Cactus lovers/growers?

[Fredwina]

I should have done something with this catcus:

[Aggie_Ama]

Lisa- I saw that same plant at Spicewood Spines and was intrigued by it but only had room for 4 and decided on the Astrophytum because I already had the ferocactus that was "spikey" but I may get more plants eventually. We are having an usual late spring cold snap (36 this morning) so I brought the little guys inside last night, I didn't want to stress out the newly potted plants.

Fredwina- You have really built your collection, I thought everything died? This gives me hope because I am convinced I will kill my plants!

Good news is DH is convinced we can repot the Agave and save my pot. What he does not know is that means I am scheming to find another large plant for the pot. Maybe a blue agave from his nursery for the backyard?

[Fredwina]

I'v think I've only killed two catci. I'm probably going to repot the aloe Vera this weekend.
Most of those plant were $2 wal mart or Target specials that were half dead(most of them had been drowned)

[Aggie_Ama]

Oh I see, well I didn't buy the real expensive plants and I bought the ones the owner said were a little less finicky. They are supposed to be cold hardy. I brought them in to protect them though because I know repotting is stressful.

The agave and I have been great friends because I potted it and ignored it. Look at her go! I think if I put it in a bigger pot it will get bigger but mostly I just admire it when I pull in the drive and beam when people compliment it. I even had a nightmare once someone stole it, I was devastated.

[Aggie_Ama]

In bloom in the wild at Colorado Bend State Park in Bend, TX.

[Fredwina]

It must be spring, This is first time this one has ever bloomed:

Erosion control with Prickly Pears?

[Aggie_Ama]

My Graptapetalum has a little one coming up! I am going to research if it can be dug up to start a new plant.

For Mother's Day I ended up getting my mom's sister a "Black Prince" succulent and my mom's sister-in-law a neat little cacti from Omen. My aunts were totally shocked and loved them! I wish I had taken pictures of the plants.

DH surprised me this week with a new agave from his boss. It is a pretty decent size "weeping agave". I am pretty excited since it rare for our area.

I also have some new buds on two of mine, pictures when they open.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Amanda, sounds like you are really expanding your succulent collection! It's so nice to see your pictures. It's a great idea to have a little 'companion garden' on your desk at work. I find that cactii and succulents really seem to have a personality and a 'spirit' somehow.

Well I am STILL waiting for those flowers buds to bloom that I pictured a few posts ago. I can't believe how long they are taking! The buds are still growing larger. Gotta be any day now!

In a couple more weeks I'll be able to move ALL my cactii and succulents out on our porch for the summer. That's when they really thrive, and then the window sills and tables inside the house are suddenly all nice and spacious and zen-like for the summer. The collection really looks beautiful out on the porch in clusters.

I'm in the middle of planning a big new vegetable garden in our back yard.
I currently have a tiny 5' x 18' tomato patch garden strip on one side of our shed.
Now I'm thinking of a big 18' x 30' veggie garden in the middle of the back yard. Very ambitious. We will have to have it back-hoed and loads of top soil brought in, since the soil is so gravelly and poor under the lawn there. Gotta find out if indeed the landscaper can back hoe at all there, or if it's solid shale we might need to build raised beds- a bigger expense for sure.