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#198316 - 04/01/08 09:32 PM My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so far
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 781 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	I didn't get a picture of it, but I can.. it is very pretty. Green on the bottom part, with hot pink round top.. very cute. I have never had any cactuses (cacti?) and I have no idea why in the world she decided she wants a collection of them. She is only 11.. lol Anyway, there are no care instructions on the thing.. so how do I take care of it? And what kind of light does it need? Thanks guys! Edited by Pinkhorseofcourse (04/01/08 09:34 PM) Edit Reason: I can't spell _________________________
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#198319 - 04/01/08 11:06 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so far [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
Joclyn Joclyn Deep Purple Dream Gardener Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 2206 Loc: philly	generally, they need very little watering and lots of sunlight. soil should be cactus mix that is mixed with perlite or small grit gravel to aid in drainage. could you post a pic? there are SO many different kinds...it's hard to customize care instructions without knowing which particular one you've got! plus, from your comment, it sounds like you got one of the type that has a fake flower glued to the top or maybe something that's been grafted. need to see it. especially if it's a graft - depending on what the two pieces are, the care could be different. actually, cacti are great for kids who want to get into plants/gardening because they require so little care to do well (and we all know how quickly kids will forget about things!) _________________________ zone 6b
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#198621 - 04/02/08 10:35 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Joclyn]
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 781 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	Ok, here is a picture. _________________________
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#198646 - 04/03/08 05:59 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 23780 Loc: Rockland County, NY	That is a very pretty plant Jennifer - love the color! I've never had luck with grafted plants like that - hope someone can give you good advice. I do well with all other cacti, but not those for some reason. _________________________ ............... stated by a very wise friend... "well at least when you talk to yourself, you know the character of the person you are talking to!"
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#198711 - 04/03/08 12:06 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: plants 'n pots]
Joclyn Joclyn Deep Purple Dream Gardener Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 2206 Loc: philly	that's a gymnocalycium mihanovichii grafted on to something else - could be a few different types. i'm not on my comp at home so i don't have the exact name handy...it's probably the same base as the one i have, though. i got mine at halloween (advertised as the 'jack-o-lantern' cactus) and the top part is purple (lol, what else would i buy?! ) anyhoo. the pink type can not live on their own - they need to be grafted to something (they don't have chlorophyl). they can bloom, though and the flowers are really pretty! it should be repotted into cactus soil mixed half/half with small stones/gravel. i got some un-treated stone gravel at the aquarium store to use (couldn't find anything marketed specifically for using with cactus other than the cactus soil which doesn't have any stones in it). make sure to get un-treated gravel. something that is 'natural' and isn't colored or polished. i'd put it in an unglazed clay pot, too - and a little larger as the grafted pieces are more than a bit top-heavy, so the heavier clay balances the weight out nicely. make sure it has a drainage hole, too. water very sparingly!! the stock used as the base tends to get root rot, so, let the soil dry out very, very well before giving it a drink...and give it just enough water to moisten the soil. there should be just the tiniest bit that drains out the bottom when it's watered. they need even less water during the winter months - i've only watered mine twice since october - it's about time to water it again. once the warmer weather sets in, your daughter can water once a month. and if she forgets and does it late, it won't hurt the plant at all!! these types of cactus are desert cactus, so they're used to going without water for extended periods of time. _________________________ zone 6b
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#198808 - 04/03/08 07:24 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Joclyn]
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 781 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	Wow. Thank you! So this isn't a normal occurring cactus? It is 'created' that way. _________________________
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#198849 - 04/04/08 05:55 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 23780 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Yes Jennifer - that's what I meant above by grafted. They take the pink part and "stick" it on top of another cactus that will keep the pink part growing. _________________________ ............... stated by a very wise friend... "well at least when you talk to yourself, you know the character of the person you are talking to!"
