commercial cactus mix.. What is wrong with them.

[DaveW]

Probably the problem is a watering regime for plants in porous pots is different to one in non porous ones. Something which makes watering a collection in mixed pots difficult. Also your potting soil may need altering for plants in pots of different porosity, being adjusted with more or less drainage material like grit according to how quickly your climate dries the pot out.

Also if you are going to seal the pots make sure you use something non toxic to the roots. Whilst it is easier to provide heat for plants in colder climates it is impractical to cool them in warmer ones. It can be done as Kew has an Alpine House that uses refrigeration to cool it, but not practical for armatures. We have to grow as far as possible as out climates allow.

Surely you have a winter season where you are where plants stop growing? The months this occurs vary around the world?

[mikethecactusguy]

What is winter in the desert? I think it is region specific. Here its 35F nights, 75f days and maybe 1/2 inch of rain. The Greenhouse is screwing with this cycle. I tried in Nov to with hold water and the plants showed they were not happy with this after 3 weeks. Drooping columnars and sagging branches are hard to look at. As long as the plants continue to bloom and grow, I'm going to water. A few pots are slower to dry out than in the middle of 110 f days but they all are. Having a fan running 24 hrs a day circulating the air is helping with evaporation.
February is supposed to be the coldest and wettest time here in Indio. Lets see what happens.,

[Steve Johnson]

Hi Mike,

If you haven't seen it yet, check this out:

http://www.cactiguide.com/forum/viewtop ... 81#p382681

By the way -- I don't know how much of a climate difference there is between Indio and Cortaro AZ, but since Miles' To Go is a desert greenhouse operation, I think Miles Anderson should be able to give you some good watering advice.

[keith]

Probably the problem is a watering regime for plants in porous pots is different to one in non porous ones. Something which makes watering a collection in mixed pots difficult. "

True I have a mixed collection in Plastic and clay . In a big collection this could be a problem.

You will see which cactus are constantly thirsty looking and can switch them to plastic or ceramic pots. Or just water them more .