Peter
I have two clones of spinosior. They both do well in our normal winters. This year we had an abundance of winter moisture and one of them shed several branches that were frost bitten. They just turned brown at the joint, shriveled up and dropped off. The main trunks showed no sign of damage. All the other Cylindropuntias I grow were in great shape.
I have tried several species hardy to 15F but normally they die the first or second winter.
One Opuntia, I think is a form of O. phaeacantha does fine for a friend of mine but it rots off for me every four or five years. Every time I replant it I change it's soil to a courser and courser mix. One of these days I'll get it right.
John, eh you will get it right eventually. We have all lost things due to experimentation. I am doing some of that now with some of the easier for me to get cuttings.
I am glad you have some Opuntia and Cylindropuntias that grow where you do.
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
Awesome John! I love seeing your garden - so well done. I was amazed when in person how much stuff there is that isn't instantly obvious at first glance. Then you start looking and realize there is a lot of plants there!
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Dave
I train all my little pets to share. If they get too greedy for space I whack them on the nose.
I built two new beds since you were here. They are more for high alpines since they get either morning or afternoon shade. A few pedios and succulents may creep into the mix don'tcha know. They have a tendence to do that round these parts.
I remember you showing me some of the raw materials for the project. Really attractive rock outcropping you made. Will be perfect for alpines. The trick is to see which ones will stay dwarfed and which will get big because of the lower elevation.
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
John,
I am glad that weather missed us, all we got were winds.... not even super strong at that. However the desert is always windy, esp in the mountains.
Here's to you, all you insidious creatures of green..er I mean cacti.
The beds are very well drained with a mix of 30% DG., 30% 1/4 inch size pumice, 30% native silty clay, and 10% sifted peat. All topped off with a 4 inch deep blend of DG and small(2">) native stone cobbles. The blocks are well weathered volcanic stone, covered with coloneys of lichen.
The first one is set up as a morrain with under ground moisture researve set up so it drains away slowly. It should replicate conditions found at the base of receading snow banks. Well drained with a slow trickle of water seeping through at about a foot or so deep.
The square bed is set up to mimic a scree. Lose airy surface, with a firmer humus inriched substrate.
I think Pedios would do well in the second bed as it will be getting afternoon shade when the day is at it's hottest. Semps. should do well in it also, as they tend to suffer in full hot sun.
Nice articles John. I thought I'd post a photo of one of my hardy cactus projects: (I live a few blocks from John.)
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Hybrid Echincereus viridiflorus v. correlli X Echincereus viridiflorus.
This seedling is two years old. The E. v. correlli was obtained from Miles to Go. The Echincereus viridiflorus (from NM) was obtained from Mesa Gardens. This is an attractive seedling. The surviving seedlings are variable in appearance. My aim was to produce a very hardy but larger cactus than most Echincereus viridiflorus varieties. Out of 200 seedlings only about a dozen survived. I grow them in the ground not in pots.
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