it doesn't look like I have lost any plants. Bought soft Pine stakes so I could use a heavy duty staple gun to attach the shade cloth. I intend to re-use this for a couple of summers if needed, could also be used for frost cover if needed though don't think that will be too much of a problem here! Edited January 5, 2013 by Getafix 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GoOnThen Posted January 5, 2013 I value my testicles to much to do something like that. Its ether shade from the trees or suffer at my place. Cheers Got 5 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Getafix Posted January 5, 2013 I value my testicles to much to do something like that. Its ether shade from the trees or suffer at my place. Cheers Got Ha ha yeah, my wife is pretty understanding.....to a point! I will be planting another large tree in the garden for shade but need an immediate solution for now!! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bogfrog Posted January 5, 2013 Far out you guys! My town got up to 34 degrees today and it just about killed me. I certainly couldnt handle australia. I gave all my plants a much needed drink, and then i cross pollenated a 3 ribbed astrophytum mystri~2hot2spell~grameahhh thingy with a 5 ribbed astrophytum nudum. Also sowed some A. Asterias hybrids which Blowng sent me. Ahh, blessed be, it just started to rain 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowfella Posted January 5, 2013 Hit 41 in the shade under the awning here today, had to erect some more temporary little shade huts for cacti outdoors and one Copiapoa that's been in full sun for months still got burnt What grade shadecloth did you use Getafix? Looks like I'll have to put some up to protect plants even on the benches! 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
