My new display

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Geo
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My new display

Post by Geo »

After now having all my cacti identified (thanks to anttisepp) they are labelled and planted in my new display in my greenhouse.

I'm sure I've probably made a mistake somewhere but I am new to cacti, hopefully though these will grow for a while before they need more space.

As winter is not far away what sort of minimum temp should I keep them in?
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jerrytheplater
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Re: My new display

Post by jerrytheplater »

Your trough garden looks really nice and decorative.

But... Have you considered each plants winter time needs to see if they are all compatible? Some cacti like a cold dormancy, some like a warm winter, some like a cool winter-at least those are the categories I divide my plants into.

Some like a little water in winter. Some want to be bone dry.

Have you considered ultimate size for your plants? Some stay small. Some become trees.
Jerry Smith
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45 inches (114 cm) rain equivalent per year, approx. evenly spread per month
2012 USDA Hardiness Zone 6b: -5F to OF (-20C to -18C) min.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: My new display

Post by Steve Johnson »

Trough gardens are a nice concept in theory, but difficult to do well in practice. The problem has to do with the difference between root behavior growing cacti in containers and cacti having a free run of the roots in open ground. Here's another problem:
  • In open-ground soil, water saturates the soil, then slowly drains down through the root level to a water table well below the lowest roots. At that point the roots are completely dry and will not rot. Do the same thing in any type of container, and the soil keeps the cacti in "wet feet" -- that's a recipe for root rot.
Each cactus needs to be in its own pot, and you have 2 options with regard to potting medium:
  • A mix of soil and mineral gravel. The gravel is required for good drainage and aeration of the roots. My default recommendation is a mix of 50% soil and 50% pumice as the mineral. If you can't find it, calcined clay granules (AKA Leca balls) work just as well.
  • Go soilless with a pure mineral gravel mix.
When I started my current collection back in June 2011, I was using a "custom" soil mix I got from a local cactus and succulent nursery. Way too soil-heavy, and the mix suffocated the roots. Then in early 2012 I changed to a 60% pumice/40% granite gravel mix -- wide-open aeration that cactus roots thrive in, and the results ever since have been amazing. This is essentially a semi-hydroponic approach, the only downside being that I have to fertilize my cacti every time I water them in the growing season. Not much of a downside, and IMO the effort is more than worth it.

Why the granite gravel? I found that a potful of straight pumice takes too long to dry out in my rather humid climate, so the granite acts as a sort of "moderator" to let the mix dry out in a more timely manner. Given the humidity in Scotland, my guess is that a mix of 50% pumice or calcined clay granules and 50% nonporous gravel should work well for you. If you can't find granite gravel (should be in the 2 mm-7 mm range), coarse sand in the 1 mm-3 mm range is fine. With regard to a fertilizer that's suitable for cacti, I can guide you there. Since your growing season is already over and winter is on the way, you'll have plenty of time to consider what you should do moving forward. In the meantime, send me a list of the species you have in your trough garden. I'll be able to guide you further from there. We have lots to discuss.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
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greenknight
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Re: My new display

Post by greenknight »

You can insure against wet feet by inserting wicks in the drain holes that either contact the ground or hang down a good distance below the container, either way they will draw the exceass water out.

Steve, Geo already posted these plants in another thread: https://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewto ... 87#p408087

I don't se any obvious compatibilty problems, but I could be wrong.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: My new display

Post by Steve Johnson »

greenknight wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2024 8:10 amSteve, Geo already posted these plants in another thread: https://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewto ... 87#p408087
Yup, I saw that last night -- anttisepp did a good job of confirming some of Geo's IDs and correcting the IDs on other plants in his trough garden. If there are any compatibility problems, it'll come from significant differences in their root systems. Geo, please give me the depth of your trough, then we'll see if it may be too shallow for some of your plants.
greenknight wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2024 8:10 am You can insure against wet feet by inserting wicks in the drain holes that either contact the ground or hang down a good distance below the container, either way they will draw the exceass water out.
If the mix drains freely, then yes. What I see in Geo's photo is a container full of at least 99% soil, and water won't drain through nearly as well as it should.
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anttisepp
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Re: My new display

Post by anttisepp »

Geo wrote: Thu Oct 10, 2024 10:46 am After now having all my cacti identified (thanks to anttisepp) they are labelled and planted in my new display in my greenhouse.
It may work for a year or two but many of them later will need separate own space. Nice you have a greenhouse, it provides a big part of success. Winter temps haven't be lower than +5, better about +10 and you know not a drop of water till spring! :)
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greenknight
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Re: My new display

Post by greenknight »

Steve Johnson wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2024 8:10 pm What I see in Geo's photo is a container full of at least 99% soil, and water won't drain through nearly as well as it should.
I don't think it's quite that bad. I can see some gravel and purlite or pumice, though not as much as I'd like to see. It depends somewhat on what kind of soil was used - if it's a sandy loam it might be okay, but it doesn't look good. What exactly is this mix?
anttisepp wrote: Sat Oct 12, 2024 8:49 pm
It may work for a year or two but many of them later will need separate own space.
Yes, a temporary display at best with that assortment of plants. There are large columnar species in there which have extensive root systems, they will need more space before long.
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Geo
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Re: My new display

Post by Geo »

Thanks for all the advice.

