Sulco.rauschii/Rebutia pulchra

[Eric Williams]

Hi all, having just read that this plant is a so called "winter grower" does this mean it grows early spring and late summer in UK. Cheers

[iann]

Hi all, having just read that this plant is a so called "winter grower" does this mean it grows early spring and late summer in UK. Cheers

No, not really. It does tend to throw a flush of flowers in spring, but that's about as close as you can come to calling it a winter grower. Some people in extremely hot climates tend to throw around these terms without thinking about them. True winter-growing cacti are pretty thin on the ground, approximately zero depending on your definition.

[habanerocat]

I've seen suggested to lay of the watering during the height of the summer. Same book sugested varying the grit content at different depths in the pot. Both seem a bit extreme to me. They grow away quiet happily over the summer and are fairly cold hardy if kept dry in the winter. And flower better.

[Phil_SK]

I can only imagine this is another way of describing the habit of high Andean (and other) plants of going a bit dormant in very hot weather, especially if the nights are warm. In that sense, yes, their tendency to put most growth on in spring and autumn could be described as.... non-summer growers?

[iann]

If they go dormant on you in south Wales, they need more ventilation, not putting to bed.

[Eric Williams]

Thanks all for your informative replies. I treat my rauschii named plants similar to all the other Sulcos/Rebs. I have, and I have seen no difference, and as you say don,t believe every thing you read on the net lol. Cheers

[Terry S.]

Night temperatures need to be below 18C for CAM plants (e.g. cacti) to continue to photosynthesise, optimally 10-15C. I suspect that this temperature might be even lower for some high Andean plants. Consequently they pack up growing when it is particularly warm as it was here in early summer (not the last month though!) and as a consequence watering needs to be more circumspect.

[Keith H]

Night temperatures need to be below 18C for CAM plants (e.g. cacti) to continue to photosynthesise, optimally 10-15C. I suspect that this temperature might be even lower for some high Andean plants. Consequently they pack up growing when it is particularly warm as it was here in early summer (not the last month though!) and as a consequence watering needs to be more circumspect.

A good explanation Terry, highlighting the need for ventilation at night, not just during the day, to get those all important night time temperatures down a bit.

[Ali Baba]

I shut my greenhouse up at night, otherwise field mice have a banquet, and I have seldom recorded a night temperature above 18C, certainly the last 2 summers. I dont have bubble wrap on the glass which maybe helps to let the heat out...and of course the roof vents are often open late if the day has been warm. The mice havent learned to get through the roof vents (yet)

[D^L]

I leave all doors open 24/7 during the summer. I made some wooden frames covered with agrilan mesh to cover them. Keeps cats (my local bain) and large snails out. Bit of a pain but allows loads of air circulation.
David Lambie
Bristol