Pompoms arctic cacti

[Pompom]

First snow fell today. It'll go away in a couple days though, it's still too warm for it.
I wish the staying snow comes soon because I'm losing my mind with birch seeds which are basically everywhere every autumn... On the floors, on the carpet, in the carpet, on the sofa, between the windows. Windows... I'd accept the fact the seeds get between the outer layers since the outermost window is not that well sealed. But between the second layer too? HOW? They get everywhere!

firstsnow.jpg (98.64 KiB) Viewed 3551 times

windowedseeds.jpg (54.28 KiB) Viewed 3551 times

[7george]

Hey, Pompom -- very original topic! I first thought you gonna show us you cacti covered with snow (we have a foot already at spots) but even title refreshment is fine. I'm really envy about you Mammillaria seedling grown up so fast for a year or so, you've created optimal conditions for them. That Oreocereus is more likely to be celsianus, but that is not a problem. Lot of flowers for next season and keep posting!

[Pompom]

I'm really envy about you Mammillaria seedling grown up so fast for a year or so, you've created optimal conditions for them. That Oreocereus is more likely to be celsianus, but that is not a problem. Lot of flowers for next season and keep posting!

The seeds were sown last February so they're not even a year old yet. I'm too amazed how fast they grew and how well they're doing. I guess it's only a beginners luck or something since my methods have been not very scientific. The seedlings had two options - to die or survive, they decided to survive. I also got much help from the forum. I'm glad I managed to keep them alive though.
Thanks for the possible ID! Whatever it is, it's lovely.
I too hope I get flowers. We'll see that when time comes!

[hegar]

Hello Pompom,

I was not aware that birch trees produce so many seeds. Here we do have "cotton wood" trees, a kind of poplar, which are also a nuisance. When they are ready, the sees comes floating through the air like snowflakes. Those birch seeds are winged, allowing them to be dispersed by the wind, plus they seem to be flattened, which enables them to enter through even small cracks.
Well, you already did have the first snow. Here we are also experiencing a cold front, but that means, the temperature will not be substantially above 20 degrees Celsius for a day or two.
I am still hoping, that perhaps one more of my Ariocarpus cacti will still decide to flower. They are about the last cactus genus to produce blossoms, usually in September and October. I do check my plants daily for any change within their crown region, but it does not looks too promising and time is running out.

Harald

[Pompom]

Hello Pompom,

I was not aware that birch trees produce so many seeds. Here we do have "cotton wood" trees, a kind of poplar, which are also a nuisance. When they are ready, the sees comes floating through the air like snowflakes. Those birch seeds are winged, allowing them to be dispersed by the wind, plus they seem to be flattened, which enables them to enter through even small cracks.
Well, you already did have the first snow. Here we are also experiencing a cold front, but that means, the temperature will not be substantially above 20 degrees Celsius for a day or two.
I am still hoping, that perhaps one more of my Ariocarpus cacti will still decide to flower. They are about the last cactus genus to produce blossoms, usually in September and October. I do check my plants daily for any change within their crown region, but it does not looks too promising and time is running out.

Harald

Birch trees are the most common hardwoods in here. Which is not surprising as they produce so many seeds. Not only they fly everywhere and fit everywhere, they also stick everywhere. The ends of the seeds are sharply pointing out of the winged parts. That's how they stick to things.
I found pictures of cottonwood seeds! Omg. Fluffiness everywhere!
The ariocarpus are so cool! I'm happy you are able to have them and they also bloom. (I'm also thankful you posted pictures of your plants since for some species the pictures are really the only way I get to see them.) Winter comes for everyone though... If the rest of them do not bloom this year, I hope it happens next year. You've done something right since some of them did bloom.

[hegar]

Hello Pompom,
as far as I am concerned, I am already happy, if my cacti survive from one year to the other. The production of flowers is a valued bonus, of course.
Some of the plants I am trying to grow in the ground are just borderline for this area, because it may get too cold. I try to provide a microclimate for them that allows them to survive. Sometimes I am lucky, but oftentimes the plants cannot handle the new environment.
Each spring I await with great anticipation the springing back to live of my cacti. I am then rather tense, because it is also the time when I find out, which of my plants did not make it and needs to be discarded. Seeing the survivors flower makes all my prior worries worthwhile.

Harald

[Pompom]

Hello friends! I hope everyone is doing well and all cacti collections are flourishing. Last 6 months I’ve been really busy with my studies and I have had limited time to visit the forum. I’m doing well, but it seems I’m going to be even busier till June...

My cacti are in dormancy, I actually made it! Even the seedlings are sleeping. Only one cactus (small odd gymnocalycium baldianum) didn’t want to stop growing early enough and it ended up etiolated, but it’s fine since it has been etiolated for all of its life anyways. The melocactus has been sitting on living room table and does perfectly fine without extra light. I water it regularly but with less water and less regularly than in summer. It has slowed down a lot, it has almost completely stopped. This is why I love my melo, he’s doing everything right without me even trying to make it do something. If I remember right he was the first one to start growing last year. He’s just perfect for me.

meloca.jpg (71.51 KiB) Viewed 2969 times

Well, the dormancy was kinda result of my busy life and therefore I didn’t move them off of the windowsill. The weather outside cooled down, the air inside in front of the window cooled down to 14C (57.2F) and voilá, the cacti went to dormancy! It was easy I do not recommend this method. The fact is I need to turn on the heater under the window at some point when the weather cools down a lot. It has been a mild winter with few minus C degrees but we should get much colder weather soon. I really hope this happens in late February cause then there will be more and more light every day and the cacti might not need extra light.

windowsill1.jpg (74.83 KiB) Viewed 2969 times

windowsill2.jpg (80.19 KiB) Viewed 2969 times

I’m pretty sure I will get some flowers this year. The m. hahniana named Abyss didn’t flower last year and to me it looks like it’ll burst in flower at any moment. It has so dense hair in the axils and I feel I'm seeing shapes of what could be upcoming flowerbuds. There's also other plants which basically could flower since they've gotten their dormancy. I just have to wait till spring first to see what happens

abysstuff.jpg (113.47 KiB) Viewed 2969 times

I’m also a proud owner of new addition. This little handsome here echinocereus subinermis is (I’m almost certain my ID is correct, but you can straighten it if it’s not). It seems to be old enough to bloom, but it has been repotted so it might not want to. But he doesn’t need flowers to look awesome, doesn’t he?

echinocereus.jpg (50.08 KiB) Viewed 2969 times

echinocereus2.jpg (59.31 KiB) Viewed 2969 times