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#1
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Cacti
I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are
in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? Complete gardening novice so treat me with gardening gloves please lol Thanks Jay |
#2
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Cacti
It would all depend on which ones they are.
"Jason Scott" wrote in message ... I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? Complete gardening novice so treat me with gardening gloves please lol Thanks Jay |
#3
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Cacti
In article , Jason Scott
writes I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? No, they're not particularly fussy. But they do tend to fall over if the pot is too small, and if they're the sort that have offshoots the offshoots can be a bit squashed by a small pot. Don't repot them just yet - wait till they're in full growth in the warmer weather - May or June. Use a strip of screwed up newspaper to hold them if you're worried about the spines. You need a well drained compost - either add some sharp sand to ordinary potting compost, or buy a small bag of 'cacti compost'. Cacti don't like to be cold and wet, so you can water them as much as you like in the summer, but very little in the winter if they're indoors on a windowsill and not at all if their in a greenhouse. Give them as much light and sun as you can. Depending on type, you might get flowers. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
#4
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Cacti
Exactly to which cacti do you allude, Kay?
Night blooming Cereus, giant cardoon or golden barrel? Or are one of those enlightened souls that thinks Sempervivum are cacti? "Kay Easton" wrote in message ... In article , Jason Scott writes I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? No, they're not particularly fussy. But they do tend to fall over if the pot is too small, and if they're the sort that have offshoots the offshoots can be a bit squashed by a small pot. Don't repot them just yet - wait till they're in full growth in the warmer weather - May or June. Use a strip of screwed up newspaper to hold them if you're worried about the spines. You need a well drained compost - either add some sharp sand to ordinary potting compost, or buy a small bag of 'cacti compost'. Cacti don't like to be cold and wet, so you can water them as much as you like in the summer, but very little in the winter if they're indoors on a windowsill and not at all if their in a greenhouse. Give them as much light and sun as you can. Depending on type, you might get flowers. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
#5
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Cacti
"Cereus-validus" wrote in message ... "Kay Easton" wrote in message ... In article , Jason Scott writes I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? No, they're not particularly fussy. But they do tend to fall over if the pot is too small, and if they're the sort that have offshoots the offshoots can be a bit squashed by a small pot. Don't repot them just yet - wait till they're in full growth in the warmer weather - May or June. Use a strip of screwed up newspaper to hold them if you're worried about the spines. You need a well drained compost - either add some sharp sand to ordinary potting compost, or buy a small bag of 'cacti compost'. Cacti don't like to be cold and wet, so you can water them as much as you like in the summer, but very little in the winter if they're indoors on a windowsill and not at all if their in a greenhouse. Give them as much light and sun as you can. Depending on type, you might get flowers. Exactly to which cacti do you allude, Kay? Night blooming Cereus, giant cardoon or golden barrel? Or are one of those enlightened souls that thinks Sempervivum are cacti? I took the liberty of putting Cereus-validus' contribution in a place where the logical flow of the conversation is maintained a little better than by top-posting. Franz |
#6
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Cacti
Thanks a bunch, Franz.
I will be sure to keep you busy rearranging my postings for posterity!!! You sure must really like to cut and paste!! "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... "Cereus-validus" wrote in message ... "Kay Easton" wrote in message ... In article , Jason Scott writes I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? No, they're not particularly fussy. But they do tend to fall over if the pot is too small, and if they're the sort that have offshoots the offshoots can be a bit squashed by a small pot. Don't repot them just yet - wait till they're in full growth in the warmer weather - May or June. Use a strip of screwed up newspaper to hold them if you're worried about the spines. You need a well drained compost - either add some sharp sand to ordinary potting compost, or buy a small bag of 'cacti compost'. Cacti don't like to be cold and wet, so you can water them as much as you like in the summer, but very little in the winter if they're indoors on a windowsill and not at all if their in a greenhouse. Give them as much light and sun as you can. Depending on type, you might get flowers. Exactly to which cacti do you allude, Kay? Night blooming Cereus, giant cardoon or golden barrel? Or are one of those enlightened souls that thinks Sempervivum are cacti? I took the liberty of putting Cereus-validus' contribution in a place where the logical flow of the conversation is maintained a little better than by top-posting. Franz |
#7
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Cacti
"Jason Scott" wrote in message ... I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? Complete gardening novice so treat me with gardening gloves please lol Ah, I remember it well. I started off with three cacti lost in the bottom of yoghourt pots bought at a local jumble sale. Three years later one of them flowered - a night flowering Echinopsis. And I was hooked! I ended up with 1500 and a greenhouse devoted to them. I never came to terms with generalisations about them. They come from a wide range of habitats, from salt laden coastlines to Andean mountains covered in winter snow. Some will grow in cracks in rocks and some have huge extensive root systems. It is true to say that given the right conditions, all 'should' flower. The knack is getting the conditions right. Best to start off giving them conventional rootspace. Keep them dry when its cold. When the weather warms up start giving them a drink but wait till they dry out again before repeating the process. And they will appreciate the 'odd' bit of fertiliser - in moderation. If they are named species, you can get specific advice on how to treat them from books or Google. Find out their native habitat and 'try' to emulate it. Of course it will not always be possible. You will win some - and you will lose some. But it can be fascinating. -- ned |
#9
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Cacti
