Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

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Aztekium123
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Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by Aztekium123 »

Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?
I saw many people in some places, such as German forums, and in the Czech Republic, planting cacti plants on porous stones to create a landscape. It looks very chic. And the plants grow very healthy. I want to ask, does anyone here use this method?
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DaveW
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by DaveW »

They often used it for alpines in the UK but I believe the authorities prohibited it being collected from some of our national parks and public lands for horticultural use since they were destroying what are natures natural rockeries. Many types of rocks were being commercially collected in habitat for horticultural use so they were turning habitat areas into more like quarries. These ideas are OK if only a few are collecting tufa, but if they become a fad and many gardeners do it it can denude the natural landscape, just like collecting plants in habitat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EENlR5TwACo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufa

It really depends if dealers stock it or there are areas in your country that allow it being legally collected, either commercially or for home garden use?
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anttisepp
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by anttisepp »

As continuously suffering from the lack of the space I say NO.
Better to put some pots with interesting plants more than to make decorative florists compositions where cacti aren't look natural and don't feel good.
bbarv
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by bbarv »

I think posting links to websites you copped this pic from would be the right thing to do.
keith
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by keith »

wow lots of rare cactus. I've seen something similar drilling holes in rocks and planting cactus or making custom pottery to look like rocks.

I just grow them in pots and sometimes will mix species or maybe add a rock or two.
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C And D
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by C And D »

It's gorgeous to me,
looks like a little piece of natural habitat

Beautifully grown plants, the rarest of the rare

The rock is porous as far as it contains numerous holes in it
But the holes do not extend far enough for create full drainage through the rock

The planter relies on small pockets that dry out naturally and the slope of the rock to drain out excess water
Just like in nature, cliff dwellers cling to small pockets of dirt
Last edited by C And D on Mon Jan 02, 2023 11:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Tom in Tucson
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by Tom in Tucson »

I bought a lava rock from a fish and aquarium shop, put it in a bonsai pot with dark aquarium gravel for support, and planted an Aeonium tabuliforme in a vertical orientation to simulate how it grows in it's natural habitat. It did so well that seed from that plant fell into crevices of the lava and sprouted.
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MrXeric
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by MrXeric »

I like such arrangements. Those natural cliff-dweller cacti must feel right at home. Space is a concern so I would only have a small stone with one or two plants. Dave does bring a good point on sourcing these stones, tufa in particular, which looks nicer in my opinion than similarly porous pumice or scoria. We have one such source of tufa here in California that is protected by the state government, the Mono Lake Tufa State Natural Reserve.
https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=514
https://www.monolake.org/learn/aboutmon ... tory/tufa/
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by 7george »

No, but I like this method. Having too many seedlings and space for rock slabs made them experimenting probably.

Also this setup proves many cacti don't need soil, esp. that one sold in bags under "cactus soil" brand.
If your cacti mess in your job just forget about the job.
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Aztekium123
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by Aztekium123 »

DaveW wrote: Mon Jan 02, 2023 10:33 am They often used it for alpines in the UK but I believe the authorities prohibited it being collected from some of our national parks and public lands for horticultural use since they were destroying what are natures natural rockeries. Many types of rocks were being commercially collected in habitat for horticultural use so they were turning habitat areas into more like quarries. These ideas are OK if only a few are collecting tufa, but if they become a fad and many gardeners do it it can denude the natural landscape, just like collecting plants in habitat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EENlR5TwACo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tufa

It really depends if dealers stock it or there are areas in your country that allow it being legally collected, either commercially or for home garden use?
I agree with you and do not suggest or oppose illegal collection. If the local aquarium shop or gardening supplies shop, legal purchase can still be used.

And this planting method looks beautiful.
DaveW
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by DaveW »

If they cannot get Tufa the alpine people often make "Hypertufa", but I don't know if it is too alkaline at first for many cacti unless then weathered and aged for a while by being left outside in the rain?

https://www.thehypertufagardener.com/hypertufa-recipe/

Being in the building trade in the UK before retirement, Portland Cement is now just ordinary cement powder. It got that name since it was first used as a rendering to simulate Portland Stone in the UK. Before that builders were still using the Roman type lime concrete and mortar mixes, but then found that using the Portland Cement powder instead of just lime made far harder concrete and mortar for laying bricks, therefore that's what we now all use instead of the old lime mixes of the Romans!

https://www.ianknapper.com/portland-sto ... f-history/
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Nobody
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by Nobody »

Some grow Blossfeldia on chia-pets or surfaces like that.

I've also seen boulders drilled slightly to make them accommodate cacti which are then planted in and or atop them.

Numerous species of cacti are also associated with rocky outcrops or cliffs and are specifically adapted to living on mineral substrates and with the help of endophytic fungi and bacteria the cacti produce organic acids that dissolve the stone over time much like Lichens do. Nitrogen fixing bacteria are often also present in stone dwelling cacti.

I'd expect many of the stone dwelling cacti would respond very well to being grown on stone in collections.
It just makes sense.

I tend to just use stones of a species appropriate form in my potting mix.
Traditionally the way that some stone dwelling cacti were cultivated in the Andes is by placing them on rock walls, the ancient ruins of which are still home to some populations of cacti for this very reason.
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Re: Does anyone use this method to grow cactus?

Post by jerrytheplater »

DaveW wrote: Tue Jan 03, 2023 10:15 am If they cannot get Tufa the alpine people often make "Hypertufa", but I don't know if it is too alkaline at first for many cacti unless then weathered and aged for a while by being left outside in the rain?

https://www.thehypertufagardener.com/hypertufa-recipe/

Being in the building trade in the UK before retirement, Portland Cement is now just ordinary cement powder. It got that name since it was first used as a rendering to simulate Portland Stone in the UK. Before that builders were still using the Roman type lime concrete and mortar mixes, but then found that using the Portland Cement powder instead of just lime made far harder concrete and mortar for laying bricks, therefore that's what we now all use instead of the old lime mixes of the Romans!

https://www.ianknapper.com/portland-sto ... f-history/
Dave, here is a Hypertufa planter I bought back in 2009 at the Connecticut Cactus and Succulent Society Spring Show and Sale. Some of the plants still alive, but all out of that planter.
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