cacti and succulent fans make your presence known here

I haven't found a species that I can keep alive for more than a year indoors!

Most Lithops fall into the Zone 10 category (minimum +30 to +40°F). I have read that some species can survive temperatures down in the teens so long as it is kept dry (ground water and humidity). Personally, I have a hard time believing this considering their normal environment.

ri
 
finally!

finally!

a pink blooming winter hardy Opuntia in my garden!

Opuntiapinkflower.jpg
 
Ever been to the San Diego Zoo Gary? They have an outdoor garden designed to attract wild hummingbirds that is nothing but different species of flowering Aloe, cactus and other succulents. I've never seen it, but apparently it is amazing.
 
those look nice Gary.
love grdening!

I went to Bristol garden center in victor near Eastview and they sell Tufa rock. They have a diplay that they made with tufa islands and alpine type suculants. I was so impressed by how natural they looked I almost bought some rock to play with. But then my ADD kicked in and i got distracted by some wisteria saplings they had there.

I am Bonsai kinda person myself, i started to experiment with shaping trees a few years ago and if time allows I may get into making concrete planters and custom carved pots :)
 
I've been to the San Diego Zoo but I didn't see that display, Tad.

Sara's garden center in Brockport sells alpine type succulents.
I don't know of anyone local that sells the cold hardy types of cacti that I'm interested in.
 
Wow Gary thanks for posting this, Never thought we could have these in our zone
I am into tropicals,Such as mandevillas,Passion vines,Bougainvalias,to name a few.... but these Cacti have impressive flowers and they look stunning in your garden!
 
lmk if you can grow those tropicals outside all year, Shawna. I'd be interested in that but I don't believe it's possible.

then again... I never thought it was possible to grow some of these cactus outside in upstate NY.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
lmk if you can grow those tropicals outside all year, Shawna. I'd be interested in that but I don't believe it's possible.

then again... I never thought it was possible to grow some of these cactus outside in upstate NY.
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Don't think so Gary,:( Then again I never tried...... but Maypop Passion Vine is beautiful and bears fruit and it in our zone/winter hardy! I havent tried this variety yet but Im going to get some this year. I have the red passion vine and love love the mandevillas (alice dupont) grows like mad! the bougs I have a hard time overwintering! I usually buy new ones every year.the others, I overwinter them in containers and bring them back outdoors Once the weather breaks.

Gary how long does it take your cacti to grow before they flower?
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
I honestly don't know the answers to to your questions, Scott.
I've never been able to keep any Echinocereus alive for an extended period of time.
Regarding cactus in general, some of my cactus bloom at night and some during the day. (I've had both hummingbirds and bats at their flowers.) Some retain blooms for several days and some keep blooms for only 12 hours.
I've had Opuntia develop fruit and seed.
Hopefully this Echinocereus plant will reproduce and form a nice big clump.

Echinocereus_bloom3.jpg
Click to expand...

Love the yellow flowering one in the back! What is the name of that one?
 
shawna1972 said:
Love the yellow flowering one in the back! What is the name of that one?
Click to expand...
eastern prickly pear. It's extremely easy to grow around here. You'll have to get a pad (frag) from me some time. You lay the pads ("ears") down flat (horizontal) and roots sprout from the shaded part of the pad. I have some small pads of eastern prickly pear that I placed on my garden bed early this spring and they're developing flower buds right now. Late spring is high growing season for my cacti.
 
you should be able to keep many types of succulents outside year 'round, Andy. I noticed the huge Agaves planted outside around Orlando.
 
I use the soil recipe from John Spain's book. Almost any type of soil will work for eastern prickly pear but other more sensitive types of cactus need fast draining soil and a sunny southerly facing position up here.
 
Gary Majchrzak said:
eastern prickly pear. It's extremely easy to grow around here. You'll have to get a pad (frag) from me some time. You lay the pads ("ears") down flat (horizontal) and roots sprout from the shaded part of the pad. I have some small pads of eastern prickly pear that I placed on my garden bed early this spring and they're developing flower buds right now. Late spring is high growing season for my cacti.
Click to expand...

Thats awesome! Nice that they bud so early after planting also.Thanks so much but Yeah if I can ever get out Rochester way :)
Hey Gary These Cacti are so so beautiful but how do you handle them? And If using regular garden gloves do the thorns make it through? Ouch!
 
I use gloves. Only extremely large and heavy cactus with wicked spines (such as Oreocereus) present a handling problem- and for those I wrap 'em in newspapers.
 
Here's my slice of the desert.

Started it last year, but have had the two potted oned for a few years.

RockGardenfront.jpg


RockGardenSide.jpg


With the rate we've been finding stuff to add, soon it'll be expanding to the right :spin2:
 
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