Frost tolerant Trichocereus?

[ZooL]

I am moving to a new place next week(will post pics in  a week or so) where i plan to make a succulent and cacti garden(with idea i may also breed for seeds and make cuttings for sale around some of the local markets) I intend to erect a few hot/glass houses simulating different environment but also intend to extend the garden there(someone has spent a longggggg time creating it amid nothing but farm pastures) with a cacti and succulent area. The issue here is the frost during winter time, i really don't know much about cacti growing but have heard many cacti will just turn to mush under these conditions so aside from general frost tolerant cacti and succulent i was wondering if people here may have some experience with what may be some frost resistant strains or crosses of Trichocereus?

[EightySeven]

From what I've read T. Terschekii is supposed to be an exceptionally frost tolerant trichocereus species.

[Humboldt]

Hey Zool, im not much of a expert but was of the understanding the knuthianus dont mind a bit of chill. We get 6+ or so ripping frost down here,  I was intending in putting some trichs into a raised bed and covering with a frost cloth. 

[DiscoStu]

we get some frosts here in melb (usually a few mornings touching 0 or so), my plants have never had a problem. usually plants will turn to mush if you have them too wet and you should be keeping them relatively dry during winter any way (and preferably unnder some cover). but we're not as bad as tas or NZ so YMMV

[Slocombe]

It regularly gets below freezing where I live, and it's not an issue at all for trichocereus. They're tough.

[fyzygy]

I've read conflicting reports on this -- that T. peruvianus is both frost-tolerant and frost-intolerant. I'm guessing high altitudes (in native Peru) must get pretty cold. 

[Humboldt]

Size matters.  

[Halcyon Daze]

I see this is an old thread but I'll add my 2 cents.

 

To help mitigate any frost issues you could consider using a double raised bed, avoid building a cactus garden in a frost hollow, use shelter from nearby trees (Trichs seem to grow well among gum trees). plant companion plants/ succulents around the base of the cacti, keep them bone dry. If it looks like a shocker frost is about to hit consider wrapping trunks in hessian/ plastic/ newspaper, and you can also place some clear plastic cups or containers over the tips for a few days. The more you put in, the more you get out, and those who go the extra mile with their cactus gardens usually end up with something that looks so incredibly awesome, that all the hard work seems totally worth it in the end.

[fyzygy]

Other sources quote different figures (-5 ºC) for bridgesii and (-9 ºC) for peruvianus

•    Echinopsis atacamensis (formerly Trichocereus pasacana) (-12 ºC)
•    Trichocereus pachanoi (According to Plants of the World Online, today it must be considered a subspecies of Trichocereus macrogonus, although years ago it was renamed Echinopsis pachanoi) (-12 ºC)
•    Echinopsis lageniformis (formerly Trichocereus bridgesii) (-10 ºC)
https://succulentalley.com/can-cactus-survive-winter/

 

Edited December 22, 2021 by fyzygy