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How does your cactus garden grow? (Cactus pic thread)

Migrated topic.
Woohoo, loph porn!

I must have predicted wrong as the bloom offshoots on both cacti look basically the same as they did almost 2 months ago. Oh well, whenever they are ready they will let me know.
 
Mitakuye Oyasin said:
Woohoo, loph porn!

I must have predicted wrong as the bloom offshoots on both cacti look basically the same as they did almost 2 months ago. Oh well, whenever they are ready they will let me know.
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My trich buds last year took absolutely ages (well, several months at least) to get from that ball-of-fuzz stage to actually bursting. They were massive in the end, though, so this shouldn't really come as too surprising.
 
I guessed two months from the fuzzball stage til when I thought I'd see a bloom. I was off by at least a moon cycle, maybe two. We'll see. Hopefully I'll be around for a timelapse of the bloom when it happens.
 
Mitakuye Oyasin said:
I guessed two months from the fuzzball stage til when I thought I'd see a bloom. I was off by at least a moon cycle, maybe two. We'll see. Hopefully I'll be around for a timelapse of the bloom when it happens.
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Another cactus bloom timelapse would be awsesome. Alas, my own trichs seem to be biding their time after last year's display - and I don't even want to begin thinking about how disappointed I am to have missed my Queen of the Night TWICE 🤦‍♂️
Well, at least the flat smelled of slightly cheesy apples for a couple of days afterwards 🤷‍♂️

So - watch those buds of yours like a hawk! I hope you have a good tripod ready for the big moment(s). And I have to admit, those flower buds look distinctly erotic just before bursting, if you ask me…
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Apparently I really suck at predicting when my cactus will bloom. None of my predictions were correct. Good news is that I was treated to a beautiful Birthday bloom on my Peruvian Torch and although I was not able to get any time lapse on it, my family and I got to experience it slowly open during an outdoor Birthday meal. Very fragrant bloom.
 
Hey. Quick question.
Every year I root 5-8 Pedros and put them outside in the ground. (40th parallel) I generally get great growth and just harvest them before the freeze.
This year, I left 3 in the ground. With global warming and all, our freeze is usually much later and we are having a long Indian Summer right now. I've gotten another couple feet.

This weekend, we are looking at 4-5 days in a row with nighttime temps of 31-32F. The Pedro is mulched about 6 inches thick with maybe a foot sticking out.
So, what kind of nighttime temps will it take to kill them? I'm guessing this upcoming cold spell will be survived?
 
I never get rot with my trichocereus and we average 32f to 34f (0c to 1c) night time temps for 3-4 months a year with a max min of 24f (-4c). But they are reportably capable of doing lower temps for short periods. Mulch and moisture will cause rot.
If they are sheltered from frost that could help (mine are in the open).
 
Mine went down when hit by a cold breeze at about -4°C [F=(9C/5)+32]. This wasn't measured accurately in situ, but some level of temperature recording occurred nearby. Different varieties exhibit varying degrees of frost resistance.

I'd suggest securing some horticultural fleece around your plants, and beware of damp mulch, as @_Trip_ suggests. Double up the fleece if it goes to a hard freeze, and be reassured that you can at least brew up frozen cacti quite easily should the occasion arise, if you act quickly.
 
A question I asked in a different thread. This thread might be more appropriate.

(quote)
I have a cactus that was sold to me as TPM. The cutting didn't grow for over a year and finally sprouted a new tip from the base.
As it has grown, I've noticed that it will grow a few inches and then start a new tip from somewhere on the plant.
So, I'm wondering if there is any specific place I should start a new cutting from. If I take a piece which no longer has a growing tip, will it also sit and not grow for a year or more before finding a new tip?
(endquote)

So, I've taken a pic to try to make my question more clear.

1. Was the initial cutting I received. It stayed this size and didn't grow for over a year until finally ⬇︎
2. Sprouted from the base. Growth was slow, but prolly typical for monstrose. But, after a while ⬇︎
3. Sprouted from 2. There was not a cutting made. This was just how the growth went. After another while ⬇︎
4. Sprouted from 3. After 4. grew a few inches, it stopped growing and ⬇︎
5. sprouted from the other side, becoming the new growing tip.

This seems to be how monstrose grows. A couple/few inches grows and then a new tip starts somewhere randomly.

So, I'm wondering where I should take a new cutting from to avoid it sitting and stalling for a year before it grows.





FB5213CB-EBA1-4BDB-ADA6-C49386363041.jpeg
 
brokedownpalace10 said:
A question I asked in a different thread. This thread might be more appropriate.

(quote)
I have a cactus that was sold to me as TPM. The cutting didn't grow for over a year and finally sprouted a new tip from the base.
As it has grown, I've noticed that it will grow a few inches and then start a new tip from somewhere on the plant.
So, I'm wondering if there is any specific place I should start a new cutting from. If I take a piece which no longer has a growing tip, will it also sit and not grow for a year or more before finding a new tip?
(endquote)

So, I've taken a pic to try to make my question more clear.

1. Was the initial cutting I received. It stayed this size and didn't grow for over a year until finally ⬇︎
2. Sprouted from the base. Growth was slow, but prolly typical for monstrose. But, after a while ⬇︎
3. Sprouted from 2. There was not a cutting made. This was just how the growth went. After another while ⬇︎
4. Sprouted from 3. After 4. grew a few inches, it stopped growing and ⬇︎
5. sprouted from the other side, becoming the new growing tip.

This seems to be how monstrose grows. A couple/few inches grows and then a new tip starts somewhere randomly.

