Conophytums awaking

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Roatavator
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Conophytums awaking

Post by Roatavator »

Several of my mature Conos are showing signs of wanting to grow again with new heads poking through the old shrivelled ones. This seems to be at least 3 weeks early. Anyone else got the same? Presumably if they want to go now then watering must be resumed?
Peter. Lapsed cactus enthusiast, now into Conophytums. Fewer plasters when repotting! MSG member.
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el48tel
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Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by el48tel »

I am not a Cono expert or grower. I bought one on impulse before Christmas.
It had teaspoons of water during the winter months. When it looked as though it had gone dormant I stopped watering. About a fortnight ago I noticed that the outside had become crinkly and dry ... I thought I had killed it. Then by accident I watered it this morning before I realised that it was not the "season". This afternoon I saw new green body peaking through.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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rodsmith
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Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by rodsmith »

Several of mine are raring to go but I've held back from watering apart from taylorianum ernianum, which seemed to be on its last legs and has "plimmed up" (as my gran used to say) since I watered it.
Rod Smith

Growing a mixed collection of cacti & other succulents; mainly smaller species with a current emphasis on lithops & conophytum.
Roatavator
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Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by Roatavator »

Thanks both. I suppose with spring generally starting earlier in the garden than say a decade ago, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Conos reacted by being a bit earlier as well?
Peter. Lapsed cactus enthusiast, now into Conophytums. Fewer plasters when repotting! MSG member.
Terry S.

Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by Terry S. »

I recommend just ignoring your cono plants for at least another 6 weeks. Also, do not start watering them unless night-time temperatures are relatively low, down to perhaps 15C in your greenhouse or conservatory. Otherwise you will be putting water at the roots and they cannot respond to it.

And when you do start to water them through the winter, give them a bit more than a teaspoon of water on each occasion.
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el48tel
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Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by el48tel »

Terry S. wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 8:52 am I recommend just ignoring your cono plants for at least another 6 weeks. Also, do not start watering them unless night-time temperatures are relatively low, down to perhaps 15C in your greenhouse or conservatory. Otherwise you will be putting water at the roots and they cannot respond to it.

And when you do start to water them through the winter, give them a bit more than a teaspoon of water on each occasion.
Thanks for the advice.
For clarification .... do you mean night temperature to be below 15C or above 15C?
If it's the former ... then no problem here East of Leeds ... it's likely to be polar bears and penguins these next few days.
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
Terry S.

Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by Terry S. »

Below 15C. I usually start to water my conos sometime in the second half of July, but you will remember what the July heat-wave was like last year, even with open ventilators the greenhouses were staying hot overnight. So I held fire on the watering until early August when the weather cooled off.

We tend to start watering lithops when the annual regeneration has been completed and most of them are quite happy to grow under fairly warm conditions. However, conos, even if the assimilation of the old leaves is complete, require fairly cool conditions, particularly at night, to get going.
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el48tel
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Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by el48tel »

Terry S. wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 9:13 am Below 15C. I usually start to water my conos sometime in the second half of July, but you will remember what the July heat-wave was like last year, even with open ventilators the greenhouses were staying hot overnight. So I held fire on the watering until early August when the weather cooled off.

We tend to start watering lithops when the annual regeneration has been completed and most of them are quite happy to grow under fairly warm conditions. However, conos, even if the assimilation of the old leaves is complete, require fairly cool conditions, particularly at night, to get going.
Thanks for that
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by Roatavator »

Thanks Terry. I’ll do as you say. I’m in Norfolk, so mean temperature higher than Leeds in the frozen north!
Peter. Lapsed cactus enthusiast, now into Conophytums. Fewer plasters when repotting! MSG member.
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el48tel
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Re: Conophytums awaking

Post by el48tel »

Roatavator wrote: Fri Jun 07, 2019 6:34 pm Thanks Terry. I’ll do as you say. I’m in Norfolk, so mean temperature higher than Leeds in the frozen north!
Yup cold 'ere
Endeavouring to grow Aylostera, Echinocereus, Echinopsis, Gymnocalycium, Matucana, Rebutia, and Sulcorebutia. Fallen out of love with Lithops and aggravated by Aeoniums.
Currently being wooed by Haworthia, attempting hybridisation, and enticed by Mesembs.
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