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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 13, 2007 7:35:32 GMT
No you're not! You're just enthusiastic.
Keep me informed.
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on Apr 16, 2007 17:29:54 GMT
Well I had a squint at them today, I mist with cooled, boiled water most days as the heated propagator dries out the cactus medium really rapidly. With a magnifying glass it looks like most of the babies are OK...they're still healthy looking..one or two look a bit the worse for wear but I'll give them a few days to see if they recover before I make any decisions about chucking any.....  Early days I know...now if I can just persuade my papyrus seeds to germinate..... ;D |
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Post by mickthecactus on Apr 17, 2007 7:29:33 GMT
Well done CPB. You'll get there. All that TLC will come good.
Actually, all mine are out of the propagator now - it's really too warm for them in the current weather. The purpose of the propagator is to get them to germinate. Once they are safely up the temperature can be reduced.
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Post by Cheerypeabrain on May 6, 2007 19:59:14 GMT
Some of the cactus seedlings are doing better than others... ;D patience is a virtue. However I potted up my kangaroo paw seedlings today...I've kept them in the propagator with the vents open and turned off the heat....fingers crossed...
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Post by mickthecactus on May 9, 2007 6:52:54 GMT
Some are terribly slow CPB. As you say, patience is a virtue.
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Post by Dutchy on May 9, 2007 18:53:35 GMT
Erm Mick after keeping up with al CPBs hard work and your mentioning of patience I think I will not even try. I am weak I know  I have taken the pods of three of my cacti including the one on here somewhere. Would you like to have them ? Or CPB. I do not know if anything will grow from what is still inside the pods. pm me in case you do want them. ' Dutchy |
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Post by mickthecactus on May 11, 2007 12:06:01 GMT
Thanks for the kind offer Dutchy but I'll pass. Space pressures mean I have to be very picky.
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Post by oldmoleskins on May 22, 2007 20:08:35 GMT
Once you have cut it leave it on its side to dry off. Keep it somewhere dry and warm and bright. Simply leave the stump and it will sprout from various places and you can either leave or take them off and root them. Suggest repot if not done for some time. Mick, I was just about to 'operate' - but it's started to flower. Should I go ahead anyway, or leave it til afterwards? OM. |
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Post by mickthecactus on May 23, 2007 12:08:13 GMT
No, go ahead. This is the prime time to root cuttings. Later in mid summer they are very reluctant. Cacti tend to rest then.
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Post by Dutchy on Jun 16, 2007 17:45:34 GMT
Good thing you declined ;D
I completely forgot to check earlier if you wanted them or not.
oops and sorry
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jun 17, 2007 8:43:03 GMT
the 'ping' of Dutchy's post on this thread reminded me of something I meant to ask: when I operated on mine, it was a lot easier than I expected, not woody and tough but temptingly succulent, a bit like a kiwi fruit.
I resisted trying it - but are cacti generally edible?
OM.
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Post by 4pygmies on Jun 20, 2007 6:03:30 GMT
Didn't they make Tequila out of cacti juice? And didn't the native Americans make their plonk out of succulents? I should resist the temptation, Moley, I think it might make you go blind!  |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jun 20, 2007 6:34:01 GMT
Seems a high price to pay for a little experimental gastronomy...
OM.
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Post by Dutchy on Jun 20, 2007 7:49:34 GMT
;D
I think they used the fruit and not the cacti itself like one would eat an apple but not the tree.
On the other hand.........
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jul 1, 2007 9:00:59 GMT
Ok Mick, it's been sitting in just-moist Tesco Premium Cat Litter now for a week or so, and I've resisted the temptation to lift it to see if it's rooting (yes I know that would be absurdly premature) and will do for as long as I can bear it, but:
a) when would be a sensible time to look (I assume there's no nutrient in cat litter, Premium or not, so I guess it'll need to be potted on into something fairly smartly once it's under way) and
b) when potting on (I've bought some Arthur Bowers cactus compost in anticipation) what depth of root should I be aiming to have at that point, and is there an ideal depth/volume of container to accommodate it happily for the foreseeable future?
OM.
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 1, 2007 15:48:53 GMT
Don't look in here very often but today I did and it reminded me I have some baby cactus (not a clue what they are) they got knocked off a plant so I sat them in the top of a small pot of sandy/gritty/compo a few months ago. Several have grown a little, several have just gone brown and shrivelled  but the survivers don't appear to have put on any root. I'll take a pic next time I take camera up the GH. |
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Post by Chuckles on Jul 3, 2007 13:21:53 GMT
These are the babies I mentioned, you can see they are plumping up and there are a couple of shrivelled ones at the front that I should remove really. I've picked one out and to be honest I don't understand how they are growing   |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Jul 3, 2007 13:35:42 GMT
Chuckles' ping reminded me of something else I was going to ask but forgot, a post or two back:
what on earth is that dreadful gas that's given off when you pour water into the cat litter???
