I thought I'd share my prickly pears that I potted up at the end of last summer. I have an area in the ground where they do very well, and cut some pads off for this planter. There's another pot on the backside, making 4 altogether.
I overwintered the pot in my basement by a sliding glass door that faces West - at most it got bright light, no direct sun, and was very withered and limp. I'm thrilled to see that it has plumped up and is sending off new pads on the tops of each piece.
Wow they are doing so good and girl I also love the pot where did you get it from?Like to have one myself?They are looking good bet they will look even better when they bloom?
Thanks Tonya and Rita! I got the pot from JoAnn's craft store last year, but they still have them this year - I just bought the same one in a rust color - and I only buy them when they are 50% off!
Isn't it amazing what 2 weeks growth does - I didn't realize it was exactly 2 weeks when I just took this shot today!
I, too, cannot wait til they bloom - love those bright yellow flowers!!!
[font:verdana]Bringing this thread back up to show Carol. I took some pictures today of my prickly pears both in the ground and in containers - they overwinter here in zone 6 just fine either way. They will get limp, black, and possibly mushy, but most perk right back up when the weather warms up in spring.
The main section, from which I take cuttings and either pot them up, or share with friends and neighbors. Most of the flowers have bloomed already, but there are a few still left. (sorry about the poor quality of the picture - my camera is refusing to take good shots of flowers in bright sun these days!)
A pot of PP that I potted up last year and still has lots of flower buds that have yet to open. This overwintered in our shed last winter.
Another pot on the front porch from last year.
And that same pot with another that I took some cuttings from right after taking the pictures.
If your prickly pears fruit and the fruits turn red or reddish, they are delicious, Lynne. Hold them over a flame with tongs or on a fork to burn off the pricklies and peel and eat.
~Tina
Drama Free Zone. What every gardener loves the most, Begins and ends in rich compost. (Tina)
Tina - mine have never fruited - the part where the flower was simply dries and falls off.
Carol - I do have to cut back that bed from time to time so it doesn't look so unruly - I wait until it's finished blooming though. This year I will spread some pads a bit further down into the garden to make it a longer bed, and also to help clean it up a bit.
Each one of the rounded bases below the flower is the fruit, Lynne. I can see them in your pics. But I'm just not sure you have a long enough warm season to have them ripen to the red-orange they need to be. Although you should.
~Tina
Drama Free Zone. What every gardener loves the most, Begins and ends in rich compost. (Tina)
I know that's where they are, Tina, but they are really much too small to be anything anyway. If I don't cut them off, they just sit there and turn red before turning black eventually. You can't really tell, but each one is no bigger than one inch or so. The past few years I've cut them off so more pads can grow.
wow! that's such a nice patch! believe it or not, you can grow these in the ground here in canada outside all year. they come back year after year and they're supposed to be *really* easy to grow!
Helping the world one seed at a time
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. Mary Ann LaPensee
Yes Kenny - they are very easy to grow - all I ever need to do is sometimes cut out pieces that blackened over winter and don't plump up and green the next spring. Most of them do remain healthy from year to year though.
Time for an annual update! I see that I started this thread last year, one day later than today - it is a coincidence that I have pictures to post today, but a good thing!
Here is my patch of prickly pears in the rain, with new growth starting on the tips.
Those are great pictures, Lynne--so nice and close.
Below is the 10 pads that Lynne sent to me last summer---Don't they look nice???
Now here is an updated picture of the Prickly Pear pads that she sent to me last July. They have really taken off and are doing very well. Thanks again Lynne.
All your prickly pears look great. Since I plan to eat the pads as well as the fruit, I'd like to find cuttings from the Burbank spineless strain. I asked in the cacti and succulents forum, then realized that's for houseplants. So, do any of you outdoor cactus lovers have a source?
When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant. Mary Ann LaPensee
Diane - I have most of mine in the ground - they winter over just fine here. A few might get a bit black and mushy but I just cut those off. I mostly ignore them and they've flowered each year for me.
However... I do have some in pots also that I have to take indoors - those did not flower this year - I don't know if it's because the pots were too wet in all the rain we had this summer, or if the roots didn't have enough room for the plant to flourish?
Diane - I have most of mine in the ground - they winter over just fine here. A few might get a bit black and mushy but I just cut those off. I mostly ignore them and they've flowered each year for me.
However... I do have some in pots also that I have to take indoors - those did not flower this year - I don't know if it's because the pots were too wet in all the rain we had this summer, or if the roots didn't have enough room for the plant to flourish?
My PP are not in pots, but it did rain a lot here. They get full sun but are in fact between the air conditioner unit and the house to the east and the deck to the north of the AC unit.--perhpas the sun is not "direct" enough long enough there for them to flower???
But I will say they are flourishing...
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
The other day as I was weeding my PP's (barehanded), I took a handfull of weeds and may I say that I also got a handfull of spines. now no, I did not touch any prickly pears by accicent. it was as if the weeds had crossed with the PP. is that possible??? It felt like I had grabbed a well & fully plump prickly pear with my hand--and believe me I had not.
also these same weeds were in another area and when I pulled them there,they were not prickly in any manner.
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Lynne--here is an update on the prickly pear cacti that you sent me a few years ago. it is not so a good photo because it was very bright & I could not be sure of where I was shooting. But you can see a few of the new pads beginning to develope.
a question:
why do some of the older pads look sorta "stratified". Could that be from the stress of their weight???
