Aren't Cactii interesting

corktina

I bought these cacti from a bring and buy sale, potbound and neglected for €2 the lot...replanted them in slightly moist compost and look what's happening!

I know nothing about them...any idea what type they are and what else I might expect.

karl tyrrell

I like cacti but .A friend of mine bought a house a few years ago and in the garden there was an old glass house full of cacti plants he did not want them so I took the lot loaded the car with them when I got home my arms were sore I had hundreds of spikes every were all over me it took months before they were all gone so I will never go near them again.

rje66

corktina wrote: »

I bought these cacti from a bring and buy sale, potbound and neglected for €2 the lot...replanted them in slightly moist compost and look what's happening!

I know nothing about them...any idea what type they are and what else I might expect.

Looks like a flower is coming out on the taller plant.

corktina

that was what I thought....several more following too....green fingers!

I 'inherited' 12 cacti about 20 years ago from an elderly realtive. Her hint was to water them once a month, with about a eggcup full per plant, from Easter till Halloween. They were in the greenhouse then, moving into a cosy shed from Halloween till Easter. They flowered every year, until the hard winter, the year before last, when I lost all bar 2! The one in the pic about to flower is like one I had that had the most magnificent flower. The stem came out abour 9 inches and opened into a trumpet shape. It was stunning, but lasted 2 days at the most. I'm trying to build up my collection again.

corktina

thanks for that...very interesting.

I found these dumped in a cardboard box, dry as a bone and looking very miserable. Couldn't leave them to their fate!

lottpaul

Huge range of varieties of cactii, various sizes, shapes etc. There's usually 2 groups of people - those who love them and those who don't I wouldn't be a fan but all tend to grow slowly, need light, and detest sitting in water so make sure any compost you use is full of grit/sharp sand etc. They are vulnerable to very heavy frost but generally water/rain is their enemy rather than the cold. A bit of diluted feed in spring/summer is good too and water sparingly
The flowers can be spectacular - don't last long but can have a long season. They can also grow huge - slowly but steadily. Enjoy -- great to rescue plants like that and revive them

corktina

I intend adding a layer of grit or chippings across the top (and a plastic cowboy on a horse :-)

My Potatoes

I've only ever seen them flower when we've a hot summer, like this.

My Potatoes

My Potatoes wrote: »

I've only ever seen them flower when we've a hot summer, like this.

Mine flowered every year. I had them in the greenhouse from Easter till Halloween every year and then in (I thought) a cozy shed for the winter. When they were in the shed, it was dark and I never watered them.

Tree

Cacti are fab. when on holidays in Lanzarote we sought out the cactus gardens there (worth a look whether or not you love cacti, my snaps here http://www.flickr.com/photos/96882757@N04/sets/72157633888912532/).

You can get small bags of cactus soil, for when the time comes to pot them on. It's very sandy and doesn't hold water as well as regular potting compost. When the roots start to poke out of the bottom, you can move them to bigger pots in the spring (if you want them to grow nice and big).

If you like cacti, succulents are great too. A little easier to manage on the regular house moves associated with renting

Also, dont worry about cacti and children. My mother has tens of cacti and four children, we learned pretty early on about cactus spines (especially the furry looking ones that are more like fibre glass).

corktina

thanks for the hints...photo will follow as soon as the flower opens....

corktina

full flower today....interesting bit inside the flower looks like a white spider...

corktina

corktina wrote: »

full flower today....interesting bit inside the flower looks like a white spider...

That's the one I had! The flower doesn't last long, but it is magnificent! It looks like you may have another bloom or two on it.

corktina

yes, several of them have buds forming..... best €2 I spent for a while!