I should think it spooks the cats.
OM
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Post by oldmoleskins on Aug 26, 2007 18:08:24 GMT
Once you have cut it leave it on its side to dry off. Keep it somewhere dry and warm and bright. Simply leave the stump and it will sprout from various places and you can either leave or take them off and root them. Suggest repot if not done for some time. In Mickthe C's absense, has anyone any idea of the timeframe for this? The cut stump is callousing over after 2 months (the top still reposes on a bed of cat litter in the GH and looks healthy enough, but haven't liked to disturb it to see if it's rooted) and looks like this:  I see no sprouts to remove and pot-on as cuttings. Was it all an elaborate hoax? Have I been lured into cactus mutilation?? Am I just impatient??? OM. |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 28, 2007 21:52:13 GMT
Ooooh dear OM should that really look like that Just as my post last time reminded you, yours has reminded me to say my little cactus babies seem to be growing Whats this about cat litter and gas ;D |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Aug 29, 2007 7:35:46 GMT
Ooooh dear OM should that really look like that Just as my post last time reminded you, yours has reminded me to say my little cactus babies seem to be growing Whats this about cat litter and gas ;D Dear Chuckles, when you moisten the cat litter (dear reader, if you have come in mid thread, we're talking about the use of cat litter as a rooting medium - seems a bit April's Fool, but there you go) it hissed slightly and gave off a gas. Honestly. Not being a cat person, I wondered what purpose this served - and indeed what effect it had on cats... it doesn't exactly promote the idea of a comfort-stop in my mind. Don't cat owners want cats to use the litter tray? Seems an odd thing to do to your pussy... OM. |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 29, 2007 8:11:45 GMT
I think I need to experience this hissing and gas first hand so I'll find the Cat Litter I bought for using to mix with compo for rooting and give it a go Please don't anyone ring for the guys in the white coats ;D |
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Post by oldmoleskins on Aug 29, 2007 9:19:28 GMT
I think I need to experience this hissing and gas first hand so I'll find the Cat Litter I bought for using to mix with compo for rooting and give it a go Please don't anyone ring for the guys in the white coats ;D Look forward to your findings... but it gets worse: "the Cat Litter I bought for using to mix with compo for rooting" what compo? the awol Cactus Supremo didn't say anything about compo - my amputated top is squatting in a bed of hissing, neat, Tesco Premium Cat Litter!!! OM |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 29, 2007 9:34:09 GMT
Don't worry OM I meant for plant and shrub cuttings not cactus and succulents ;D
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 29, 2007 10:00:14 GMT
Well, Cat Litter experiment tried out under very strict conditions ;D 1 glass of Cat Litter (not premium grade but Tesco economy) poured rain water into said glass of Cat Litter and watched and listened very carefully The man is right ;D it does hiss/fizz and give off a sort of gas, bit like that fake smoke stuff they use in films. You live and learn |
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Post by Rosefriend on Aug 29, 2007 10:57:21 GMT
Good that I now know if fizzes (why though)because I use Perlite from the UK for a lot of my cuttings and I am running out - can I use Cat litter with the same results then?
Or is there something in it that small cuttings wouldn't like very much?
RF
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Post by oldmoleskins on Aug 29, 2007 11:58:34 GMT
Good that I now know if fizzes (why though)because I use Perlite from the UK for a lot of my cuttings and I am running out - can I use Cat litter with the same results then? Or is there something in it that small cuttings wouldn't like very much? RF Cats? OM. |
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Post by Chuckles on Aug 30, 2007 17:07:38 GMT
RF I used to work for a pet food manufacturer and we made 2 different brands of Cat Litter. It was made from a natural mineral clay. It may be worth while taking a look on the bags you can get in Germany and see what they say on them |
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Post by oldmoleskins on May 25, 2009 8:04:10 GMT
Well, talk about everything comes to he who waits, this is the amputated top this morning, looking plump and happy:  and the 'stump' has healed over completely, with a circling group of 5 minimams about the size of conkers, looking suspiciously like the cuttings Mick promised me! OM. |
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Post by 4pygmies on May 25, 2009 13:28:09 GMT
Well I never! That looks very very pretty....I'll tell him shall I? He'll be really pleased!  |
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but the survivers don't appear to have put on any root. I'll take a pic next time I take camera up the GH.
