Hi there!
My old man from the andes is my favorite cactus. I have a concern about it: it is growing but the new growths don't have spines, only hair. I read that the spines grow to protect it from the sun. Does it mean that my cactus is not getting enogh sun? Would it help to put it in a position where it gets as much as direct sun as possible? (being in London it's a bit difficult!). I thought though it doesn't need direct sun light. Is it correct?
I am new to growing cacti and a bit confused
Thanks for your help.
Barbara
I thought though it doesn't need direct sun light. Is it correct?
just about all cacti like a bit of direct sunlight.....yours would be happy to be in the sun most of the time....maybe a little shade in the afternoon.
welcome to cactiguide
incurable cactoholic
growing rebutia's with a mix of others.
That species does very much like full sun. The more the better! You might want to be careful not to give it too much too soon, but lots of sun for sure!
Daiv
Oh and welcome from me too!
All Cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are Cacti
Hi Hob,
Do your cacti do well in Suffolk? Are you growing them indoors or outdoors? I don't have a garden so mine are indoors and I put them on windowsills when there is some sun. Should I leave them outside at night?
beba wrote:Hi Hob,
Do your cacti do well in Suffolk? Are you growing them indoors or outdoors? I don't have a garden so mine are indoors and I put them on windowsills when there is some sun. Should I leave them outside at night?
Hi .......they do quite well here yes, i grow mine indoors mainly, in my conservatory but most will be ok outside in the summertime as long as they don't get any frost so june to september they are fine outside.....if they forecast frost just bring them in overnight. temps are often higher in london than the surrounding area because all the concrete there acts as a storage heater for sunshine.
being outside is fine as long as they get a bit of shelter from the rain and they are in pots with holes in the bottom and no dish underneath........they don't like sitting in water for long. on an outside windowsill (preferably facing south for maximum sun) would be fine as the house would keep the worst of the rain off.
Hi Barbara, a couple of hundreds miles north of you, it is beautifully overcast too. But as Daiv says, if it has not been in sun, introduce it gradually cacti, can get 'sunburnt' too, until they are acclimatised.
Generally, the more spiny and/or hairy a cactus plant is, the more intense the solar radiation (uh, sunlight) is in that plant's habitat. Oreocerei come from habitats with some of the most intense solar radiation on the planet, much of the year. Try to gradually acclimate your celsianus to more intense light or it will keep on stretching out, called "etiolation." Perhpas it could be under high intensity lights a few hours a day?
