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Something else unexpected

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:00 pm
by iann
Thhis Echinocactus polycephalus has started a new tubercle. Quite late in the season. Also unusual for the larger plants to produce two in one year. Perhaps that's why it is my biggest plant.
polycephalus-0610.jpg

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 8:59 pm
by JonNo
What a fabulous plant!

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Thu Jun 10, 2021 10:51 pm
by KarlR
Wonderful specimen! Are you going to give it a dormancy now over summer or will you continue to water it?

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:51 am
by iann
Dry now until at least July. Then wait for a nice thunderstorm :)

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 12:33 pm
by KarlR
I'm still a complete novice at growing these and Pedios and Scleros (s.s), but I think I will need to give mine a drop of water throughout summer as they're all still in 5 cm pots. Or would you give those a rest too?

I have a few E. parryi that are a bit larger. Do you give those a rest as well? I find they are a bit more tolerant than polycephalus. Or, to put it differently, they don't die on me with quite the same frequency as polycephalus...

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 12:38 pm
by Tina
Ian is the king for growing difficult cactus .
they don't die on me with quite the same frequency as polycephalus
join the club :lol:

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 8:50 pm
by ralphrmartin
Hats off to you Ian. :mrgreen:

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 9:01 pm
by iann
Watering Pediocactus and Sclerocactus ss. in the summer is the easiest way to kill them, much more so than E. polycephalus. Wait at least another month, and even then make sure they dry out fairly quickly. Shade the little ones if you feel they can't survive that long. Pediocactus in particular can shrink to the point of disappearing, although P. simpsonii stays above ground. Sclerocactus just get more and more spiny.

E. parryi isn't so touchy. I avoid watering in any heatwaves, but then that applies to quite a few others as well.

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 9:06 pm
by Aiko
iann wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 9:01 pm Watering Pediocactus and Sclerocactus ss. in the summer is the easiest way to kill them, much more so than E. polycephalus.
How about Echinomastus, by the way?

Re: Something else unexpected

Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 11:06 pm
by KarlR
Tina wrote: Fri Jun 11, 2021 12:38 pm Ian is the king for growing difficult cactus .
they don't die on me with quite the same frequency as polycephalus
join the club :lol:
:lol: :)-D