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Very nice! That flower means there is only more to come!

Almost being spring here I figured it's about time for an update on the main bed. It's been a kinda weird winter here downunder with above average temperatures and less rainfall than what we normally get but naturally there's still been some losses, not anything staggering though.
Not sure if my attempt at combatting whatever rainfall we have had will turn out to be more of a headache than not but in an attempt at having the bed dry up as quick as possible I've let the weeds grow rampant, especially in the side of the bed that recieves no direct sunlight during these colder months.

Full view of the bed, left side gets no direct sunlight for months as the fence blocks the lower standing sun.


There's cacti somewhere under there?


Hey, there's one! M. gracilis still kicking underneath a cover of weeds.


And another one, Maihueniopsis of some sort


Least I'm seeing some new growth here and there now that the warmth slowly is returning.
Both N. uebelmannianus is showing growth, one with new spines and the other with a hinds of buds.

Looks very nice. Is it completely finished? The gardens do find a way of growing.

Don't think it ever will be fully finished to be honest! Though I'm not so sure I can talk the wife into converting any more lawn into desert
Just a bit peeved I didn't factor in the fence height when I built it, sorta came as a suprise when I realised part of the bed ends up in permanent shade during winter. Can't do much about that at this stage though.

SnowFella wrote:n an attempt at having the bed dry up as quick as possible I've let the weeds grow rampant

I've found the problem with this is if you let them get too big when you finally pull them out you'll end up pulling up the shallow rooted cactus as well. Smaller weeds will of course die off when the temps heat up, but if you've got established weeds right up close to a plant you'll be forced to look at them for months. I just try and pull up anything right up close to the plants and leave the rest till i can get round to weeding but snap off any flowers from the weeds in the mean time.

Cleaned up pretty well after alittle work, only 2 major weeds that I was forced to cut and treat using weedkiller. All plants stayed in one piece apart from the smallish M. gracilis cluster, I now have a whole heap more cuttings stuck in the ground

Main bed all cleaned up, also put in the last plant in the form of F. herrerae


Small poolside bed also cleaned up. M. geometrizans is going gangbusters, spotted 8 or 9 new little stems starting.


M. mystax is flourishing


Nearly a full ring with lots of buds still to go


Spines galore on this unknown


And lastly not cacti but a photo from a recent visit to a local botanical garden

=^-^=

Thats looking much nicer for your work.

Loving the Myrtillocactus and that Mamm looks pretty impressive with that ring of flowers.

That bed should look realy nice in a few years time.

*nods*

Nice plants and flower rings! Looks so much nicer without the weeds!

Very nice! That's what I want to do! You gave some good tips!
Karin

Thanks.
It's still trial and error though as I didn't select any plants really knowing if they are suited for my conditions, apart from the C. peruvians but I'm sure they can survive anywhere. Having survived one heatwave summer with less rainfall than normal and what they now call one of the warmest and driest winters on record haven't really tested their hardiness much. Right now I'm just worried how they will take to our unseasonally warm spring days, hopefully I won't see any scorching or cooked plants!

Best tip I can give is to do proper ground work before you start and double check on the soil you are going to use. Wish I would of as the stuff I have in this bed is way to sandy to really be a good thing even if I cut it with courcer material.

Looks like my O. macrocentra is waking up, wonder how many will be pads vs flowers?

Some randoms from the outside today, new camera lens to test so why not shoot some of my favourite subjects.

2 little Noto's working on buds, think one is ottonis and the other uebelmannia.



O. macrocentra powering along, can start to tell what's buds and what's new pads now.


S. megalanthus that flowered for me last season is finally seeing fit to start ripen up it's fruit.

First flowers of the season energed today in the "new" bed, helps when even our early spring temps headed up in the mid 90's today

Wasn't sure what one this was untill just a day or so ago when I started seeing the colour of the petals, Notocactus uebelmannianus.


Unknown little Mammillaria followed suit.


Won't be to long before this Noto warassii or magnifica joins in.


New vs old growth on a Pilosocereus.

That Noto warassi/magnificus finally kicked in with some flowers, 4 out of 5 buds are open right now.


And it looks like it will get followers later on tonight, I'm sure some nutter will be out there with camera and flash at the ready

SnowFella wrote:And it looks like it will get followers later on tonight, I'm sure some nutter will be out there with camera and flash at the ready

Oh! Please do!!!!