"Cereus-validus" wrote in message . .. Thanks a bunch, Franz. I will be sure to keep you busy rearranging my postings for posterity!!! You sure must really like to cut and paste!! "Franz Heymann" wrote in message ... "Cereus-validus" wrote in message ... "Kay Easton" wrote in message ... In article , Jason Scott writes I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? No, they're not particularly fussy. But they do tend to fall over if the pot is too small, and if they're the sort that have offshoots the offshoots can be a bit squashed by a small pot. Don't repot them just yet - wait till they're in full growth in the warmer weather - May or June. Use a strip of screwed up newspaper to hold them if you're worried about the spines. You need a well drained compost - either add some sharp sand to ordinary potting compost, or buy a small bag of 'cacti compost'. Cacti don't like to be cold and wet, so you can water them as much as you like in the summer, but very little in the winter if they're indoors on a windowsill and not at all if their in a greenhouse. Give them as much light and sun as you can. Depending on type, you might get flowers. Exactly to which cacti do you allude, Kay? Night blooming Cereus, giant cardoon or golden barrel? Or are one of those enlightened souls that thinks Sempervivum are cacti? I took the liberty of putting Cereus-validus' contribution in a place where the logical flow of the conversation is maintained a little better than by top-posting. Cereus-validus has just made sure that I will not read any more contributions from him for a while. Franz |
#10
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Cacti
"Jason Scott" wrote in message ... I have just bought 3 cacti. They seem quite large for the tiny pots they are in. Is it OK to put them in bigger pots or do they like to stay confined and quite potbound? Complete gardening novice so treat me with gardening gloves please lol Thanks Jay Some cacti seem to thrive on abuse. We have one variety which is a a ?barrel? shape - think of half a short fat spiky ridged cucumber - which propogates by budding near the base. I have potted this on in normal multi-purpose compost, and then taken cuttings and potted them on into normal multi-purpose compost covered by a thin layer of grit. I leave them out on the patio in the sun, wind and rain for most of the year. Last year I just remembered to bring them in before the frost. They flower every few weeks with lovely trumpet shaped flowers which only last a day or so. I overwinter them in a shed, near the window. They tolerate being very dry and extremely wet. Two other varieties, Christma/Easter cactus and a strange branching huge thing, live obscure lives of their own in large old terracotta plant pots. On has been out all winter and still seems to be alive, although not growing strongly at the moment. I always thought that cacti were delicate desert things which needed dryness, special compost, and special care. I suspect that these would thrive in a sunny south facing border for most of the year, and might even overwinter if covered against frost. I may yet try this :-) So experiment and have fun - my cacti seem to grow like crazy when treated like normal pot plants i.e. regular feed and water, normal compost. Cheers Dave R Which reminds me - it must be about time they came out of the shed for some fresh air! |
#11
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Cacti
In article , David W.E.
Roberts writes I suspect that these would thrive in a sunny south facing border for most of the year, and might even overwinter if covered against frost. I may yet try this :-) Protection against wet is more important than protection against frost. They are happy about wet when the weather is warm, and many are happy about frost if bone dry. This means it is possible to keep some species outside during winter so long as they are dry and protected from rain. Protecting against frost but not against wet is not enough - they need to be considerably warmer to cope with that - below 40 deg you'll have difficulty if they are wet. (and don't assume above 40 is therefore OK - I don't start watering mine until May) But otherwise, yes, they tolerate a lot of neglect (which is what they're designed for), and equally will take a lot of water in summer if its offered. -- Kay Easton Edward's earthworm page: http://www.scarboro.demon.co.uk/edward/index.htm |
#12
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Cacti
The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words: I took the liberty of putting Cereus-validus' contribution in a place where the logical flow of the conversation is maintained a little better than by top-posting. Are you on mains sewage or a septic tank, Franz? Do be careful. Janet. |
#13
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Cacti
"Janet Baraclough.." wrote in message ... The message from "Franz Heymann" contains these words: I took the liberty of putting Cereus-validus' contribution in a place where the logical flow of the conversation is maintained a little better than by top-posting. Are you on mains sewage or a septic tank, Franz? Do be careful. Neither, but as a matter of fact I do live in a village in which the main drain to which I contribute effluent has a section with no fall at all. Once in a while we have a real problem with sewage bubbling out through the manhole covers. |
#14
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Cacti
The message
from "Franz Heymann" contains these words: "Janet Baraclough.." wrote in message ... The message from "Franz Heymann" contains these words: I took the liberty of putting Cereus-validus' contribution in a place where the logical flow of the conversation is maintained a little better than by top-posting. Are you on mains sewage or a septic tank, Franz? Do be careful. Neither, but as a matter of fact I do live in a village in which the main drain to which I contribute effluent has a section with no fall at all. Once in a while we have a real problem with sewage bubbling out through the manhole covers. That sounds like cereus-validus. Wherever he turns up, he's unwelcome. Janet. |
#15
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Cacti
Hey Broccoli,
Why don't you get a life of your own? If it wasn't for me, you'd have nobody to aspire to be. Whenever there's a sewage problem, you show up looking for a free meal!!! "Janet Baraclough.." wrote in message ... The message from "Franz Heymann" contains these words: "Janet Baraclough.." wrote in message ... The message from "Franz Heymann" contains these words: I took the liberty of putting Cereus-validus' contribution in a place where the logical flow of the conversation is maintained a little better than by top-posting. Are you on mains sewage or a septic tank, Franz? Do be careful. Neither, but as a matter of fact I do live in a village in which the main drain to which I contribute effluent has a section with no fall at all. Once in a while we have a real problem with sewage bubbling out through the manhole covers. That sounds like cereus-validus. Wherever he turns up, he's unwelcome. Janet. |
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