Search found 495 matches

by Cidermanrolls
Fri Mar 22, 2024 5:48 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Seed raising compost
Replies: 10
Views: 456

Re: Seed raising compost

I don’t add any feed before germination, but I also don’t use the baggy method so I can easily add a small amount of soluble feed to the water I spray the seedlings with, once germinated. I’ve seen people say that seedlings don’t need feeding, but my experience is that a small dose of fertiliser doe...
by Cidermanrolls
Fri Mar 01, 2024 2:57 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Sulphur chips as slow release substrate acidifier?
Replies: 6
Views: 448

Re: Sulphur chips as slow release substrate acidifier?

I use sulphur in my cricket grounds work as a way to reduce the pH of our local natural soils, which sit on limestone. It does appear to work, though slowly over several years, but I’d be concerned about its use in pot-culture. Across a 1500m^2 cricket square I will apply 25kg each winter. That’s ab...
by Cidermanrolls
Sat Feb 17, 2024 8:35 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Habitat plant?
Replies: 10
Views: 850

Re: Habitat plant?

Whatever the truth, the listing has gone.
by Cidermanrolls
Sun Feb 11, 2024 8:12 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Look what these caught.2023 trawl.
Replies: 11
Views: 830

Re: Look what these caught.2023 trawl.

Can someone please explain the point of catching and killing harmless insects? Mealy bugs maybe so, but all others - no. We should be helping them thrive, not killing them. https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2022/may/uks-flying-insects-have-declined-60-in-20-years.html The male mealie bug flies…. ...
by Cidermanrolls
Thu Feb 08, 2024 12:30 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Offensive "Moderator" on Facebook.
Replies: 9
Views: 833

Re: Offensive "Moderator" on Facebook.

I share your concern over this behaviour. It is clearly wrong. I also suspect the Facebook page is the something that causes a lot of angst in the committees of BCSS. There is lots of behaviour on there that risks bringing the society into disrepute. There was recently a very public discussion about...
by Cidermanrolls
Wed Feb 07, 2024 9:01 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Looking for Echinopsis hybrids
Replies: 6
Views: 297

Re: Looking for Echinopsis hybrids

Hi Tegglet. I have a full set of Schicks, and many other hybrids, and sometimes sell on eBay. Germany was my primary source, pre Brexit so I have quite a lot of Wessner and Rheingold hybrids. Now, opportunities are few and far between other than eBay. Many of the hybrids offset rarely unless you beh...
by Cidermanrolls
Thu Feb 01, 2024 8:18 am
Forum: Small Opuntias (Tephrocactus Study Group)
Topic: Germination!
Replies: 10
Views: 1142

Re: Germination!

Some of mine, three weeks after sowing. The platyacantha have come up really quickly. Note the three lobed aoracanthus.
These have had no pretreatment at all. I’ve got a few other pots with no germination in.
by Cidermanrolls
Tue Jan 23, 2024 5:49 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Pumice, semi-bulk supplier?
Replies: 4
Views: 768

Re: Pumice, semi-bulk supplier?

Cider, why do you need a phyto certificate for inert materials? You’d need to ask Boris that, but it counts as a soil and soils need to be shown to be phyto sanitary I presume. This caused cricket clubs in Ireland, north and south, real problems in the years immediately after Brexit. The cricket sq...
by Cidermanrolls
Sat Jan 20, 2024 5:31 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Recording of The Cactus Hunters: Desire and Extinction in the Illicit Succulent Trade by Jared Margulies
Replies: 9
Views: 853

Re: Recording of The Cactus Hunters: Desire and Extinction in the Illicit Succulent Trade by Jared Margulies

Thanks Mat, I watched this end to end on a cold and wet winter afternoon. The presentation was very interesting but, I feel, selective. I’m sure the type of collector he talks about exists, but I share little in common with them. Maybe I am the odd man out? I’ve never felt the urge to own ‘real’ pla...
by Cidermanrolls
Mon Jan 15, 2024 7:40 pm
Forum: The Cactus & Succulent Plant Forum
Topic: Seed trays of mixed seedlings Solved
Replies: 5
Views: 1010

Re: Seed trays of mixed seedlings Solved

I keep the lid on until early summer, but I do remove some of the more humidity sensitive species, sometimes. I’ve got two Pterocactus hickenii seedlings on my office windowsill right now…I find these super sensitive to too much warmth and humidity.