Useful Tips & Tricks

For the discussion of topics related to the conservation, cultivation, propagation and exhibition of cacti & other succulents.
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Dot
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Dot »

This is not a tip, more a trick tried out by one of our Sheffield Branch members many years ago.
Mrs H had a large columnar cactus with smooth stems, genus unknown. She wanted to put it in the Branch Show and was very upset when she found that there was quite a big hole in the body of the plant.

Her solution was to fill the hole with green soap, the colour was an excellent match and she proudly put the plant into the Show. I'm sorry to say that the plant did not win any awards, but it was not given an NAS so our member was quite happy.
I often wondered what would have happened if plant had been sprayed with water.

Happy Days!
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Liz M »

This beats the story of the dead cactus entered into a show. I never did find out if the judge realised it was dead.
Obsessive Crassulaceae lover, especially Aeoniums but also grow, Aloes, Agaves, Haworthias and a select number of Cacti.
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Tina »

Always have some spare clean paint brushes and always tickle the flowers of plants you like, it's often surprising what you can get seeds from even if it's only the one plants flowering.
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varied collection of succulents and cacti but I especially like Euphorbia's, Ariocarpus and variegated agaves.

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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Liz M »

I used the tip about glueing broken bits of plants together. I knocked a Gasteria bud and it nearly fell off, to save it I used Super-glue and tied some cling film round it to support it. As of this morning the bud is looking happy and healthy. What a great tip. Thanks.
Obsessive Crassulaceae lover, especially Aeoniums but also grow, Aloes, Agaves, Haworthias and a select number of Cacti.
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Greenlarry
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Greenlarry »

My tip involves repotting. Once the new, bigger post has been selected put the drainage layer in with a bit of compost, then put the plant inside the new pot whilst still in its old pot. Add compost and firm down. Then remove the old pot, take the plant out and put it in the hole created. Then top up with compost, dressing etc.
You can take the boy out of the greenhouse, but you can't take the greenhouse out of the boy!
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by peteC »

Here is my tip for seed sowing. I put the pot in a soup pot, (the fresh soups sold in most supermarkets now.)
Easier than using a plastic bag, which need support and easier to see what's growing, or not.
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Tina »

I buy bonsai pots & other domestic pots, once I have the holes drilled in measure the pot size & write it on the base of the pot.
I sometimes hava e a bit of a nightmare when I'm sorting out my plants for a show and trying to quess/measure the inner diameters once i have an awkward or delicate plant potted up.
Tina

varied collection of succulents and cacti but I especially like Euphorbia's, Ariocarpus and variegated agaves.

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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Paul in Essex »

Tony R wrote:
jfabiao wrote:My tip is chopsticks. That and a pair of tweezers is all I need to handle plants and tuck in substrate when repotting (I collect mostly smaller species).
Rather than chopsticks, I use a pair of toothbrushes for the same job when repotting - one (brush end) to gently hold the (globular) cactus in place in the middle of the pot and the other (handle end) to firm down the substrate.

Great tip. Then just a quick rinse under the tap and back in the bathroom? :smile:

Some seriously good ideas here. My problem will be remembering them all!

My only tip would be how to move a very large, very heavy columnar cactus. Use a section from an aluminium ladder, pad the rungs and lash it securely. Gently lower it onto a sack barrow across the foot plate and handles, find the balance point and you can wheel it around all day. Should you wish to, of course. Moved an 8ft Trichocereus terscheckii like that
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Tina »

8ft Trichocereus terscheckii
yeap we all have one of them :lol:
Toothbrush idea seems good, shame we have an electric brush with small heads. :eek:
Tina

varied collection of succulents and cacti but I especially like Euphorbia's, Ariocarpus and variegated agaves.

Bucks, UK
Branch co-ordinator, Northants & MK BCSS https://northants.bcss.org.uk
BCSS Talk team member, contact me- BCSS.Talk@Gmail.com if you want to volunteer or suggest a speaker plz.
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Paul in Essex
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Re: Useful Tips & Tricks

Post by Paul in Essex »

I know,Tina, 8ft is pretty small.... it is around 14ft now... :smile:
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