Peyote, cold resistant?

[Guest vegemite]

How cold resistant is peyote. In the southern states is it better to put them in a glass house/humidity tent during winter months. Been reading and found that some cacti are easily affected by cold temperatures and wondering whether peyote is one of these.

[Guest wira]

If you harden them up in warmer months, they should handle an Australian winter fine, if kept indoors and dry. Do NOT water them in winter, until the weather warms up again [beware of late cold-snaps in the tail-end of winter], and then only a little bit of water at first. They don't like freezing or near-freezing temperatures, but can often cope if well-hardened. If the plant actually freezes though, it will almost certainly not survive.

In case you don't know about 'hardening off', this should be done for all purchased cacti, which have probably been having a cushy life. In the past I had many peyote plants die on me within a year or so after purchase, because of not hardening off after bringing them home. Nursery-bought peyote are often over-watered and tender, and may not be ready for full sunlight. Gradually introduce them to full sun over a few weeks or months to avoid disfiguring the skin of the plant. Once I left a peyote plant outside in full sun all day, without the gradual introduction, and by the end of the day it was pretty shrivelled - it did not deal with it well at all. Hardened plants, however, will enjoy full sun for part of the day and also produce faster growth as a result, providing the plant is healthy in other regards and has good soil.

[Ed Dunkel]

I have found my buttons to make it through the winters here in Melbourne fine if kept dry and if they have been hardened of to outside conditions over the year.

Not that I would try this in colder climates but there are several reports of Peyote (older well hardened of plants) that have been snow covered for a short time during the winter in a cactus garden and survived undamaged or mildly damaged.

Good luck.

E D

[Guest vegemite]

Is a small glass house/humidity tent sufficient to protect them outside in winter?

[Guest wira]

If it's a good warm glass house with good air circulation, probably yes. Humidity is something you should try to minimize with cacti, it can encourage rot or fungal diseases.

[Guest Ramon]

From what I have read on this subject.

The plant being dry during the cold is a major factor.

[Guest vegemite]

How do they do inside under lights. Are fluros sufficient or for max growth and general vigour HID MH or HPS should be used?

[Guest Ramon]

Don't really know too much about growing this inside, but when this plant is young it is often found in the shade of other plants and can also sunburn easily.

So presumely its light requirements aren't all that great when it is young at least. Regardless of which light you use growth will be slow as it grows slowly in direct sunlight as well. The only exeption being the cespitosa variety which seems to throw out puppies on a weekly basis.

[Guest wira]

Where you are, and your climate, can make a lot of difference too. When I started growing Lophophora [in Melbourne], I kept them pretty shaded and on a windowsill. They all died over time and I strongly suspect this was because I did not give them enough sunlight for this climate. I've been having them outside [all year except winter] ever since, and they are FAR healthier than my earlier short-lived plants. They can certainly be sunburnt if you just move them straight out into the sun, it's important to introduce them slowly to increasing light levels. Once they're adapted to full sun they'll be fine as long as you don't water them too often [or too infrequently]. Maybe give them a bit of water once a week if they're getting good sun; if it's really scorching they might need shading, and a bit more watering. Just water so they become firm; if they show signs of shrivelling even a bit they need water. Mine now get about half a day of full sun [weather pending of course] and half a day of indirect sun. This applies even to some very small plants, one that is barely 2cm across.

[Guest reville]

How about ensuring they go into dormancy well fed - ive read that well fed plants can tolerate lower temps due to the higher salt content making the water freeze at a lower temp.

[Guest wira]

That may well be true, I don't know myself. I don't usually feed my cacti [other than with water of course ], I just repot them every now and then with a fresh soil mix, when they need it.