Yes, reducing the chances of tolerant pests is the aim. Mainly control of mealies, I haven't had any big outbreak but occasionally spot the odd one (terminated with maximum prejudice on sight!) just want to prevent a problem before there is a problem.

Can anyone recommend an effective alternative to provado (thiacloprid, I believe is the active). I used it last year without problems but wanted to alternate with something else.

Yes it does sound logical too. I will see what he says. Thanks again everyone.

KK numbers are exclusively South American, so no chance that it's a KK something else number miswritten. KK1720, from a quick web search, seems not to be in common cultivation (if at all) so it's unlikely to be a reused label from a true KK1720. That doesn't get you any closer but closes off some p...

Last year i visited a nursery and picked up a couple of plants, I was lucky enough to find a solisia pectinata . I came to repotting it yesterday and when I pulled out the label there was a collection number on it, below soil level. It is kk1720 which appears to refer to a cleistocactus. In fact thi...

I have some that are close but not quite, buds are swelling on my Mammillaria longiflora, eriosyce villosa and turbinicarpus valdezianus and pseudopectinatus.

Looks like Mammillaria elongata to me.

One of my favourite Noto's. My one is kept out in the cold with most of my collection so no buds here yet.

I'm sure I read somewhere a written rule about how long you have to have owned it prior to it being eligible for showing, but now I doubting myself.

Liz M wrote:Certainly bizarre but only digital manipulation. I doubt whether any Lithops were hurt in this operation.

Maybe, but what about the owners of the hearts are they are posed in?

I'm guessing a pig or maybe a sheep from the butchers.