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#198899 - 04/04/08 12:27 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: plants 'n pots]
Joclyn Joclyn Deep Purple Dream Gardener Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 2206 Loc: philly	yup, sometimes the grafting technique is used with cacti. sometimes because a particular plant is a very slow grower and grafting it onto something will speed up it's growth. other times, the plant can't survive on it's own - as is the case here. _________________________ zone 6b
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#203714 - 04/22/08 08:15 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Joclyn]
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 781 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	Well, it is pretty and she likes it.. soooo I just watered it for the first time a couple days ago.. I would rather under water it I think.. than over water it.. am I correct in that way of thinking? _________________________
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#203779 - 04/23/08 04:22 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
tamara tamara NORTHERN STAR Garden Helper Registered: 06/04/03 Posts: 18005 Loc: NB Canada	Yup, we had cacti here when DD was young and we only watered them once a month from November to February(rest period). Then just a little once a week for the rest of the year. I always just sat them in a little dish and watered them from the bottom, just what they could drink up in 3 minutes. _________________________ Tamara's Photos ~Can't wait for Fall~
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#203948 - 04/23/08 04:07 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: tamara]
Joclyn Joclyn Deep Purple Dream Gardener Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 2206 Loc: philly	once every 4 to 6 weeks during winter is perfect. once every 2-3 weeks during summer growing period is more than enough. every week would be too much. _________________________ zone 6b
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#204850 - 04/27/08 09:22 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Joclyn]
chermoni chermoni Ballard Beaver! Dream Gardener Registered: 07/25/06 Posts: 3611 Loc: The emerald city	So far I've had good luck with my little cactus garden. I hardly watered it all during the winter months and have only given it a few small drinks since the first day of spring. They are growing and seem to be doing well. I potted mine in an unglazed terra cotta pot. It gets good drainage but I'm so paranoid of overwatering that I don't usually give it enough water for it to actually drain out the bottom. These are my first cactuses (sp? I don't know how to spell that correctly either). I would have loved to find one like yours, it's so pretty! Good luck with it! _________________________ Cheryl's Photobucket I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it.
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#205976 - 05/01/08 07:48 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: chermoni]
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 781 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	Ok, we bought two more cacti last night at WalMart. They both have the dried flowers glued to the tops but they are neat looking and my daughter likes them. I am kind of disappointed with them.. that the flowers are fake. But anyway, here is a pic of them. Are the care instructions pretty much the same for these as well? And also, is it really necessary to re pot them? I mean I don't mind doing that, if it needs to be done.. and my daughter wanted to know why an unglazed clay pot?? She found some nice colorful pots that she thought about using, but I told her someone here had said unglazed clay would be best.. and she wanted me to ask. Edited by Pinkhorseofcourse (05/01/08 07:59 PM) Edit Reason: trying to fix picture _________________________
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#206022 - 05/01/08 10:47 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
Joclyn Joclyn Deep Purple Dream Gardener Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 2206 Loc: philly	i hate when they glue the fake flowers on!!! that just makes no sense and actually can hurt the cactus and/or keep it from producing the real flowers! they are really nice colors...should be removed though. you use unglazed clay because cacti live in the desert so they don't like to be wet. unglazed clay allows for more air exchange so that the soil will not stay too moist for too long. glazed clay and plastic hold the moisture in and that would be bad because a lot of the different cactus will get root-rot fairly quickly if over watered and/or they soil doesn't dry out quickly enough. not watering during their dormant period (which is in winter for the majority of them) is the best way to not kill your cactus. i don't like the unglazed stuff either...so, i put the unglazed pot inside a larger decorative container to hide the ugly orange. just make sure there is good air-space between the two. i usually go up at least two inches in diameter for the decorative pot and then use a few packing peanuts to hold the clay pot firmly in. and yes, they really should be repotted and put into the proper soil - cactus soil mixed with a lot of perlite and/or small stones. that peat stuff just isn't good for the cacti (or any other plant). once it dries out completely, any water won't be able to get to the roots - initially, that won't matter here as cacti can go for very long periods without any. at some point, they're going to need to drink and then they won't be able to. and the peat can't be re-hydrated once it's completely dried...so, best to repot now and be done with it for a few years. _________________________ zone 6b
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#206043 - 05/02/08 04:42 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: tamara]
