Hello from Northern California

New members, please take the time to introduce yourself and your collection.
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JCMad
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Hello from Northern California

Post by JCMad »

Hi all! It is exciting to be a part of this great organization and forum, finally. I am a long time (though sporadic) grower of mesembs and cacti, and a myriad of random interesting plants. I have been growing the plants that interest me since the ‘80’s after graduating college with a degree in botany (my thesis advisor had a preserved Welwitschia in a case in his office!) and I remember the days in the 80’s when the Mesa Garden catalogue would come out (in paper form!) and poring through the pages looking for unusual plants to trial (at the time I worked in several research greenhouses and my co-workers and I would always save a bench or two for our own indulgences). My career avenues eventually took me to viticulture and winemaking and I have been a winemaker in Northern California for almost 25 years. All along I have attempted to maintain my interest in “unusual plants” and have always had the odd Copiapoa/Matucana/Stapelia, etc. knocking around. The pandemic gave me the impetus to expand my collection and get back to the genera that inspired my interest 40 years ago. I currently have a “decent” collection of mesembs, stapeliads, and cacti…mostly grown from seed. I am also a member of the Mesemb Study Group and the San Francisco Cactus and Succulent Society. I am a big proponent of the use of native plants in horticulture and have a couple of acres of property which are devoted to our interesting natives. I am fortunate to live in a region of the world that climatically mirrors much of South Africa which makes my life a bit easier than you folks in the UK! Happy growing to you all and I hope you will tolerate my requests for advice. Cheers!
edds
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Re: Hello from Northern California

Post by edds »

Hello and I'm very jealous of your climate! Welcome along.
Ed

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el48tel
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Re: Hello from Northern California

Post by el48tel »

Welcome to the forum.
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: Hello from Northern California

Post by rodsmith »

Hi, JCMad, welcome to the forum. We could do with some of your weather over here right now. :wink:
Rod Smith

Growing a mixed collection of cacti & other succulents; mainly smaller species with a current emphasis on lithops & conophytum.
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juster
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Re: Hello from Northern California

Post by juster »

Welcome to the Forum JCMad, you have excellent conditions for growing your plants, look forward to seeing some pictures. :welc:
Croydon Branch member, growing mainly cacti and Echeverias
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TomInTucson
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Re: Hello from Northern California

Post by TomInTucson »

Welcome JCMad. I once worked part time in some research greenhouses for Dow chemical products in Walnut Creek, Ca. growing mainly cotton seedlings for insecticide trials, but I also helped grow rice from seed. The man who hired me (Larry Larson, now passed) was an avid stapeliad grower. When he saw on my resume that I was a cactus and succulent enthusiast. he took a chance on hiring me despite my lack of chemical or entomology experience.

I hope you saved some of those old Mesa Garden catalogs. They are an invaluable reference and for superior to their new website.
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