Re the planting mix, there is 25mm of grit at the bottom, then a mix of compost /grit 50/50 with a top dressing of sharp sand to give the 'desert look'! Lots of drainage holes in the container which is raised 10mm off the bench with a couple of batons, It is very well drained.

I appreciate this display won't last long, it's a bit of fun to start with. I'm in the process of creating a spreadsheet of the requirements, growth rates, flowering times, etc., of each.
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Steve Johnson
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Re: My new display

Post by Steve Johnson »

Geo wrote: Sun Oct 13, 2024 7:11 pmRe the planting mix, there is 25mm of grit at the bottom, then a mix of compost /grit 50/50 with a top dressing of sharp sand to give the 'desert look'! Lots of drainage holes in the container which is raised 10mm off the bench with a couple of batons, It is very well drained.
All I had to go on was what we saw in your photo, so the information you just provided is quite helpful. I'd say that you have a good start. Your plants will need to be fed on a regular basis in the upcoming spring-summer growing season, although a discussion of your fertilizer now may be a bit premature. When we get closer to spring, I'd be happy to evaluate the fertilizer you're currently using. A complete guaranteed analysis of the fert will be required for the following reasons:
  • The ratio of N, P, and K tells us if they're properly balanced. The ideal ratio for cacti and succulents is N 1:P 0.25-0.35:K 1.1-1.7. Turn the percentages of N, P, and K into a ratio, and we'll know if the balance is or isn't good. If it isn't, then it's time to look for a better fert.
  • From hydrobuilder.com:
    • "Magnesium and calcium go hand in hand, and are often an area where plants become deficient. Magnesium helps aid in the uptake and utilization of other nutrients, along with producing carbs and sugars to help during flower."
    • "Calcium has a similar role in plants as in humans, helping produce strong cells and root walls. This leads to stronger plants. We've recently come to understand that calcium is actually the dominant nutrient in most plants." [My emphasis]
    If ferts have a good NPK ratio, but they come up short on Ca and/or Mg, they can be supplemented in a number of ways.
  • Sulfur is another important minor nutrient, and a guaranteed analysis of your fert will tell us if it has an adequate amount of S. If it doesn't, there are also a number of ways to head S deficiency "off at the pass" before it leads to chlorosis and yellowing of the plant.
  • The micronutrients Boron (B), Cobalt (Co), Copper (Cu), Iron (Fe), Manganese (Mn), Molybdenum (Mo), and Zinc (Zn) are essential -- if they aren't in the fertilizer, you're using the wrong fert.
We have a professional horticulturalist on the forum by the screen name of MikeInOz. The best explainer of fertilizers we've ever seen, and I learned a lot from him. I'm passing that knowledge along here, and I hope you'll make good use of it.
If you just want photos without all the blather, please visit my Flickr gallery.
My location: Los Angeles, CA (Zone 10b)
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madkactus
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Re: My new display

Post by madkactus »

Your display looks nice but cannot be maintained in this set-up. As others have pointed out each cactus has it's own needs and requirements and if somehow you are lucky enough to get by with this set-up, these cacti will outgrow this container likely quite quickly. As they grow I would guess the root system of each cactus will interwind and get tangled with other cacti. Ditch this set-up next spring and repot each cactus in individual pot according the that particular cactus needs.
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greenknight
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Re: My new display

Post by greenknight »

madkactus wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2024 1:57 pm As they grow I would guess the root system of each cactus will interwind and get tangled with other cacti.
I once planted bowl planter with five different cacti and succulents and kept that going for quite a few years - when I eventually split it up, I surprisingly found this was not a problem, the plants didn't grow roots into the root ball of another plant. Maybe it's part of their adaptation to low-moisture environments.
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madkactus
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Re: My new display

Post by madkactus »

greenknight wrote: Wed Oct 16, 2024 8:24 am
madkactus wrote: Mon Oct 14, 2024 1:57 pm As they grow I would guess the root system of each cactus will interwind and get tangled with other cacti.
I once planted bowl planter with five different cacti and succulents and kept that going for quite a few years - when I eventually split it up, I surprisingly found this was not a problem, the plants didn't grow roots into the root ball of another plant. Maybe it's part of their adaptation to low-moisture environments.
That's interesting and makes sense.
Geo
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Re: My new display

Post by Geo »

Time will tell, if some of the cacti seem to be growing much faster than the others I can remove them and pot them up.

Its all part of a beginners experiment!!

It's satisfying to know there are a lot of experts here to call on when I get in trouble :D
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