BCSS - Forum

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. 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.

Thanks for the tips, Ian! I will keep that in mind and try it out. My polycephalus are only seedlings yet really, at two years. But I have some xeranthemoides and parryi that are six or seven years I think. They won't have any trouble going without water for a while.

Aiko wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 9:06 pm How about Echinomastus, by the way?

I managed to re-root one earlier this year, that had lost its roots when starting watering it in spring.

+500 experience points!

They are tricky, but not Sclerocactus and Pediocactus tricky.

My Echinocactus polycephalus came from you, Ian, a few years ago. It’s doing well, and has THREE new tubercles this year!
I have to confess I don’t give it any special treatment, it gets watered along with other plants in its tray, I hope I haven’t jinxed it!

Aiko wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 9:06 pm

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?

Echinomastus not so much. They're just plain touchy at any time I have one E. unguispinus that seems fairly resilient but I've killed several others. I do OK with any Pediocactus, but Sclerocactus and Echinomastus I struggle with. Mammillaria tetrancistra I also kill unless I'm very careful about not having them too fat when the summer heat hits.

That's good going, Diane! I don't remember sending you any plants, do you have a collection number with it? I don't think E. polycephalus are completely allergic to summer water, but they do seem to be restricted to a very short late spring growing period and pushing them at other times can be trouble. I've never rotted one like a Sclerocactus, but they sometimes lose the will to live for no obvious reason and become paperweights for a few years until they finally shrivel up. There may be other ways to grow them, but I plump them up in early spring and then don't water again until late summer when they're obviously thirsty. Ssp xeranthemoides may be more tolerant of water in summer, or it might just be my imagination because I'd be hard-pressed to tell ssp polycephalus from ssp xeranthemoides without a label.

It was a few years ago, Ian (eBay). I don’t think it had a collection number, and the label has completely faded, so I am none the wiser!

iann wrote: ↑Sun Jun 13, 2021 3:15 pm

Aiko wrote: ↑Fri Jun 11, 2021 9:06 pm

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?

Echinomastus not so much. They're just plain touchy at any time I have one E. unguispinus that seems fairly resilient but I've killed several others. I do OK with any Pediocactus, but Sclerocactus and Echinomastus I struggle with. Mammillaria tetrancistra I also kill unless I'm very careful about not having them too fat when the summer heat hits.

Do you let your Echinomastus and Pediocactus freeze over in winter?

I don't have the idea many growers of hardy cacti will actually allow their plants to actually deal with much frost and just keep the plants with the others and keep them above freezing. I do wonder if that might make a difference for their survivel when in active growth, to have a very cold winter rest between the growing cycles.

Oh yes, well below freezing. I start watering Pediocactus in particular when they are still getting hard freezes. Almost impossible to kill them in those conditions.