Caring for Lophophora in an office environment

[Benzito]

OK,

I finally got sick of having a totally bare desk at work here, and decided that perhaps I was feeling so negative at work due to the absolute lack of plants. My little ethnobotanical garden at home is my safe haven, my 'happy place', so I thought I should bring some of that positivity to work with me.

So, I ordered two little 15mm buttons from Torsten and I've been caring for them at home for about a month now. They have fattened up quite considerably since I received them, and look very plump and green.

Today I've just brought one of them to work, and am currently explaining to all my colleagues that it's "just some cactus from Bunnings".

Little do they realise.... :D

Anyways, My desk is actually so far from a window that I'm developing rickets due to lack of sunlight. Obviously, this guy wouldn't survive for hundreds of years in air-conditioning away from any sunlight, but I'm hoping I'll get a good few years worth of growth. At least until I move on from here. Maybe the harsh conditions will even make it a very potent little button?

Should I give it any special care to ensure it's survival? Maybe take it home one weekend a month or something? Probably less watering than usual?

Any pointers or hints guys, as I am still quite new to cacti and succulents.

Thanks in advance

[2b]

Benzito , I've had one on my desk for a few months now and he is doing fine .In the wild they live under plants in a low light situation so they feel right at home.I haven't noticed any special requirments yet , maybe they will just grow slower than in optimal conditions ? Having said that I've got plenty of natural light in here .

[Benzito]

Great 2b, sounds promising then.

Have you noted any growth while you've had it on your desk?

And also, how regularly do you water the little guy?

Would a cacti in sunlight, outdoors need more or less water than a cacti in air conditioning, away from sunlight?

[apothecary]

Careful about taking it home for a weekend. If it gets used to low light situation and then you move it once a month into a position with much more light, it may burn easy.

If you feel like the light really is that low, bring in one of those lamps with the adjustable necks, put a fluorescent 10W bulb in it and leave it on above the little guy.

That way it can get some light and your desk will be a bit brighter!

Water when the soil is dry. Simple as that. I don't mean just the top soil, I mean all of it.

I usually wait till it's dry, then wait a few more days then give the soil a good soak.

[2b]

I'm a realy heathen when it comes to cacti , i treat them rough and they love it Basic common sense goes a long way as they are more forgiving than vascular plants , water when dry . As for aircon , i can only dream of working in an aircon environment but from what i know aircon will dry your skin out so it should dry a plant out ?

[apothecary]

I'm pretty sure cacti don't mind dry air 2b

[gerbil]

Might not be feasible at the moment, but I highly suggest reading up and learning how to graft, it's dead easy. A grafted peyote at work would be more inspirational to me than a smaller normal grown one, but then again they both will give out a different feel.

I suggest a squat but thick stock, trich. spachianus seems to work well and look good too, with a decent sized button grafted 10-20c piece. Keeping the original peyote root in tact to continue growing.

[apothecary]

I find that grafted peyotl simply don't look the same as normal grown ones.

Rootstock that has lots of nodes etc tends to give a golfball type peyotl with lots of areoles, while ones grafted onto things like trichs tend to get these weird ribs going.

Was just having this discussion with BL just yesterday as a matter of fact.

loph on trich:

loph on pereskiopsis:

[Amulte]

id have to agree with being careful with the movement on the weekends. are you in an office with fluros on most of the day? IMO just leave it there and hope no-one destroys it, find a nice little hidy hole for her till you get back.

Shouldnt need water much and apoth is right, they get used to their current conditions. but i give my cacti two sprays at the base every so often. maybe full water once a month depending how water the month has been. under fluros and spray creates a higher humidity level but might not be good, they change for their conditions. ive found trying not to kill it will. maybe im over careful.

yeah the air con will suck the moisture out of the air. grafting sounds interesting though...

i gotta ask, with a graft what benefits are there??

[Benzito]

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm just gonna sit back and keep reading.

 

quote:

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with a graft what benefits are there??

 

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To my knowledge, the key benefit is faster growth. The growth hormones from the root-stock will affect the planted grafted on top. Some ppl graft Loph's to dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) because they are one of the fastest growing cacti in the world. But, I am yet to delve into grafting, this is just what I've gathered from my readings.

[Amulte]

ahhhh. thanks dude

[Benzito]

Good news: It appears the cleaners here don't recognise a Lophophora. My baby is still sitting on my desk today.

Just have to see how it goes. I figure I'll hold off a little while before I try watering or anything. Just let it settle in.

[mescalito]

Lightly squeeze her nipples each day and she'll tell you how much water you need

[Benzito]

And how should her nipples feel?

What if they're hairy?

[apothecary]

Soft means water, turgid means no water.

[Benzito]

You're turgid!

May I enquire as to the meaning of this word?

So, if it feels kinda soft and squishy it needs to be watered? I would've thought if it had been overwatered, it would go very soft. But I don't know. That's why I'm asking.

[smogs]

both benzito... but obviously if u havnt watered for ages and tis going soft then its from alck of water

and vice versa

[Benzito]

So, squishyness doesn't necessarily tell you exactly what is wrong, it just lets you know the Loph is unhappy?

[ 08. April 2005, 14:54: Message edited by: Benzito ]

[Benzito]

bump

What does squishy-ness signify?