Every day new flowers in the greenhouse in Köln

[K.W.]

photos from 28.October 2019, post 2/2

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and flowers from today. . .
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Best wishes

K.W.

[K.W.]

Dear cacti-friends,

a few photos from today - 31.October 2019.




Hildewintera Hybride
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Conophytum
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Pleiospilos
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Lithops
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Best wishes

K.W.




Bonus-Track
mouse-work
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[hegar]

Hello K.W.,

it is sad to see the mouse or mice taking big bites out of your cacti. Which genera are most often attacked by these rodents?
The first plant you showed, where half or more had been consumed by a mouse looked like some kind of variegated cactus. What was the genus of the last one? Do mice stay away from cacti with strong spines?
Also, how do you get rid of them? It looks like Frau Klein is not too interested in combating this scourge. She probably does have cat food that tastes better than a mouse. However, most cats do have a hunting instinct and will catch mice, correct?

Harald

[Dodi Russell]

I never thought rats would eat a lot like that, just nibble and leave. I thought rats don't eat cacti with strong spines( like that copiapoa, I think) I thought rats eat cacti with less strong spines or spineless cacti( last month my lophophora cactus was eaten, I have no idea what happened to the rat after that). I hope your cactus survives, you can try to root it or will it survive because the stem is intact.

[K.W.]

Harald and Dodi,

the mouse hunt in the greenhouse is not easy for Frau Klein. . .
I will report more later.

Best regards

K.W.


Good evening dear cacti friends,

some impressions of yesterday and today.




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Best wishes

K.W.



Bonus-Track
"Frau Klein" has invited her cousin, "Fräulein Inge" now helps with the mouse hunt.

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[K.W.]

Good evening dear cacti friends,

some impressions of yesterday and the day before yesterday, part 2.



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Best wishes

K.W.



Bonus-Track
Correction!!!
"Frau Klein" was very angry with me. She would never have invited one of her worthless cousins.
In the picture you can see her favorite nephew, "Herr Karl-Friedrich".
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[hegar]

Hello K.W.,
I just hope, that Karl-Friedrich will show off to Frau Klein, what a great mouse catcher he is!
You do need some help desperately, before the mouse or the mice cause irreparable damage to your cactus collection.
I would even go to mouse traps or even poisoned bait.
During my time at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM, a rat managed to get into the greenhouse, where I was growing chili pepper plants for my Master of Science thesis. The greenhouse manager was very successful and the rat was dead, a few hours after he placed some teaspoon-sized portions of peanut butter poisoned with strychnine near the plants that were being attacked. Without that method of eradication, I would not have been able to finish my research work in time, due to missing the chili pods that the rat was consuming every day.

Harald

[K.W.]

Thanks Harald,

Peanut Butter has been terribly expensive for a few months now.
Has something to do with punitive tariffs. . .

Best wishes

K.W.



Good evening dear cacti-friends,

In another forum I was asked how the mice come so easily into the greenhouses.
Here are some photos of building one of the houses, march 2017.
The wooden floor has gaps, the Styrodur on the wooden floorboards of course does not stop the mice.
Next year, the Styrodur plates will be removed. Steel sheets mounted and then laid Styrodur.
So it does not get boring, some photos of the ladies in between. . .




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Styrodur
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Heater
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almost finished. . .
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even more finished. . .
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end of post 1/2

[K.W.]

post 2/2

hairy terraces Olm
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the girls
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put away. . .
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finished!!!
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Best wishes

K.W.

[K.W.]

Good evening dear cacti friends,

last day's. . . (lot of work, no time for photo's)



"Herr Karl-Friedrich" always looks sad. . .
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Always had to deal with cacti, the little bird in Köln.
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The bringing in of the plants is progressing.
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And one flower. . .
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Best wishes

K.W.

[K.W.]

Good evening dear cacti-friends,

a few photos from today - 14. November 2019.




"Herr K.F." waiting for "Frau Klein". . .
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Autumn Tristesse
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At this time it will be full and cozy in the greenhouse.
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Haworthia & Co. are still in the outdoor-dining. . .
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All these "friends" later go to my office. Then there is room for Haworthia & Co.
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Best wishes

K.W.

[keith]

I had good results using "taquitos" on the rat traps last summer. Slide a cut in half taquito on the metal lever and the rat gets it right on the nose trying to pull it off , leverage maybe? peanut butter was worthless and I hate poison bait.

You have taquitos in Germany ? Frozen taquitos probably not so great to eat for humans but rats love them. Salt and fat.

Mice are pretty dumb you can use whatever to get them. I also have ingenious ways to catch gophers but thats another story

[K.W.]

Keith,

thank You very much!

K.W.




Good evening dear cacti-friends,

a few more photos from last day's - 14. + 15. November 2019.




As a mouse bait, cacti are best. . .
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Last buds / flowers
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There are still places available in the GH!
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The seats on the stairs to the terrace are already sold out!
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Well, and the Haworthia are still in the outdoor-dining. . .
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Best wishes and nice sunday,

K.W.

[Arnold]

Damm mices!!! that bitten cactuses really hurts they were beautiful specimens

[hegar]

Well, K.W.,

that does look like quite a bit of work, to move all those plants into a protected environment. Do you use a forklift for this task or have at least someone to assist you? The occupancy rate and your ways of placing all the cacti and succulents in every niche of your home is also astounding!
I especially like the set-up for placing your plants along the stairs of the staircase.

Harald