Anodyne Posted February 22, 2014 ooh that gives me a good idea... im gonna go try these right now on some bunny ears opuntias lol ! the glochids just blow away in the wind...one or two stick and wipe off really ez i still need to try them on fresh growth with new glochids... Cool, gloves that can stop big spines AND shed glochids as well are definitely worth knowing about! I guess I always had trouble believing that those kinda gloves would stop anything because they just look like rubber kitchen gloves. That is very good to know SC, thanks for the info! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimystic Posted February 22, 2014 I probably won't be using them with columnars, as I mentioned I still got spined handling a Peruvinus, but for being as flexible as they are and being glochid proof I think they're pretty awesome myself... it was pure chance that I ran across them.. if they had been 3 bux i probably wouldn't have gotten them.. i went to the store that day to buy a door knob and turns out they don't carry them...but I was armed with a coupon and an open mind ... I'm glad the info is helpful Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bit Posted February 22, 2014 (edited) I'm going to let you guys into a trade secret. The BEST, and I mean BEST BEST BEST way to handle almost ANY cactus without damaging the cactus or yourself is: A plastic shopping bag, stuffed with other shopping bags. Seriously. I can handle plants with spines 3-4 inches long with a couple of "bags". It protects you, and you don't break all the spines off the plant. Not only do they not break spines off, but they also don't damage the delicate blue colour on the cacti. All the big cactus nurseries use them. If you're not using them, you're doing yourself and your plants a disfavour. See my garden thread, all these plants have been handled with "bags" and not a single spine has invaded skin! Edited February 22, 2014 by bit 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coolname Posted February 22, 2014 I used to use my dads old welding gloves. But they get full of spines eventually Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
magical9 Posted February 23, 2014 I'm going to let you guys into a trade secret. The BEST, and I mean BEST BEST BEST way to handle almost ANY cactus without damaging the cactus or yourself is: A plastic shopping bag, stuffed with other shopping bags. Seriously. I can handle plants with spines 3-4 inches long with a couple of "bags". It protects you, and you don't break all the spines off the plant. Not only do they not break spines off, but they also don't damage the delicate blue colour on the cacti. All the big cactus nurseries use them. If you're not using them, you're doing yourself and your plants a disfavour. See my garden thread, all these plants have been handled with "bags" and not a single spine has invaded skin! so just a bag with a few bags stuffed inside like a pom pom? a big cusha bag of bags? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
zelly Posted February 23, 2014 I think you guys molly coddle your plants way too much. If I break their skin with the metal tongs, I tell them (mentally & verbally) they need to grow thicker skins. A spine got bent or broke? Oh well, grow a new one. The have no problems growing new roots or new pups when you whack their heads off now do they. Oh wait, cutting them with a knife, ax or hatchet is ok but breaking their skins or spines isnt? If a plant stabs me, I stab it right back with a salad fork & tell them (mentally & verbally) next time its going to be the pitchfork. Plants are a whole lot tougher and a whole lot more adaptable than most people give them credit for. Hell, they live their whole lives out doors, naked, and deal with whatever mother nature throws at them. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Optimystic Posted February 26, 2014 (edited) Just fyi on those gloves w/nitrile palms... they work best with indoor grown pereskies... outdoor grown pereskies get really sharp rigid spines and i found out the hard way they'll poke through any damn thing, but the gloves where still helpful as I chopped quite a few down... I can say only one single glochid (not spine) poked through a glove after making dozens of cuttings, and there is a good possiblity it was just on my finger when I put the glove back on too ... but anyways... just thought i'd distinuguish between how helpful they might be, or not helpful when it comes to fluoro grown pereskies vs hard grown.. they're still pretty much 99.9% glochid resistant... the problem is how to keep the glochids off your arms, and your shirt and everywhere else lol someone mailed me some bunny ears last year as a surprise gift, and it was floating around in the box with some trichos and other cacti.. I was pulling out glochids for a week :| Edited February 26, 2014 by Spine Collector Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
magical9 Posted February 26, 2014 I got my new gloves, They are needle stick resistant. They certainly help but they are no match for most long strong spines still. what i found works quite well is i first put on the new needle stick gloves then overtop them i can fit my leather gloves. I was able to grab a columnar with 2-3cm spines no problem. i picked up my golden barrel cactus by just gripping it on both sides and lifting. normally i cant do this with just leather gloves. im not convinced i have any extra protection than what most of you have already found with other solutions unfortunately. but they are comfortable and will work to an extent. they make me super confident when moving my hands quickly around spines though. the only time they get through is if im trying to pick the cactus up or otherwise specifically jam the spine into the glove to see when it will poke. Im certain i can work with MOST cactus with ease but not without the occasional pokey. glochids certainly are no match for my leather glove + needle stick glove combo but at that point its like an astronaut glove heh 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
hostilis Posted February 26, 2014 In my experience glochids are a lot worse than spines. I think oputnia glochids would poke through possibly, but normal cactus spines probably wont. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gr33ntea Posted February 27, 2014 Can anyone recommend to me a pair of gloves best suited for handling cactuses's. They need to be non-real-leather. fake leather is fine. my gf is vegan so her philosophy comes before my career ambitions apparently. i found these so far, but id like something without the gauntlet arms as well for smaller cactus work. http://www.amazon.com/MAGID-TE195T-L-Terra-Professional-Gloves/dp/B00353DE0W/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1392928573&sr=8-2&keywords=cactus+gloves Step 1: Tell your gf if you can have your balls back. Step 2: Spines are easy to block. it is glochids that you need to worry about, Get gloves like this for glochids mainly Step 3: for large cacti i would rcommend rolled up newspaper If you do get glochids in your skin and are unsuccessful in removing them with tweezers, you can shave with a safety razor to cut them off flush with the skin to get immediate relief and your body over time will take care of the small stubs left under the skin. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
~shameless~ Posted February 28, 2014 Safety glasses first , then worry bout gloves, the danger exists when moving cacti especially larger ones, that they can be awkward in weight distribution and all of a sudden make a movement that allows a limb to wack you in the face!, no biggie really , its hurts, but if It gets you in the eye it really is a biggie! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites