I've just gone through the collection and the bad news is that since the formula for Provado has changed the mealy bugs are on the increase. I've removed a number of adult bugs and accumulations of wool/eggs, some nestling in old corky growth and some on seed pods or buds. I also took the opportunit...

Looking good, Rod. Do the three rib specimens sprout extra ribs like the four rib ones always seem to? I've just bought one although it is much smaller than yours and I'm wondering how long it will stay a "three"

They are an absolute menace in my greenhouse. Do they navigate by smell? Most bees get hopelessly lost once in the greenhouse and have to be helped out, these things find the pot if you move it or find another window if you shut their normal route in/out. I have just had to re pot an echinocereus, f...

Thanks Phil

Seconded!

At the end of last summer I thought that I really should re pot this plant (Helpfully labelled Tephrocactus) It was wedged in a clay pot and my "gentle" tap to dislodge it only succeeded in breaking the plant at the neck between the stems and the tuberous root. I dried both out and left th...

At least I think it is! The label succumbed to the "Vampire in the sunlight" syndrome at the last re-pot and turned to dust the moment I touched it. It was bought from John Pilbeam at Connoisseur's cacti over ten years ago, and most years produces one flower - never any more but it brighte...

Thanks, Dave. There must be a lot of confused cats out there!

Out of interest, who first thought of using cat litter & how? OK I suspect someone looked at the composition, etc. and compared it to Seramis and tried some out; but I have a vision of a piece of "peanut" cactus or Tephrocactus falling into a litter tray and the owner removing it to fi...

Last year I found that the "cuttings" - that had fallen off and rooted in various places had all produced smallish underground tubers and flowered, whereas the larger plants were very reluctant to flower. Not sure why, some had rooted in pots with quite old compost in (as well as another p...