So, I'm wondering where I should take a new cutting from to avoid it sitting and stalling for a year before it grows.





View attachment 101500
Click to expand...
Glad you found this thread for your question. I got rabbitholed in the process 🐇

The main point is the cutting needs areoles (where the spines are) to generate pups. If you position your cactus with one side persistently shade, it may develop aerial roots like my TBM(short) has. I'm yet to take a cutting, but it seems highly likely that some pre-existing roots would help hasten the establishment of your cuttings once they meet the soil. Either way, it may involve a year's wait, but at least aerial roots would provide an easy visual clue - better than persistently digging up an already-planted specimen.

I also wonder if potato juice or similar may help to encourage root formation - some of the more competent gardeners out there must have a few tips in that direction.
 
brokedownpalace10 said:
A question I asked in a different thread. This thread might be more appropriate.

(quote)
I have a cactus that was sold to me as TPM. The cutting didn't grow for over a year and finally sprouted a new tip from the base.
As it has grown, I've noticed that it will grow a few inches and then start a new tip from somewhere on the plant.
So, I'm wondering if there is any specific place I should start a new cutting from. If I take a piece which no longer has a growing tip, will it also sit and not grow for a year or more before finding a new tip?
(endquote)

So, I've taken a pic to try to make my question more clear.

1. Was the initial cutting I received. It stayed this size and didn't grow for over a year until finally ⬇︎
2. Sprouted from the base. Growth was slow, but prolly typical for monstrose. But, after a while ⬇︎
3. Sprouted from 2. There was not a cutting made. This was just how the growth went. After another while ⬇︎
4. Sprouted from 3. After 4. grew a few inches, it stopped growing and ⬇︎
5. sprouted from the other side, becoming the new growing tip.

This seems to be how monstrose grows. A couple/few inches grows and then a new tip starts somewhere randomly.

So, I'm wondering where I should take a new cutting from to avoid it sitting and stalling for a year before it grows.
Click to expand...
The cactus uses hormones to initiate changes. To produce pups or roots, it needs to accumulate enough hormones in that part of the plant, and this takes time. The higher and newer parts of the plant are more likely to have hormones that encourage branching, while the lower and older parts contain more hormones for root development. Keep this in mind when selecting which part of the plant to cut.

The internet is full of advice to root cuttings in the shade with no water. However, this is not necessary and only prolongs the rooting process. The best time to root new cuttings is in the spring or summer. They can be planted directly in the ground, but I prefer using pumice. Full sun is ideal (if the original plant was grown in full sun, the cutting is not very small and if you are not in an extreme climate), with watering once or twice a week, depending on the weather. Rooting will be much faster this way. You may use Clonex or similar rooting hormone when you cut it (before callusing).

If you are looking for faster growth, don’t choose these varieties. Other Trichocereus species are much better performers.

If you have a healthy Trichocereus, you could graft a piece of TPM onto it for faster growth as well.
 
Transform said:
Glad you found this thread for your question. I got rabbitholed in the process 🐇

The main point is the cutting needs areoles (where the spines are) to generate pups. If you position your cactus with one side persistently shade, it may develop aerial roots like my TBM(short) has. I'm yet to take a cutting, but it seems highly likely that some pre-existing roots would help hasten the establishment of your cuttings once they meet the soil. Either way, it may involve a year's wait, but at least aerial roots would provide an easy visual clue - better than persistently digging up an already-planted specimen.

I also wonder if potato juice or similar may help to encourage root formation - some of the more competent gardeners out there must have a few tips in that direction.
Click to expand...
That's a great answer. I took a look at my original section and saw no areoles. The original section did already have some roots started when I got it.
 
I forgot to attach some pics of my TBMs. Here we are.
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One of the main characteristics of these monstrose forms is that the apical meristem at some point starts elongating without forming areoles, in contrast to the regularly-spaced areole production of the normal forms. I do wonder whether there could be 'ghost' or vestigial areoles in places - sometimes they can appear quite minimal.
 
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Basil77 said:
Icaros DNA Two years from seed.
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Nice results so far! They get going very quickly once established - well done (y)
I think I may have one of those, although I wasn't paying attention when gifted the cutting. The general outline and growth rate seem to line up with your specimen:
20241008_143005.jpg
It's a bit hard to photograph, being over six feet (1.81m) tall! This is seven years of growth from a 25cm (10") cutting, but more like five or six because I was a bit slow in getting it potted, the meristem was damaged in transit and took a while to recover, plus a couple of years ago it got a nasty attack of spider mites (followed by neem oil burns :oops: ). It's grown over 2ft (61cm) more since then, though.
 
Thanks mate! Yeah, mine needs to be transplanted badly, but all my soil is outside and it's frozen solid! I'll probably have to wait all the way until spring to do so.
Yours looks fantastic! What size pot is it in? Can you leave yours out year round, or no?
 
Basil77 said:
Thanks mate! Yeah, mine needs to be transplanted badly, but all my soil is outside and it's frozen solid! I'll probably have to wait all the way until spring to do so.
Yours looks fantastic! What size pot is it in? Can you leave yours out year round, or no?
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It's in a pretty big (38cm (15") int. ø and 46cm (18") tall) pot - I generally use a sack barrow when it needs moving. With its height, it soon won't fit through my conservatory door - cloning time! So, it stays in a frostproof conservatory from November to about April. It can be a tough call taking the cacti back out in the spring, with the weather going from sub-zero and snow to scorching sunshine in a matter of days. The UV levels are higher in the spring as well, due to ozone depletion, so you really have to watch out for sunburn (see pic).
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