Handy Gizmos

[Carpkel]

I found out that I could wrap a large, hooked ferocactus with a soda/ pop carton which made it easier to repot. I cut the carton flat and wrapped around the cactus and taped it in place. I had no flesh wounds:)

[westfork]

Stout weeding knives make short work of invaders in thick rock mulch. Easy to stab through the rocks and cut the roots without disturbing the rock layer or mixing up the soil beneath. Stainless steel so it can be left outside near the berms so it is handy when passing by and spot weeds.

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It is basically a short sharpened pry bar.

[7george]

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I've got several boxes of useful stuff. Especially want to share the use of big bbq dropper for watering of small hard-to-reach pots.

[nachtkrabb]

Those pliers with lense & light are interesting. Where can you get something that fancy, please? How are they called?

[keith]

Even breaking the old pot at times to avoid damaging the plant. This may be sacrilege to Americans exhibitors who grow in fancy pots, but in the UK the plant is always considered more valuable than the container and we don't usually grow in fancy pots ours being cactus rather than ceramics shows."

Yea I wondered about that too ? I use plain clay or plastic pots depending on the size and species of cactus and usually sacrifice the pot over the plant . If I can fit a plastic pot in a clay pot I do that since plastic pots get brittle . I have all those other tools plus many sizes of spoons and small pump hand sprayers the type that pump up with air and spray water for a few seconds the other kind the constant hand pump kinds I find wear out really fast.

[Steve Johnson]

...and small pump hand sprayers the type that pump up with air and spray water for a few seconds the other kind the constant hand pump kinds I find wear out really fast.

You're sure right about that, so I'll have to get a few of the kind you're talking about. Howzabout this?

https://www.amazon.com/Russell-1010-Ins ... 64&sr=8-39

I use hand sprayers mostly to spray the Avid and TetraSan miticides I apply whenever I see flat mites showing up on some of my cacti, so those 1-liter sprayers I'm seeing on Amazon should be perfect. Thanks for the tip, Keith!

[7george]

Those pliers with lense & light are interesting. Where can you get something that fancy, please? How are they called?

That was a set with a lamp from COSTCO but not seen there after years ago. Now sold by many online hubs incl. Amazon.

[nachtkrabb]

Howzabout this?
https://www.amazon.com/Russell-1010-Ins ... 64&sr=8-39

Hello Steve,
there are pump-hand sprayers where you first build up pressure using a pump-button on top. Then you just press the handle very slightly and the fluid is sprayed in a constant rain, even in different strengths. This is why I like the
sprayers by Würth. Much less work than the standard, very ergonomic. Sorry, it is hard for me to explain that.
N.

[nachtkrabb]

Those pliers with lense & light are interesting. Where can you get something that fancy, please? How are they called?

That was a set with a lamp from COSTCO but not seen there after years ago. Now sold by many online hubs incl. Amazon.

Great, thank you, 7george. I am going to get one of those.
I have just had a look & yes, it is easy to get something that convenient. Only one has to take care that there is a lamp included, and that the lens does more than just a double magnification.
N.

[C And D]

We use alot these bamboo skewers for propping up plants, or poking seedling around
and of course a home made seed vacuum, mouth powered

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[jerrytheplater]

We use alot these bamboo skewers for propping up plants, or poking seedling around
and of course a home made seed vacuum, mouth powered
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I love that vacuum! I see the offset in the tubes so they are not in line. Do you ever get any seeds in your mouth? I suppose you could put some cotton balls or a fine mesh screen in there to prevent that.

[C And D]

I get a couple seeds in my mouth all the time
a cotton ball in the upper section is a perfect solution

Apparently, I inadvertently eat all kinds of seeds and fruit debris
When cleaning seeds, I wet the tweezers in my mouth, then pick out the non-seed extra stuff,
it sticks to the wet tweezers, then to dislodge the crap, I just lick them again for the next grab

[C And D]

These new tie bags with silkish mesh are perfect for Euphorbia seed catch
Ed Reed, our favorite OC succulent grower, who runs the CSUF arboretum turned us on to them
Euphorbia tulearensis

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[jerrytheplater]

These new tie bags with silkish mesh are perfect for Euphorbia seed catch
Ed Reed, our favorite OC succulent grower, who runs the CSUF arboretum turned us on to them
Euphorbia tulearensis
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Nice E. tulearensis!! How old is it?

My wife says Organza bags are used for wedding favors when filled with little things like candy or things.

[Mrs.Green]

If I haven’t overlooked a post; no-one has mentioned watering cans? As an indoor grower a properly designed watering can is a great gizmo!. Finding a good one..haven’t been easy-peasy..Most cans I have come over isn’t designed for watering in small amounts or designed for thight spaces. Either the neck is placed the wrong angle, is to short or the opening is way to large, so it’s almost impossible to adjust the amount of water given.

These are mine; The two in the back, red and clear; useless unless you grow tomatos or other water lovers indoors. The angle of the neck is way to steep, the neck is to short and the openings to large. The cans are also to big (high) to fit into tight places.

The two in front; the black one has a long and slim neck with a good angle ( pointing forward , not up) and a small opening, which makes it possible to water without drowning the plant or the surroundings. Minus point; the handle is not ergonomic. It’s way to big and high and , so it doesn’t fit in tight spaces or gives a good grip.

The orange one; the best one so far but the neck could have been even longerand the opening slightly smaller, that would have been great. The handle is very good, low and it gives you a good grip.