Hello from Sunny Florida

[SpineInMyFinger]

Greetings to all. I started collecting cactus about 2 and 1/2 years ago. I started when my wife and myself went to El Paso to baby sit my teenage Grand daughter. I never cared about cactus until we made this trip. It seems most people had cactus in their yards and I didn't understand why. This changed when I found out that ... these things are cool. Cactus plants were every where. We went to Arizona to sight see, and found that they like them too. To shorten the story I brought back 3 small Golden Barrels that I found at Home Depot. Sorry...story gets longer. I went on line and found this website . Love it. It appears I didn't know how to take care of them. Snooping around here I found others had the same hobby as me. I want to thank everyone for the info and pictures you have provided. Oh, I forgot...I now have more than 100, and have been growing them from seeds as well. Jim.

[gemhunter178]

Welcome! The cacti-growing bug does take effect real fast!

[ElieEstephane]

It's an addiction with us. Welcome to the forum!

[A_G_R]

Welcome to the forum Jim! 100 cactus is a fairly good number, and it will keep growing

[SpineInMyFinger]

Yes, 100 cacti but these are small. The only place that I can find any cacti is Lowes and Home Depot. I wait till they get a new products from their supplier. Both stores seem to water them too much. I did go to B&B(Tucson) this summer and purchased several larger cacti. I would love to move to Arizona.

[hegar]

Hello Jim,
I am glad, that you decided to grow cacti and to join this forum. You are now going full blast toward total cactus addiction!
I wonder, where you live, but it is nice, that your granddaughter lives in El Paso, and the visit there was the impetus to your new cactus collecting hobby. Perhaps you even walked past my little cactus beds.
While we do have a good number of cacti growing all over the desert, Arizona does have the much more imposing saguaro cacti. So I fully understand, why you would love to move there.
Welcome to the CactiGuide cactus and succulent forum!

Harald

[harryplants]

Hey Jim! I’m new to this whole thing too and I live in Florida! I bought a few a couple of months ago and they started flowering and just looking how beautiful they all are just makes me even more addicted. I was wondering though, I live in central Florida and we get TONS of rain in the summer. Do you grow your cacti in a greenhouse? I have two big beautiful Trichocereus Grandiflorus and I want to ensure they stay healthy. I bring them in every time it rains and I have to really watch the weather. I have them in decent soil that I’ve been perfecting the recipe to handle lots of moisture. The soil drains very fast in the Florida sun, but I don’t want to chance the amount of rain that they might have to endure being outside. Do you have any tips for a new budding Florida cactus grower?

[SpineInMyFinger]

Hello. Like yourself I too bring mine in when it is starting to rain. I have some Opuntia that I have potted in large pots that are doing well outside. Also I potted some small Golden Barrel cactus from Lowes. I planted them in 80 % pumice and 20% plain
potting soil with slow release fertilizer. They are doing great. I put them outside in full sun. They have been out side @ 8 months. Their spines are longer and more stout than others that I keep on the porch. I am still trying different soils and trying to figure the watering and the humidity. Good luck.