Thank you both for the replies! I like the idea of tan cloth (the stand is white) but I can't find one in a lighter density. They seem to be 64-70%. I'm afraid that will be a bit too much shade, especially here in the north. I've just ordered a small piece of 30% to try. We're building the stand so ...

My husband and I are planning to build a PVC plant stand for our growing cactus collection. We'll need shade cloth—any recommendations on the density? We live in northern PA, so we don't have Arizona sunshine to deal with, but at this time of year it still gets very harsh. The stand will be on a sou...

Nice! I'll keep the perlite method in mind. I've used it for rooting Mammillaria offsets, but not Schlumbergera. Try Hatiora if you can find one ... I also heard that they are difficult to grow, but I have 9 of them now and so far I haven't had any real problems. They grow quickly and are fun to wat...

Snarfie, my method sounds similar to yours. I wait a few days after removing the cuttings from the mother plant. Then I pot them up in damp mix; lately I've been using a mixture of fine orchid bark, perlite, and a peat-free African violet mix (http://repotme.com/potting-mix/African-Violet-Mix.html&q...

I found this unique mixed sherbet—featuring prickly pear—at a local grocery store and, as a huge fan of all things cactus, I had to try it. (My husband thinks it's time for an intervention.) The sherbet is delicious!

Great, thank you!

I just bought this small blue cactus and I'm wondering what it is. Possibly Micranthocereus estevesii?
It's about 2.5 inches tall from the soil line to the tip of the spines, and it has 16 ribs.

Thank you!

There are many opuntias that are winter hardy to below freezing. Yes! If you can possibly try growing some outdoors, I would recommend it. I'm in zone 5b and have no trouble growing O. humifusa, which is actually a native cactus in your state and mine. They grow quickly, flower (and fruit) beautifu...

How is your Easter cactus doing now?

Thank you! I've been buying pumice too, probably from the same seller. Some of my Easter and Thanksgiving cactuses are in a mix very similar to yours, and I use the bark mix for others as I said. The TCs and my Christmas cactus bloom like crazy (all are on their second bloom of the season now), so I...

So beautiful! The orange is especially striking. Over the past year I've accumulated half a dozen of these in different colors (most propagated from segments of acquaintances' plants), but I haven't seen any buds yet this year. Perhaps they would have preferred cooler temperatures over the winter. W...

Thank you all for the responses! I'm very much looking forward to flowers on the Notocactus, should they develop.

The one on the far left in your second photo looks very similar to one I just posted. I'm thinking Parodia, don't know the species (perhaps mammulosa?).

I recently bought these two beauties at the amazing Isaac Farms in south Miami. Can you help identify? I've attempted a guess for each one.

1. Eriosyce senilis?

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2. Parodia mammulosa?

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Thank you!

So sad! I'm seeing this more often too, and I wish I could rescue them. There are some beautiful plants underneath that "makeup." I've seen other (non-cacti) succulents that are dyed, as well as poinsettias. (Some of the poinsettias even have glitter ... I might simply collapse if I ever s...