suzydaze suzydaze Daisy Dream Gardener Registered: 08/03/04 Posts: 3550 Loc: Arkansas	hubby likes the cacti, I usually water when I can remember and they pretty much take care of their selves. Full sun, in summer I find a place to set them out side _________________________ I try to take one day at a time -- but sometimes several days attack me at once. -Jennifer Unlimited- http://s16.photobucket.com/albums/b24/suzydaze/my%20yard/?albumview=slideshow
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#206061 - 05/02/08 05:15 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Joclyn]
plants 'n pots plants 'n pots Purl One Garden Helper Registered: 11/12/03 Posts: 23780 Loc: Rockland County, NY	Those are some very nice looking cacti! I agree with Joclyn - you should take the fake flowers off - it looks like they are glued right onto the growing tips of both of them - not smart at all! Once you are more experienced with growing cacti, you can actually use some of those decorative pots - I have some small ones in glass candle holders without drainage holes and I am very careful about how much water they receive. One of them was part of a cactus grouping that I gave my husband for his office a few years ago. It was totally neglected there and mostly dead when he brought it back home last summer. It was also the only thing in that pot that had a tiny bit of green left to it!!! I put it in this small votive glass holder and water it very rarely with only a few drops of water - it has more than doubled in size since then! Here's a picture... the lighter areas are really healthy and green - the camera flash bleached it out! Here is another one in a glass cat votive holder that I've had for many years now. I need to repot it, as it's been growing towards the sun in the west window. Here is a succulent that I got last summer and kept on the deck in full sun til I brought it inside last fall. It did get a bit sunburned outside turning a bit brownish, but greened right back up once inside. It must be happy in this glass votive with just drops of water every now and then, as it has sent up this very long flower stem!!! And... a VERRRRRRRRRRRY tall and skinny cactus that a friend gave me a start of about 5 years ago - she gave me about a 4 inch piece - this thing is NOT staked - it's really bazaare! That is a full yard stick next to it for size! _________________________ ............... stated by a very wise friend... "well at least when you talk to yourself, you know the character of the person you are talking to!"
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#206164 - 05/02/08 04:55 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: plants 'n pots]
Joclyn Joclyn Deep Purple Dream Gardener Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 2206 Loc: philly	nice cacti!!! i really love that first one - wonderful form!! looks adorable in that votive, too!! yes, it would literally be just drops of water in that type container - you're doing something right since they're thriving! the aloe is wonderful - don't you just love how the flower spike is SO huge?! would love to see the blooms when they open. the last one is a euphorbia rather than a cactus. very, very cool plant! and, again, you're definitely doing something right!! they're faster growers than cacti...still, i don't think they're normally that quick! so, keep doing whatever you're doing...the plants are loving it!! _________________________ zone 6b
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#206168 - 05/02/08 05:07 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Joclyn]
dodge dodge Hot Rod Garden Helper Registered: 10/06/05 Posts: 11270 Loc: Rural - Western Pennsylvania	I threw out my jaggy ones last year, got tired of pulling the tiny jaggers out of my skin. I have the other types tho.. They are a bit crazy . _________________________ PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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#206231 - 05/02/08 08:36 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: dodge]
Joclyn Joclyn Deep Purple Dream Gardener Registered: 07/18/05 Posts: 2206 Loc: philly	yes, the pokeys can be a bit annoying!! just gotta learn how to handle them...in other words, don't touch 'em unless you have to!! the blooms they put out make the pokeys worth dealing with though!! they really have amazingly beautiful flowers!! _________________________ zone 6b
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#211913 - 05/27/08 09:44 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Joclyn]
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 781 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	We got another cactus.. it has REAL flowers on it.. yellow ones.. The name of it is Indian something I think.. I don't have pics yet will do that soon. _________________________
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#212010 - 05/28/08 09:40 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
dodge dodge Hot Rod Garden Helper Registered: 10/06/05 Posts: 11270 Loc: Rural - Western Pennsylvania	Well get on your horse an get the pictures women...... We wait an wait an wait............. _________________________ PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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#212040 - 05/28/08 11:26 AM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: dodge]
Pinkhorseofcourse Pinkhorseofcourse Wild Willow Great Gardener Registered: 04/17/06 Posts: 781 Loc: Rolling Hills of SE Ohio	I was going to take pics of it last night, but the flowers were closed.. today.. K? _________________________
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#212042 - 05/28/08 12:00 PM Re: My daughter wants a cactus collection.. We have one so [Re: Pinkhorseofcourse]
dodge dodge Hot Rod Garden Helper Registered: 10/06/05 Posts: 11270 Loc: Rural - Western Pennsylvania	Shame Shame..... _________________________ PS... My horse isn't here, this is my Nitemare..
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