CactiGuide.com

I joined the forum about two months ago. Since then, I've been actively involved, sometimes helping IDing succulents, but most of the time asking for the help of the experts here. So I realized it would be nice to show my greenhouse and collection.

That is my new and modest greenhouse. It is 2,80 x 4,00 m and was made with very cheap material. The arches are formed by PVC tubes that wear rebars stucked on the ground. As we don't have severe winters here, this greenhouse was made just to protect the plants from constant summer rains.
The tables were not so cheap, but I hope they will last 20 years...



The left tables take sun all day long, while the right tables are shaded during the morning.

On the left tables, there are the plants I don't consider as of my collection. They are Sedums, Echeverias, et all., which I propagate to sell locally. I use them to make succulent arrangements (which can be seen here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/suculentarium/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;). The little money collected is used to purchase pots or more interesting plants.

A view of these plants:




The right side harbours my collection, which is very modest (although my ambitions are not). Some views of my collection and some plants featured:













Even with all the advantages of square plastic pots, I prefer clay pots or cement pots I do myself.

I like to have my plants in displays trying to mimic nature, such as the few ones here:

Huernia sp.:


Sedum dasyphyllum:


Aloe juvena:


My next step will be growing from seed. I have a set of cacti and mesembs seeds, and soon I'll be posting a new thread to ask for help with this. I'm thinking about purchasing some Euphorbia, Stapeliads and Cauduciformis...it is never ending!

I hope you guys have enjoyed my stuff,

Cheers,

Very nice. I checked out your website and you have some really nice arrangements. I like the natural look of nature you put in there.
I have also thought about doing a simple greenhouse like yours for my small collection. What kind of plastic sheeting are you using?

thomas wrote:Very nice. I checked out your website and you have some really nice arrangements. I like the natural look of nature you put in there.
I have also thought about doing a simple greenhouse like yours for my small collection. What kind of plastic sheeting are you using?

Thanks Thomas for replying and for giving your opinion about my plants and arrangements. I'm glad that someone liked it and moreover by had noticed the natural look I try to put in the arrangements.

The plastic used is a 150 micra agricultural film. Probably not exactly the same but something like that: http://www.plastisul.com.br/ing/estufas.asp" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; (sorry I could'nt find something from USA).

Rebars of 1,5m are half "burried" in the ground, and the PVC tube wears then. For the 2,8m wide, the PVC tubes has 6 m long, so that way the arches are in good high.

Drimiopsis maculata came up from dormancy

Some more of my plants at the end of winter here:

Bowiea volubilis:



Trichodiadema densum stressed in full sun, got hairy and whiter than it's clone kept under shade (not seen here), but still putting new leaves:



Another stressed one, Euphorbia (Monadenium) gentherii/ ritichiei (does anyone can ID?). I like the red leaves:



Second flower of this Faucaria in this season:



And another Faucaria, doing very fine in a very small clay pot:

nice plants. I'm thinking of doing a temporary hoop structure similar to yours. We get our rains in the Fall and Winter here.

luigonz wrote:nice plants. I'm thinking of doing a temporary hoop structure similar to yours. We get our rains in the Fall and Winter here.

thanks luigonz

Here are some more pictures of the same plants, and some new:

Those are the T. densum grown under different conditions. Left plant is under full sun, in a clay pot with a bad potting mix (sand and soil). Right plant is under shade, plastic pot and a better potting mix (2 coarse grit: 2 top soil: 2 charcoal). They are clones of the same size and age. I believe that the most striking difference is the whitter aspect of the left plant, and this may be due to the sun exposure:



Another view of the Euphorbia (Monadenium) gentherii/ ritichiei:


Echeveria pulvinata:


Stetsonia coryne:


Euphorbia enterophora:

Orostachys furusei: I'm discovering that this small plant is very very tolerant to drought stress!
It is in a very shallow pot (a soap dish) almost whithout substrate, under full sun, neglected...

Some pictures of the plants in September/October.
Sun is getting stronger and I'm thinking on a shade cloth...the plants of the pictures are under full sun. Some would enjoy some shade (Haworthias for example) but I like to see them protecting themselves and getting very robust under harsh environment.





Trying to grow some cacti directly on rock fissures, no soil...




This one loved it's new pot :

It is interesting. Nice settings and pots.

First I thought that in Brazil no greenhouse will be needed. But to keep lot of plants at home might be not a very good idea. Protection from rain, sun, pests and others is another thing.

Haworthia's may stop growing at full sun and high temps. Mine also getting red so in summer I try to shade them all.

Thanks, George

The greenhouse is just to protect from the rain. Sometimes we have heavy rain for a couple of days, and things became really wet. I lost some plants because of that. But it is true that there is no need to protect from cold, for example.

I have most of the Haworthias well shaded in the lower shelf. I always try to have a duplicate of each plant, so I can grow one under full sun, and the other more shaded, and this way I can compare and eventualy decide for one or another condiction.

Some pictures of the plants in November 2016:

Graptopetalum compactum


Stapelia:


Graptoveria (?):


Bowiea volubilis:


Little cacti on the rocks:


H. koelmaniorum


Faucaria:


NOID:


Faucarias:


Sedum (full sun, I would’nt say that!):


Kalanchoe eryophilla:


Gasteria:


Haworthia (under full sun, as all plants in this post):


Corpulascaria lehmanii:


Pachycereus pachycladus (?):


Euphorbia hybrid (?):


This Faucaria flowered 3 times the last months:


Carpobrutus edulis:


Haworthia (this one is shaded):


Pachypodium:


Huernia:


Sedum dasyphyllum:


Gasteria brevifolia (?):


Parodia ottoniis:


NOID Mesemb:

Enjoyed looking at your collection. Thanks for posting the photos.

leisurely wrote:Enjoyed looking at your collection. Thanks for posting the photos.

thanks for the comment!

Another hot day in São Carlos...





Someone is preparing to bloom:



This weed, common purslane (Portulaca oleracea), which we can find even in the streets, gained a new status here on stage with Carpobrutus edulis.
I decided that it deserves a catalogue number...



it really loves the hot sun and open the flowers at noon...