Search found 1502 matches

by esp_imaging
Thu Mar 18, 2021 2:47 pm
Forum: Grown From Seed
Topic: O Macrocentra seeds "ripening"
Replies: 2
Views: 1187

Re: O Macrocentra seeds "ripening"

Soaking seeds in water at room temperature for an hour or two (or a day or two) before sowing is often meant to help with opuntia seeds too.
If you have lots, you can try different approaches to try to find what works best.
by esp_imaging
Thu Mar 18, 2021 12:40 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Why aren’t epiphytic cacti more popular?
Replies: 18
Views: 3255

Re: Why aren’t epiphytic cacti more popular?

In some cases such as Rhipsalis many are not all that spectacular out of flower for the space they tale up. Or to put this another way, some of them are only spectacular if allowed a huge amount of space. I have Rhipsalis paradoxa sprawling as one or 2 stems along windowsill in my bathroom looking ...
by esp_imaging
Thu Mar 18, 2021 12:25 pm
Forum: Succulent Growing Help
Topic: Burying mesembs deeper
Replies: 3
Views: 1955

Re: Burying mesembs deeper

General opinion is to not bury mesembs deeply in cultivation. You often hear about their "contractile roots" and suchlike, supposedly giving them ability to bury themselves deeper if needed. I've no idea how true this is. I'd leave them exposed - if the ones you have are happy growing expo...
by esp_imaging
Wed Mar 17, 2021 2:30 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Very slow growing cacti that don't do much
Replies: 22
Views: 4699

Re: Very slow growing cacti that don't do much

Cacti that don't do much often need a change - some combination of repotting / more light / warmth / water / nutrients. Plants bought from mainstream commercial suppliers are often grown in peat based soil mixes which can be very tricky for UK amateur growers to get good results with. The peat forms...
by esp_imaging
Wed Mar 17, 2021 1:43 pm
Forum: Grown From Seed
Topic: How to read letter/number combinations (location data?) on seeds?
Replies: 1
Views: 982

Re: How to read letter/number combinations (location data?) on seeds?

I know of 2 databases. They are both incomplete, collectors do not always provide their information, and the databases need to be updated by their owners.

https://www.fieldnos.bcss.org.uk/
http://cl-cactus.com/
by esp_imaging
Wed Mar 10, 2021 9:35 am
Forum: Cacti Identification
Topic: Pseudorhipsalis amazonica?
Replies: 7
Views: 1420

Re: Pseudorhipsalis amazonica?

Rhipsalis houlletiana seems a good match
by esp_imaging
Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:15 am
Forum: Seed Depot
Topic: Where to buy?
Replies: 2
Views: 3017

Re: Where to buy?

https://plantemania.net list a few of these, one or 2 are even listed as in stock!
They tend to offer some fairly obscure stuff.
Not sure what their situation is with shipping at the moment, don't think it's a big commercial organisation..
by esp_imaging
Sun Feb 28, 2021 10:41 am
Forum: Succulent Growing Help
Topic: HELP PLEASE NEW TO SUCCULENTS
Replies: 4
Views: 2018

Re: HELP PLEASE NEW TO SUCCULENTS

It's a Euphorbia, probably E ingens, http://www.llifle.com/Encyclopedia/SUCCULENTS/Family/Euphorbiaceae/27231/Euphorbia_ingens If grown indoors, ignore the reference to tolerating moderate shade, it needs a sunny window. It is broadly grown like the desert cacti in this link: https://cactiguide.com/...
by esp_imaging
Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:57 pm
Forum: Sick Cacti - Pests, Diseases, etc.
Topic: Polaskia Chichipe leaking brown juice and soft after heat exposure
Replies: 14
Views: 1988

Re: Polaskia Chichipe leaking brown juice and soft after heat exposure

To add- the original potting mix looked awful. Repotting immediately was a good choice, although probably irrelevant in this case.
by esp_imaging
Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:07 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Plumping up Opuntia paddles
Replies: 18
Views: 2680

Re: Plumping up Opuntia paddles

De-ionized water may be less pure than distilled water as non-ionic (e.g. organic) components won't be removed by the de-ionization process, that's down to filtration or any other additional purification . Do a google search whether is it safe to drink distilled / de-ionized water. It is, just like ...
by esp_imaging
Fri Feb 26, 2021 10:00 pm
Forum: Sick Cacti - Pests, Diseases, etc.
Topic: Polaskia Chichipe leaking brown juice and soft after heat exposure
Replies: 14
Views: 1988

Re: Polaskia Chichipe leaking brown juice and soft after heat exposure

I've just spotted the "CACTUS CANARIAS" label on the original pot.
by esp_imaging
Fri Feb 26, 2021 9:55 pm
Forum: Sick Cacti - Pests, Diseases, etc.
Topic: Polaskia Chichipe leaking brown juice and soft after heat exposure
Replies: 14
Views: 1988

Re: Polaskia Chichipe leaking brown juice and soft after heat exposure

This photo looks nasty: https://ibb.co/6wc2Q44 The base of the plants seems rotten, and the brown marks up the side don't look good. The potting mix looks dreadful - really unsuited to the plant, at least in the UK climate! I think the plant you bought was already badly damaged / rotting internally,...
by esp_imaging
Sat Feb 20, 2021 1:14 pm
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Plumping up Opuntia paddles
Replies: 18
Views: 2680

Re: Plumping up Opuntia paddles

Not true. Drinking water in general has vastly less dissolved matter than (for example) blood plasma. Compared to many human (or plant) fluids, distilled water and rainwater are both largely pure water, excluding dissolved gases. Biological systems have various mechanisms for managing solute concen...
by esp_imaging
Fri Feb 19, 2021 11:07 am
Forum: Cultivation
Topic: Plumping up Opuntia paddles
Replies: 18
Views: 2680

Re: Plumping up Opuntia paddles

if we as humans drink distilled water, your lips will swell as well as your tongue and throat as water rushes into the tissues ( so don't try this at home-or anywhere really). Not true. Drinking water in general has vastly less dissolved matter than (for example) blood plasma. Compared to many huma...
by esp_imaging
Sun Feb 14, 2021 6:47 pm
Forum: Sick Cacti - Pests, Diseases, etc.
Topic: Seeking advice on remediation of damaged fasciated regions
Replies: 3
Views: 979

Re: Seeking advice on remediation of damaged fasciated regions

We don't know where you are.

If you are in most parts of the northern hemisphere, you can expect to stop or slow over winter anyway.

Without photos, it's hard to comment specifically, but you could always wait until mid spring and see if new growth seems how you would like it before trying surgery.