Edwin Dwianto

[Edwindwianto]

I have a Turbi alonsoii that makes fruit with seed all the time. The Turbi book says they are not self fertile. I only have one. Never had any spontaneously plant themselves like most of the rest of my turbis. I put some seeds in a pot and they sprouted, I'm interested to see what I get.

Great looking herrerae. The only ones I have now are volunteers from when I had a biggish one.

Thanks for sharing
What do you mean?...
Never had any spontaneously = Do you mean that you have to polinate that alonsoi, like the rest of your turbi?

Also, what is the title of that turbi book please?
Thanks TimN

Turbinicarpus alonsoi in my place is not self-fertile.

Wow...interesting that a type of plant could be self-fertile and self-sterile
Do you know what could be the cause, Frank and TimN?

BTW, you are right...hahaha
The flower withered w/o fruit

[Edwindwianto]

Hi guys,

This is the photo of this morning, 5 days after the last photos

Look, it grows another tubercle, 3 spines protrude already

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[Hanazono]

G'day Edwin,

Wow...interesting that a type of plant could be self-fertile and self-sterile
Do you know what could be the cause, Frank and TimN?

I do not know Tim's situation but I can tell my experience.

I have kept 5 degrafted and 30 own-rooted alonsois. They are all flowering sizes and can not make fruit/seed without pollination.

There was a report in relation to a hybrid, Strombocactus x alonsoi on a web-site.
Left: mother cactus
Right: Father cactus (pollen supply)

Combination: Strombocactus disciformis v esperanza x Turbinicarpus alonsi
Hybrid: Body is similar to Strombocactus disciformis v esperanza and flower colour is also red.

I did a similar trial by myself as a practical experience.
1st filial:
Combination 1: Strombocactus disciformis x Turbinicarpus alonsoi
Hybrid: No fruit / seed formation

Combination 2: Turbinicarpus alonsoi x Strombocactus disciformis
Hybrid: Body is similar to alonsoi and flower is also same as alonsoi, red.

2nd filial:
Combination: (Turbinicarpus alonsoi x Strombocactus disciformis) x Strombocactus disciformis
Hybrid: Similar to 1st filial combination 2

As shown above, alonsoi can receive pollen of other species and can form fruit/seed.
I just tesed Strombo cactus only but I think alonsoi can receive any other Turbinicarpus species' pollen.

Frank

[Edwindwianto]

Combination 2: Turbinicarpus alonsoi x Strombocactus disciformis
Hybrid: Body is similar to alonsoi and flower is also same as alonsoi, red.

G'day Frank

And this one, is it self-fertile?

If it was, one could buy this one on the market and would mistake it for pure alonsoi...since it is alonsoi look alike...
And then...it it was self-fertile...all would be clear...what they bought was alonsoi-like-hybrid, not pure alonsoi

Regards,
EDWIN

[Hanazono]

Edwin,

And this one, is it self-fertile?

If it was, one could buy this one on the market and would mistake it for pure alonsoi...since it is alonsoi look alike...
And then...it it was self-fertile...all would be clear...what they bought was alonsoi-like-hybrid, not pure alonsoi

No it is not self-fertile.
The hybrid you describe need pollen of any other Turbinicarpus/Strombocactus to form fruit/seed.
The hybrid kept in a sealed place can no make any fruit/seed.
I keep the cactus in greenhouse/sealed place and so I need pollination to get fruit/seed.

If you kept the cactus in open place, insect may be able to carry pollen of other cacti but you do not know the details of hybrid.

It seems you collect onl one for each species.
I collect at least 2 for each species. Many cacti need pollination to get seed.

Frank

[TimN]

What do you mean?...
Never had any spontaneously = Do you mean that you have to polinate that alonsoi, like the rest of your turbi?

Also, what is the title of that turbi book please?
Thanks TimN

I don't pollinate my turbis and manually pollinate only a few species I really want seed from (Pelecyphora, Aztekium). My turbis make buckets of seeds without my intervention.

The book is:

Knowing, understanding, and growing Turbinicarpus - Rapicactus Hardcover – 2004
by Davide Donati (Author), Carlo Zanovello (Author)

Exoticplantbooks.com has the best price I've found.

[Edwindwianto]

It seems you collect onl one for each species.

Hi Frank

Yes, it was because i was unaware that some cacti were self-sterile
And since i live in foreign country now...i'am in a doubt of how to get so many plants into indonesia
Will my amount of plant be considered an import?, do i need to apply for import permit in indo?...etc...etc...

