LGBTQ+ Poultry Keepers

[fluffycrow]

Yes the Thimble Cactus is incredibly slow growing, the arms only grow a tad longer this past summer but it did thicken at the base a lot. It was pretty small when I purchased it 2 years ago, it also had rust or some sort of plant fungus upon arrival. Thankfully I got that cleared up and it's super healthy now. I think come this year it will start growing faster now that it is healthy.

Speaking of purchasing plants and having them die, I am so sorry Fluffy. It's the risk we take when ordering plants sight unseen. I lost quite a few that first year, that came with rot, fungus, over watered, bugs, etc... It's heartbreaking to lose them I know. I doubt over potting your plant would have killed it this fast, from what I can tell with my limited experience, succulents can take an awful lot of abuse before dying, UNLESS they are already on edge. Your plant was probably already struggling and probably would have died anyway no matter how you potted it.

Huh, interesting. I guess the mammillaria genus is generally slow growing. Considering most of my collection is slow growing plants, I would like to add some more “instant gratification” succulents. Euphorbias so far have been great. I was hoping I would find some super fast growing cacti as well, but it seems like I’m generally drawn towards the slow growers (copiapoa for example). Oh well.

Thank you. I’m quite bummed about the hirsuta; I really hope I see some growth (and maybe even a flower) come spring.
It seems like they were very poorly rooted cuttings, so overpotting them as much as I did just put too much strain on their root system.
I’m a bit of a serial overpotter, as my rainbow cactus also got root rot last month. I always just think more room=faster growth, but nope!

Anyways, I’m done with watering for thing year, for anything that isn’t a cutting or a very small seedling/plant. The temps are low enough that the moisture isn’t getting absorbed as quickly as I would like, and I don’t want to hurt the whole collection

 

[TwoCrows]

Huh, interesting. I guess the mammillaria genus is generally slow growing. Considering most of my collection is slow growing plants, I would like to add some more “instant gratification” succulents. Euphorbias so far have been great. I was hoping I would find some super fast growing cacti as well, but it seems like I’m generally drawn towards the slow growers (copiapoa for example). Oh well.

Thank you. I’m quite bummed about the hirsuta; I really hope I see some growth (and maybe even a flower) come spring.
It seems like they were very poorly rooted cuttings, so overpotting them as much as I did just put too much strain on their root system.
I’m a bit of a serial overpotter, as my rainbow cactus also got root rot last month. I always just think more room=faster growth, but nope!

Anyways, I’m done with watering for thing year, for anything that isn’t a cutting or a very small seedling/plant. The temps are low enough that the moisture isn’t getting absorbed as quickly as I would like, and I don’t want to hurt the whole collection

Euphorbias are quickly becoming a favorite of mine, they are fast growers and very easy to care for. So definitely an quick gratification plant for sure! My Golden Torches, Vatricania guentheri, grow about 2 inches a year. My Xique Xique is also keeping this pace at almost 2 inches a year. These are Columnar cacti, hopefully they don't start reaching the ceiling in too many years, I can't raise the roof for these guys! They spend the summer outside but have to come inside for the winter.

I've got a few of over potted cacti, one of my problems is I don't have access to many different sizes of pots unless I order online. So it's either stuff them in a pot with absolutely no room, or put them in a pot with too much room. Most of my over potted plants do ok, I had a couple over the summer that started to show signs of root rot so I crammed them into small pots and they are doing ok now. But they have little room to grow at all so next spring I am going to have to order pots on line.

Some of my bigger cacti have been dry since October, and I will give them a bit of water come January and then not again till spring. My smaller plants I'm lightly watering every 6 to 8 weeks. I few of them shrivel pretty badly after 4 weeks so they get watered once a month. I've been using a fan to help dry them out and try to water on weeks it's going to be sunny in the southern window.

 

[fluffycrow]

Euphorbias are quickly becoming a favorite of mine, they are fast growers and very easy to care for. So definitely an quick gratification plant for sure! My Golden Torches, Vatricania guentheri, grow about 2 inches a year. My Xique Xique is also keeping this pace at almost 2 inches a year. These are Columnar cacti, hopefully they don't start reaching the ceiling in too many years, I can't raise the roof for these guys! They spend the summer outside but have to come inside for the winter.

I've got a few of over potted cacti, one of my problems is I don't have access to many different sizes of pots unless I order online. So it's either stuff them in a pot with absolutely no room, or put them in a pot with too much room. Most of my over potted plants do ok, I had a couple over the summer that started to show signs of root rot so I crammed them into small pots and they are doing ok now. But they have little room to grow at all so next spring I am going to have to order pots on line.

Some of my bigger cacti have been dry since October, and I will give them a bit of water come January and then not again till spring. My smaller plants I'm lightly watering every 6 to 8 weeks. I few of them shrivel pretty badly after 4 weeks so they get watered once a month. I've been using a fan to help dry them out and try to water on weeks it's going to be sunny in the southern window.

Ah, thank you! My collection is generally lacking in columnars. I only have two, ish. The family call them…roosters.
I tell them to not make fun of my cacti while they’re in earshot.

Makes sense that columnar cacti would be the fastest to grow. Funnily enough the only clearly columnar is in a tiny pot.

My problem exactly! Ceramic pots here are only from a certain size up, and a certain size down. Even those smaller sizes are from some handmade Italian brand or something and are 20-30 euros a pot. Yeah, no.
Unfortunately though, some of the succulents are paying the price.

Sounds like a good plan. I’m thinking the first watering here will be March of the next year at the earliest, for the smallest of the collection

 

[TwoCrows]

Ah, thank you! My collection is generally lacking in columnars. I only have two, ish. The family call them…roosters.
I tell them to not make fun of my cacti while they’re in earshot.

Makes sense that columnar cacti would be the fastest to grow. Funnily enough the only clearly columnar is in a tiny pot.

My problem exactly! Ceramic pots here are only from a certain size up, and a certain size down. Even those smaller sizes are from some handmade Italian brand or something and are 20-30 euros a pot. Yeah, no.
Unfortunately though, some of the succulents are paying the price.

Sounds like a good plan. I’m thinking the first watering here will be March of the next year at the earliest, for the smallest of the collection

Columnar cacti grow like weeds...or bean stalks. I like to keep a few of them, I've got issues with balance and symmetry so their tallness helps keep me together. Oh gosh, why do people make fun of columns?! Just mean!

We both need a local store that caters to succulent keepers. Our only garden nursery closed down last spring so I have a hard time now finding good pots.

Tuck all your cacti and succulents in for the winter hibernation!