Handling opuntia

[RayW]

Like Ralph, I visited Worfield when as a child, over 67 years ago. I don't remember the Mexican band, only that my father spent the whole 3 hours talking about the war with Sir Oliver ( they had been in Afrika and Italy together ). It took me that long to decide what to buy with my saved up pocket money
I think the book Tom mentioned I do have.

[DaveW]

I went to Worfield Gardens in the 1960's on a Nottingham Branch trip. The "band" was called "Madam Bruce's Mexican Orchestra", a name I remembered as it was hardly a typical Mexican name!

See also:-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38HQBsQAMXU

If its hard to repot cut off or break the pot rather than damage the plant, since we are cactophiles not containerists. Being early adopters of cheap plastic pots from the 1960's onwards so needing less cleaning than clays for shows, Brits did not generally use valuable pots as the Americans did. Some of their fancy pots often cost more than the plant was worth.

In the past in the UK as long as the pot was clean it did not rate much in shows judging. Therefore fancy ceramics did not outpoint plain plastics in what is essentially a plant rather than a pot show. Fancy pots in the 1960's were left to flower arranging shows!

[Tina]

Looks lovely Patrick, Please give us a progress report in the summer, especially if it flowers.

[el48tel]

image001(2).jpg (63 KiB) Viewed 256 times

This reached me from a dear friend on the other side of the pond in her HNY greeting.

[Patrick]

Looks lovely Patrick, Please give us a progress report in the summer, especially if it flowers.

So Tina, here's an update. The one in the ground was subjected to the biggest winter rain fall in 10 years just after it was planted, something it didn't enjoy, it is not flowering but the new pads which are mushrooming out of it are just as pretty. One that's still in a pot has nearly 30 buds, it would be spectacular if they all flowered at the same time but 2 or 3 at a time makes more sense, I am sure, from an evolutionary perspective!

[Tina]

Hi Patrick,
That's really not what you would expect, the pot one looks super.
I wonder if the potted out one will overtake it once it establishes roots, your on a winner at the moment- such nice flowers