Cleistocactus winteri ssp. colademono winter care

[habanerocat]

Now that we've passed the half way stage, (yea I know it'll be colder in January) I have been wondering about giving these some winter water. I've been struggling to keep these plants growing in a frost free greenhouse over the winter. My only remaining mature plant nearly died last winter but resurfaced with new shoots after a re-pot.

I remember somebody on here claiming a light winter water would be beneficial, but I can't find it now. So how much and when as we head into a cold, but not overly cold (BBC Forecast) January?

[Stuart]

Mine just sits on a shelf, the greenhouse doesn't get much sun in the winter, and I aim for about 4C minimum but it may go lower. It stays dry during the winter and flowers well during the summer. I don't give it any special treatment.

Stuart

[esp]

Last winter mine were indoors, in a poorly lit window, probably never below around 10 C for long. They had occasional very light watering. So long as they are frost free (or at least no severe prolonged frost), they seem fairly accommodating. Do you know why your plant nearly died?

[RAYWOODBRIDGE]

Unless this species is heated in winter ( which it does not need ) I would not water, a good spray first week in March with a watering a week later should be fine if frost free at the time. Unlike most Cleistocactus the growing points do not seem to be affected by cold down to 1c.
Mine is still growing at the moment because it has been so mild, even though it is in a cold greenhouse ( only kept frost free ) and only stopped flowering last month.

[habanerocat]

Do you know why your plant nearly died?

It looked like dehydration. You'll always loose a few I suppose. I've gotten a couple more this year. They are young and single stemmed. Like I said I vaguely remember somebody on here saying they need a bit of water over winter.

[esp]

Do you know why your plant nearly died?

It looked like dehydration. You'll always loose a few I suppose. I've gotten a couple more this year. They are young and single stemmed. Like I said I vaguely remember somebody on here saying they need a bit of water over winter.

Many cacti come from areas which have, an average at least, some rainfall in every month of the year and may prefer not to go for 5 months without any water, such that the entirety of the root system is in bone-dry substrate.
Of course, we tend to have far cooler winter daytime temps, much less sun and much greater humidity than most cactus habitats. Nonetheless, I sometimes think sweeping advice to keep cacti completely dry from September to April (or whatever) is rather excessive - better tailored to not killing Ariocarpuses than to keeping more vigorous types as healthy as possible.

My Cleistocactus winteri (I think the v. coldemononsis were under cover) was outside during November last year - soaking wet most of the time, with no adverse effects. It may have preferred it to 2 months of drought in the run up to winter.

[habanerocat]

I think I'll leave it alone for the time being.

It doesn't look it from the photos, but the brown pot (2021) is a couple of inches bigger than the white pot (2020), after the dead parts were cut back the year before.

[RAYWOODBRIDGE]

Just let it grow, it will always go brown at the base of the stems but it looks fine to me.

[habanerocat]

Now that we've passed the half way stage, (yea I know it'll be colder in January) I have been wondering about giving these some winter water. I've been struggling to keep these plants growing in a frost free greenhouse over the winter. My only remaining mature plant nearly died last winter but resurfaced with new shoots after a re-pot.

I remember somebody on here claiming a light winter water would be beneficial, but I can't find it now. So how much and when as we head into a cold, but not overly cold (BBC Forecast) January?

Believe it or not I stumbled across this today.

But all it says is that it benefits from a drop of water over the winter months. So I'm none the wiser. I haven't watered it yet.

[edds]

Mine is in my office so is heated throughout the year so I'm not in a typical watering regime with it I'm afraid and can't advise.