I started collecting cactus when I spent eight years in working in Mexico City - it broke my heart to have to leave them all behind. Most of my collection was under light cover, outside on a flat roof. For those of you who have visited, you will know how intense the rainy season can get - and I figured that living in Mexico (that's me and the cactus) I just leave the little sods outside and let nature take its course. So, summertime = hordes of water, frequently on a daily basis, but normally strong enough sun to do a decent drying job every day, and a dry winter gave the recommended rest period. I did have to experiment a little, but with the exception of the hairier cactus, of which I lost a few before moving them away from the tropical rain, everything thrived.
I have now moved to Cape Town - with a hot, fairly dry summer, and a cool, damp winter. My new collection now comes inside in winter time and the majority of the cactus get a serious watering once or twice (during particularly hot periods)a week in summer - the time between waterings lengthening as autumn approaches and they get ready to come inside. Again, I treat hairy jobs differently (and my astrophytum doesn't want more than once every ten days or so).
A couple of questions - would I be getting better results if I cut down the summer water a little to a medium watering once a week. The second question is how cactus respond to a change in hemisphere - do mexican cactus still expect a July summer - and how do they cope with a serious change to their natural rhythm? Or would Argentinian cactus in the Northern hemisphere face a simiar issue?
regards,
Iain
overwatering???
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Turtleman
Not really,, during their growth season as I think you alrready know, most, if not all, like/require a regular irragation pattern, as an example, here in Arizona our Mammies do best with a full watering each 4th day.. a regular pattern, the real key is that your soils dry out fully inbetween waterings.. During a cool/damp winter I'd reduce irragation to a standstill and kep them out of the damp..would I be getting better results if I cut down the summer water a little to a medium watering once a week
They will adjust, I have some Pilosocereus that I get from SA.. there is a "shock" period but they adapt,, it seems that "adjust" time is about one year.. that also depends on the size of the specium. and your conditions thats it being in-planted to..The second question is how cactus respond to a change in hemisphere -
Iain,
I definitely wouldn't worry about the watering in summer where you are. The drier it is the the more quickly the water will evaporate. As far as cycling of waterings according to season really depends on the weather and how they grew up so to speak. I believe, and I could be wrong, that a plant will learn when to expect more or less water in different conditions. I know that different deserts recieve their rainfall at different times of the year. Cacti in the wild don't have to worry about getting water logged in a cold winter rain due to natural drainage and a normally very rocky or sandy soil. As long as you cacti aren't cold and wet they'll be fine. That's the one thing I've found that any cactus doesn't like.
Andy
I definitely wouldn't worry about the watering in summer where you are. The drier it is the the more quickly the water will evaporate. As far as cycling of waterings according to season really depends on the weather and how they grew up so to speak. I believe, and I could be wrong, that a plant will learn when to expect more or less water in different conditions. I know that different deserts recieve their rainfall at different times of the year. Cacti in the wild don't have to worry about getting water logged in a cold winter rain due to natural drainage and a normally very rocky or sandy soil. As long as you cacti aren't cold and wet they'll be fine. That's the one thing I've found that any cactus doesn't like.
Andy
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templegatejohn
- Posts: 1198
- Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 2:57 pm
- Location: Leeds, England
Virtually all cacti genus will attune their growth cycle to the hemisphere that they are living in.
Funnily enough it is the succulent plants from the area that you are living in now (South Africa) that tend to stick to the seasons of their native hemisphere. Hence, Lithops, Conophytums, Pleiospilos, Titanopsis and many others come into growth in the Northern hemisphere in Autumn and Winter. Most of these succulents belong to the Mesembryanthemum family.
As previous members have stated the amount of times you water them depends on the time it takes for the soil (compost) to dry out. This is essential for good growth conditions. Cacti do not like to be in a compost that is permanently wet.
John
Funnily enough it is the succulent plants from the area that you are living in now (South Africa) that tend to stick to the seasons of their native hemisphere. Hence, Lithops, Conophytums, Pleiospilos, Titanopsis and many others come into growth in the Northern hemisphere in Autumn and Winter. Most of these succulents belong to the Mesembryanthemum family.
As previous members have stated the amount of times you water them depends on the time it takes for the soil (compost) to dry out. This is essential for good growth conditions. Cacti do not like to be in a compost that is permanently wet.
John