But thanks for all you reply

EDWIN

The book is:

Knowing, understanding, and growing Turbinicarpus - Rapicactus Hardcover – 2004
by Davide Donati (Author), Carlo Zanovello (Author)

Exoticplantbooks.com has the best price I've found.

Thanks Tim

[Edwindwianto]

Note to myself

Unpredicted rain, this morning
Not heavy, lasted only 5mnts

And since it is almost Saturday, I decide to leave my cacti outside on the roof-top, to see what happen
And so the rain flushes the salt on their body...they take a bath

I will not water them tomorrow as per my watering regime

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[Edwindwianto]

Good day,

Friday last week, there had been a rain and I had left my cacti outside
When i checked them on Saturday morning...and I noticed that the bottom part of my M. herrerae had a strange color...like a wet rotting color

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I up-rooted it at once...and i saw that the bottom tubercles were all swollen
But lucky for me, it still have it's roots

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Idk what might have caused this
But i do use different mixture for this cactus...i added pumice in the mixture

When i checked the soil...it was dripping wet...literary

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This is it's condition this Sunday morning
It seems to do very well and survive the worst...the bottom tubercles aren't swollen anymore
Had i left it alone on Saturday, it might have turned into a mush this Sunday morning

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Maybe, i'll use my standard mixture (just coarse silica sand and limestone chips) after this...
I'll let it alone in the air for 1 week and re-pot it by next weekend

EDWIN

[7george]

When i checked them on Saturday morning...and I noticed that the bottom part of my M. herrerae had a strange color...like a wet rotting color

If you are afraid for possible rot at the base of your cacti you can surround that spot with coarse rocks (as well as the whole pot surface) to ease drying out of stem base. Cacti grown in a different climate can be stressed by elements indeed.

Don't worry so much about those. If you had several hundreds of plants you would discover a sick or perished specimen only at regular soil change most likely.

[mikethecactusguy]

love the ruler

[Edwindwianto]

If you are afraid for possible rot at the base of your cacti you can surround that spot with coarse rocks (as well as the whole pot surface) to ease drying out of stem base. Cacti grown in a different climate can be stressed by elements indeed.

Hi George

Yes George, thanks for the advice
I'll keep them in mind .

Don't worry so much about those. If you had several hundreds of plants you would discover a sick or perished specimen only at regular soil change most likely.

Hahaha...i only have 15 plants...of course i'am super worried...hahaha

love the ruler

================================

BTW Guys,
When i think about the pumice, from this exp, i have an opinion (which is not proven of course)...

When i water a pot, it doesn't take longer than 5-10 secs for me to pour the water, until that water runs through the drain holes of the pot
I guess...a continues 5 mnts watering (the rain lasted for 5mnts) really gave a time for the pumices to absorb all that water into it's crevices, it's pores...makes it dripping wet...

The rain was at friday...and on Saturday, it was still dripping wet...
So the cactus had been sitting in water for 24hours...so, it started to rot...

My other cacti which sit on non-pumice-mixture were all OK, arios, lophos, turbis including ortego macdougalii

But as always, it is an unproven hypothese

I'll just change the mixture to my standard one on the next weekend for my herrerae

Thanks all Guys

EDWIN

================================

A simple experiment which could prove the hypothese

Tools:
1) 2 same pots
2) a digital scale, to be exact
3) pumice
4) a bucket
5) some water
6) a timer (your smartphone) - not crucial

Steps
1) fill the pots with the same amount of pumice - weigh it to be sure
2) water the 1st pot like you would water your cacti everytime
3) soak the other pot in a bucket of water for 5mnts - you can use timer or just look at some clocks
4) let the excess water runs through the drain holes of both pots until it stops running
5) re-weigh both pots

If the 2nd pots was heavier, it would confim the theory

But, i dont have the scale, nor do i want to invest some money buying one

[Edwindwianto]

Hi Guys,
Good morning and HAPPY VALENTINE DAY

My cacti shelf is going to run out of space real soon
I think i'am going to have to stack another shelf onto this one

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This morning i see my green lithops is wrinkling
I water it lightly...since it is not yet march, the growing season
Let's see what will happen, this afternoon

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After an horror last week...
Yesterday, i re-poted my M. herrerae with my standard mixture and no pumice this time
I hope that it will do much better in it
I will water it tomortow like usual

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Have a nice day Guys

EDWIN

[Sarraceniacrazy]

Good looking collection Edwin!

[Edwindwianto]

Good looking collection Edwin!

Thanks Sarra
But yours is more awesome