That interesting because my hoffmannii has been in flower this week as well, and has been the first of my aylostera to flower. I have lots of developing buds bud everything is well behind compared to last year. Exciting though as many will be flowering for the first time since germinating three year...

Thanks for that info DaveW, that last bit is very similar to what I have done with several of my larger plants although they are still in the "green shed" but wrapped in newspaper. I check on them each weekend and rotate then so they don't get a flat-spot and they seen fine. In March once ...

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I am amazed how far my collection has come since I started growing again and I can't help worrying about them during winter time even though my experience last year tells me they'll be reyt. I have stopped watering before the end of September since I started growing...

Evening all. It was with some trepidation that I went out to the "green shed" this afternoon to remove the newspaer off the cacti and review the squashy devastation I was expecting to find. However, I was amazed to find only one deceased 2023 seedling and no other damage, although my coryp...

Thanks Bonzai, I will try it out this year on some of my cacti and see how it works. I will look out for the fertilizer you have mentioned, for the two seasons I have been seriously growing I have been using Tomorite at 1/4 strength, twice a year towards the end of flowering so June and July time.

Happy Sunday everyone, For the first time this year I am trying "bare rooting" some of my plants for winter to ensure the roots are dry and reduce the chance of rot developing due to moisture remaining in the soil. Anyone else have exorience with this, and will my plants be OK laid open un...

Hi Ralph, hi everyone. Look at this, I'm a member now! I was in email contact with Ian in the autumn and he has been out of action due to reduced mobility so may have taken his website down until he's able to get around better. Hopefully back up again in the Spring. With regards to importing plants ...

Yes, I was out this afternoon to lay newpaper over the collection ready for a week of colder weather. Newspaper is good because it lets some air flow through and it absorbs moisture. Noticed I have lost my e. subdenudata due to mildew. It wasn't looking healthy most of the year anyway, so fingers cr...

Happy New Year to all growers! I am Spencer (or Spen or Rockspeny; not Sven, Ben or Steven thankyou) and my history with cacti goes back to my Grandad in Feltham giving my cutting of various opuntia, echinopsis and mammillaria he had in his lean-to back in the late '70s. That led to a growing intere...