Cactus lovers/growers?

[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.

[fidlfreek]

Hey! So this little succulent that I've had for 2 years has started blooming for the first time! She's tiny (about 2 inches across) but I'm worried about the little brown dots. Any ideas?

[Aggie_Ama]

Fidl- That is a cool little plant but I don't know what might be making it brown.

Astrophytum is blooming! I will snap a photo tonight, looks like they are going to be yellow blooms.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fidlfreak,
To me that looks like some sort of scale....they are little sucking bugs that build a hard shell over themselves. Florida red scale is an example. Here in the northeast I got some white scale on one of my cactus, and I read up a bit and got rid of it by rubbing a Q-tip soaked in alcohol on each scale several times over a couple of weeks. Mine were only a few dozen scales though, so it was easy.
You seem to have a lot, and you might want to cut off the most badly affected leaves, and perhaps swish the whole plant in a mild dish-soapy bath, followed by the alcohol treatment? Make sure your plant is in an airy place that is not stuffy.
Just a few thoughts but I don't know for sure.

[fidlfreek]

Ok so I have to do something drastic or my beautiful little gem will die! Ahhh!! I'm a bad mother. She is on a windowsill w/ other succulents. Plenty of air, I mean as much as anywhere else in the apartment. Will get right on it. Thanks Bleecker!

[Aggie_Ama]

My astro blooms came and closed (I promise photo next time) do you cut them off? Let them fall off? This plant is supposed to bloom multiple times a year but I am clueless on how to care for it.

I think I need to water them today as well but was waiting to see if the driving rain came through so they didn't get over watered. These aren't supposed to be stressful!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My astro blooms came and closed (I promise photo next time) do you cut them off? Let them fall off? This plant is supposed to bloom multiple times a year but I am clueless on how to care for it.

I think I need to water them today as well but was waiting to see if the driving rain came through so they didn't get over watered. These aren't supposed to be stressful!

I would cut off the dead blooms to encourage it to bloom again.
Keeping it fairly dry will also encourage more blooming.
After the winter ends- water and fertilizer encourage green growth, while dry and no food encourages blooming.
I cant believe you missed taking pictures! Oh well, next time, huh?

[Aggie_Ama]

Bleeck- I was really busy and thought I had more than one day! They were just opening then full size one day then closed the next, I was heartbroke. But the owner of the nursery claims those little guys are popular because they bloom a lot. I hope that is the case.

I got some great wild cacti photos hiking today, I will have to upload them.

[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?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fredwina, that is gorgeous! Is that a mammillaria?

The flower buds are substantially larger now, and I'm expecting them to open any day....can't wait to see what the flowers look like! I will take pictures when the first bloom opens.

[Fredwina]

I think so!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I think so too.

I believe mine is a:

gymnocalycium saglione, and if so it will have pale pink flowers.

[Aggie_Ama]

The flower buds are substantially larger now, and I'm expecting them to open any day....can't wait to see what the flowers look like! I will take pictures when the first bloom opens.

I saw one blooming today, can't wait for you to see what it does.

I got a few plants to put on my desk at work. I bought some quartz this time and there is a little froggy in there plus I added some rocks I found in our own flowerbed (after I took the picture).

Going counter clockwise: the pink blooming thing is Euphorbia milli ("Crown of Thorns") a native of Madagascar, the little short greyish-purple succulent is Echeveria ("Blushing Bride"), the dark succent with a bonus tag along is Gasteria and the bonus is Escheveria and the last one just said Euphorbia.



I also got this plant for my Mammaw for Mother's Day. She is a big fan of unique plants and plants that produce new plants. This one fits both bills because it shoots off stalks that the nursery owner said you can put a pot under to let root and viola you have another plant. Tag says it is a Kolanchoe.



I love this succulent nursery because if you spend more than $10 you get a free small plant. Last time it was this guy, I think it is in the agave family.



This time it was this plant.

[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.