Beginner Cactus Grower, First Garden Starting

[CactiNewb]

Hey all how is everybody and there cactus's! just recently I took a founding to these beautiful but strange green growers. so I decided to take up some cactus growing. Heres pics of my first garden.

I used my own soil mix. 1 part potting mix to 2 parts sand.

I have 2 Trichocereus Bridgesii, and 1 Aloe Vera

what should I do about that brown part on my aloe??

will buy a new cactus every paycheck hope you enjoy



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[Kisal]

Welcome to the forum!

You can cut the brown part off. It's a dead leaf. Use a clean, sharp knife.

In the future, you may want to consider adding some perlite and fine gravel (about 1/8th inch in diameter) to your mix. That's just a suggestion, not an absolute necessity. It will improve the drainage, though.

[CactiNewb]

Thanks! Yeah good idea anything to improve drainage! Tips for next cactus? Holiday cactus?

[Kisal]

Holiday cacti are fun. I have several. If you manage the temperature and day-length properly, you can keep them blooming for several months. My neighbor was amazed that mine were all in full bloom in April. They had been blooming steadily since Thanksgiving of last year.

A cactus I don't have, but would love to add to my collection, is a Night Blooming Cereus. They are absolutely gorgeous!

[CactiNewb]

Dang! Thats a ways but the night blooming is listed as echinopsis so technically would that mean my trichocerus are considered night blooming?

[Kisal]

As a matter of fact, it does bloom at night! I didn't know that, until I researched it.

However, I'm not sure you have Trichocereus bridgesii (aka Echinopsis lageniformis). That species is known for it's long spines, which can grow well over 3 long. But your plants are young, so they may develop the spines later on.

OTOH, you might have Trichocereus pachanoi (also called Echinopsis pachanoi). It's spines are very short, no more than 1", and often it doesn't have spines at all.

I've read that T. bridgesii is prone to rot, so be very careful not to overwater them, especially with winter dormancy approaching.

[CactiNewb]

no there Bridgesii alright. the guy I ordered the tip cuttings from removed spines for safer handling of the cactis. I really wish they still had there spines there devilish but yeah I just planted to bridgesii today. so I cant water for a month. after that I'm just going to water once a month when I bring them indoors.

better to underwater than overwater

[Kisal]

Ah! Removing the thorns when shipping sounds sensible. I've only purchased cacti in person, so never had to deal with shipping questions.

And you're 100% correct about the watering.

[CactiNewb]

Should I repot my aloe vera? Seems like that pot might be to small for its size[/I]

[Kisal]

I think I would wait until spring to move it to a larger pot. It's going to be slowing down for the winter pretty soon, and too large of a pot can lead to root rot.

When you do decide to repot it, I suggest that you choose a pot large enough so there is no more than about 1 to 2 inches of soil all around the plant between the outer edge of the base of the plant and the inner edge of the rim of the pot. I also would choose a pot that is about as wide as it is tall. Such pots are sold under a variety of names: cactus pots, bulb pans and azalea pans. It will help provide a more stable base for the plant, so it doesn't tip over so easily, and it will create a small enough root ball to allow the soil to dry properly between waterings. I use this type of pot for all of my succulents.

It should look something like this:
[img]https://assets.newmediaretailer.com/0/316/web_535094.jpg[/img]

[CactiNewb]

Alright! Thanks alot. Never seen that type of pot before but I will ask around!

[Kisal]

They're pretty common wherever terra cotta pots are sold. They aren't very expensive ... at least out here they aren't. Any home improvement/big box type store that sells flower pots should have them. They come in plastic, too, which I have my Holiday cacti in because the cacti are relatively large.

Plastic is fine for succulents as long as you're sure you won't accidentally overwater them. I use plastic pots for my cacti when they have to move into pots larger than 8" in diameter, just because it weighs so much less. It makes it a whole lot easier for me to move them from place to place.

[CactiNewb]

Yeah they do get heavy. Pretty sure u have nor seen them at lowes. I will check out earl may[/list]

[Kisal]

I haven't looked at Loew's. I avoid shopping there, because the service is dreadful at the one closest to my home.

I routinely find those pots at places like Fred Meyer's, which is a west coast chain of grocery/department stores. And all the independent garden shops I've been to around here carry them. I really don't think they're a rare item!

[BewilderedGreenyO.o]

I can get those pots anywhere here in SoCal. Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, Target, Even our local craft store Michaels carries them, just about every nursery within miles of my home carry them as well. I am surprised you haven't seem them before. They are great but do get super heavy even though they have great aeration In fact it looks as though you have a couple of your cacti in some in the photos

[CactiNewb]

Pretty sure there just regular 6" pots. I could be wrong though. Yeah I'm in iowa so cactus arnt much here. But yeah I'm sure I wont have a problem finding them