Outdoor Bed

[melodies]

Hi, all. I'm seeking advice on an outdoor cacti bed. I have one already, but the cacti are buried in pots so that I can take them out when it rains a lot or gets too cold. I'm seeking to avoid this hassle, move all the cacti I have on some sort of bench, and permanently plant ones in the bed that won't need a great deal of fuss.

So, I am looking for cacti that:
1. Are able to stand a week of rain every day several times during the summer.
2. Don't mind a few very mild overnight freezes a couple times a winter.
3. Aren't Opuntia.
4. Aren't terribly difficult to raise from seed- with no local nurseries, I'll likely order a lot of seed and raise everything from scratch.

I also love succulents like Sedums, Echeveria, etc. Any of those that meet the qualifiers above are also welcome!

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone who knows of any cacti/succulents like this would post them.

[BobbyZ]

Melodies: Too bad no Opuntia's because they thive here in St Augie. You may wish to consider two Echinocacti grusoni (golden barrel) and horse crippler (texenensis) You can buy the texenensis for ~3.00 $ at Mesa. So far some Notocactus e.g. magnificans are doing pretty good, Echinopsis huascha is thriving ( send you some offsets in Oct if you want). I know you don't want Opumtias but O. subulata Eve's needle does well for a columnar one. Cereus peruvianas montrose is growing well. I haven't had much luck with Echinocereus except for viridiflourous. Astrophytum ornatum, Ferocactus hamatacanthus, Theleocactus setispinus, Parodia herzogii, Stetsonia coryne and Trichocereus tersshekii have survived the heavy rains, and most should survive the winter frosts. Here are pics after some heavy rains. Echinopsis lageniformis Bolivian torch cactus hasn't done much compared to mine on my Lanai. Our local nurseries have some interesting species, however most are not named so I became an Ebay junkie. Good Luck BobbyZ

[melodies]

Thanks so much for the detailed reply! Because we live in similar climates your information is especially helpful. I will do some research for all the cacti you listed. If I stay in the cheap range I wouldn't mind buying some plants from Mesa.

[BobbyZ]

Melodies: You may also try this place based in Florida prices are reasonable and a great selection Bob Smoleys Garden World 3720 SW 183rd Terrace, Dunnellon, FL 34432 bsmoley@bobsmoleys.com Tel:352-465-8254 Fax:352-465-4032 , Again I will be back in Florida in October and will be glad to send you a few pups, cuttings or plants. I have plenty of Agave americana varigata offsets that I have sent to many all over the US. Bobby Z

[melodies]

I have a Rebutia fiebrigii and a Pachycereus marginatus that I'd like to plant in the bed. Would those be okay with the summer rains and winter freezes here? I keep finding conflicting information.

I will be back in Florida in October and will be glad to send you a few pups, cuttings or plants.

Sure, let me know when you're back. Thanks for the offer!

[BobbyZ]

Melodies: I believe the Pachycereus may not have the frost tolerance needed for N Florida, are ypou in 9A or 8b? I planted a rebutia muscala that did poorly in the April rains. I brought it in and recovered wonderfully and was prolific flowering.

[melodies]

Zone 9a. Ok, I'll leave those two out. As for Opuntias, I just found out that I have O. humifusa (I was waiting for ID verification) and that is all the glochids I need! That will definitely get planted, it is native here anyway.

[Harriet]

Check out YuccaDo.com and PlantDelights.com. You will find many Agaves and Yuccas in addtition to cacti and succulents that should do well for you in North Florida. I know that plants from both nurseries do well outside here in Central Florida.

[Harriet]

Check out YuccaDo.com and PlantDelights.com. You will find many Agaves and Yuccas in addtition to cacti and succulents that should do well for you in North Florida. I know that plants from both nurseries do well outside here in Central Florida.

[melodies]

Thanks for the places, I'll check those out.

[melodies]

http://www.cactus-art.biz/schede/STENOC ... inatus.htm

As for the Stenocereus marginatus, this website says that it can take -4C, or 25F, for short periods of time. Does anyone know if that is accurate? It gets maybe that cold here overnight for a few hours twice a winter. Would it be okay in that or would it be pushing it? Or would it just not take the rains anyway? Sorry for the incessant questions.

[sundanz]

Very good info here because I also want to make an outdoor bed. I have all the cacti mentioned by Bobbyz and I think Melodies and I are in the same growing zone ( I'm in east Texas)

Karin

[BobbyZ]

Sundanz: You may have a bit of an addvantage as you have a somewhat drier climate. You can probably grow many more Echinocereus

[sundanz]

Thank you, BobbyZ, that sounds very good! Can't wait to get started!!

Karin

[melodies]

Of the cacti you mentioned, Bobby Z, I have been researching E. grusonii, E. texensis, T. setispinus, P. herzogii, and T. trichocereus. All apparently have a hardiness of 10-20F. We get down to 20F here maybe once a winter, and that's only for an hour overnight.

With some other plants I plan on throwing in that I already have (O. humifusa, a mother-in law's tongue, some small Echeverias and Sedums, and the aloe) they should make a nice, varied, little outdoor bed. Best of all, they can be bought at Mesa for $3.25-$3.50 each.

Sound like a plan?