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
I have some that are 13 years old. they bloom every year and look great. I wear gloves around them and do everything with a shovel. lol I have had alot of stickers in the past. I think the stickers are light enough to spread over to other flowers/weeds. I have a weed inside it that I just pick at. Never quite removing it or getting to close! [img][IMG]http://i114.photobucket.com/albums/n269/psychobubba_2006/plants009.jpg[/img][/img]
Last edited by dhuber; Apr 30th, 2010 at 03:06 PM.
The other day as I was weeding my PP's (barehanded), I took a handfull of weeds and may I say that I also got a handfull of spines. now no, I did not touch any prickly pears by accicent. it was as if the weeds had crossed with the PP. is that possible??? It felt like I had grabbed a well & fully plump prickly pear with my hand--and believe me I had not.
also these same weeds were in another area and when I pulled them there,they were not prickly in any manner.
Carol - this happens to me also, when I haven't even touched any of the pads. I have a brand new pair of gardening gloves that I can't even wear after the first time because it's full of spikes that I didn't knowingly touch!!!
I'm not sure what is causing that stratification - I have assorted markings on some of my leaves as well, but it doesn't prevent them from growing and flowering. Sorry I don't have an answer, but will try a search.
I will get a picture of my cacti soon - they just keep spreading and spreading in the garden - right now it takes up fully 1/2 of that garden.
dhuber - I also started with a very small pot - maybe 1 main pad with 2 ears? Can't remember...
Lynne I thought I had that cactus But it's not what I thought it was,, I haven't even seen those at the nursery,, Does it take a long time of growing for them to bloom??
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
Lynne I thought I had that cactus But it's not what I thought it was,, I haven't even seen those at the nursery,, Does it take a long time of growing for them to bloom??
!) Lynne sent me these PP in July of 2008 I think it was. this is the first year they are going to bloom. I do wonder though if it has more to do with crowding than it does time. They are good and full in the area I have them now, where in the beginning there was lots of space...so...??
2) I sure could send you some of mine if you would like. Lynne could tell me how to do that I am sure. I think all I do is cut the top pads off & let the fresh ends dry before I send them. You just stick them into the ground, literally.
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Okay,, Lynne has offered them to me before But I declined because I thought I already had them But My neighbor told me what I have is NOT prickly pear cactus,, No wonder they didn't bloom and I'd had them several years at least 7 years
Wouldn't mind having some now,, thanks for the offer
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
I think I should put this in Blooming fine--but hey!!!LOOK !!! this is the first time that My PP has ever bloomed !!!! and yea yea I know--they are in serious need of weeding.
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Looking very good, Carol! Mine are also starting to bloom this week. I tried getting a picture of the blooms the other day, but it's hard to get a clear one with the sun shining on them, so I got this one of the many buds yet to bloom instead.
Diane - the offer still stands. Let me see what I can cut off, and I'll let you know. I just did a major pruning and gave them to Don's nephew, and Lisa this past weekend.
Sure would like to have a couple of those,, if you wouldn't mind, don't know what happened to the others you sent,, I believe they got left at the other house, dang,, I left sooooooo many plants over there,,
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
okey dokey A question me and others may want to know,, Can these be potted up? What type of soil would they take? Watering / fertilizing requirement? Thanks Lynne
"Grace without perfection is more to be desired than perfection without grace."
I put them in pots all the time. I like to buy decorative ones that lend themselves to the theme of cacti, and give these as hostess gifts when we visit someone - most people don't know that one can grow these cacti outdoors here in NY, so it makes a nice and different presentation. You can bring them indoors for winter - I bring my pots in, but the large section outside stays there. They don't grow indoors here during that time, but perk right up when they go back outside.
As for soil... I just use the clay soil that we have in the ground here. I have also used bagged soil, but not the kind that has fertilizer in it, or is too rich. Not sure how they would do with that, but since the other works fine for me, that is what I use.
Mine have so many buds on them right now. I took some pictuers yesterday, but none came out. When the sun is shining on the patch, it is too bright and washes them out. When it's cloudier, there isn't much definition. Will try again today.
Thanks so much, Carol! They will all most likely bloom within a week of each other. Too bad it doesn't last longer - the flowers are so nice and bright.
This cactus has so much to offer, whether you add sliced or cubed pads to omelettes or gently urge the fruit from its stickery skin and eat it fresh or cooked into jelly. Even the seeds can be eaten in soups or dried and ground into flour. If harvesting your own plants, always wear hand protection. Some species of prickly pear cactus don't have spines, but all have glochids.Unless you wear extremely heavy gloves, it's best to handle the pads with tongs or some other "remote" device.Beware pear cactus can poke thorns through you and hurt really bad.
I majorly pruned (which should have been done much sooner) my prickely
So now, I have lots of pads to give away once they scab over if anyone is interested. I kept enough for me to re-plant much of the area, and for me to give away.
If anyone is interested, PM me your address...
________
Life isn't about how to survive the storm, but how to dance in the rain!! .....
Gardening in March
Gardening in April
Gardening in May
Shop at Amazon and Support AGF
Are you shopping online? Click this link first and A Gardeners Forum will receive a commission for your
referral at Amazon.com (shopping through this link to Amazon will not have any impact on your prices at Amazon).