Abbey Brook Cactus Nursery
Rules for Success
Cacti and Succulents make splendid subjects to grow in a house, office or greenhouse, as long as certain conditions are maintained.
Cacti and Succulents make splendid subjects to grow in a house, office or greenhouse, as long as certain conditions are maintained.
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1. GROWING MEDIUM : - With only a few exceptions, all cacti and succulents should be planted in a rich but well-drained compost, eg. a mixture of 3 parts peat/peat-substitute compost to 1 part of coarse horticultural grit. A top dressing of sand or grit should be applied to the surface to prevent rotting around the base of the plant.
2. LIGHT CONDITIONS : - Most species must be grown in as light a position as possible. A greenhouse/conservatory is the best place, but a sunny south or west facing windowsill will be quite adequate. Some cacti, such as Cereus peruvianus and succulents such as Aloe and Haworthia species can grow happily at lower light levels. Cereus peruvianus plants should be placed within 1m of TV/computer screens. |
Gleistocactus Strausii
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3. TEMPERATURES : - Growing in greenhouse/conservatory conditions, the plants are often subject to very high temperatures during sunny weather. Adequate ventilation must be provided otherwise the plants may become scorched. During the winter a minimum of 6-10 C (42-50 F) frost free conditions should be maintained. Cool, dry conditions in winter are necessary for flowering - if your house is centrally heated, give your cacti a winter break in an unheated spare bedroom, and they will reward you by flowering next spring.
4. WATERING : - Cacti should be watered thoroughly once a week from the beginning of April to the end of September. During the remaining winter months NO water should be given if frost free conditions are maintained. Plants kept in a centrally heated room continue to grow in winter and should be watered sparingly about once a month or so.
Most other succulents : water once a week in summer, once a month in winter
Aeoniums : These are winter-growing succulents, and should be watered about once a week all year round.
Lithops (Living Stones) ; From October to April absolutely NO water should be given. They also need to be kept in the sunniest position possible; otherwise the culture is the same as for cacti.
Christmas and Easter Cacti : These are winter-growing jungle cacti. Water weekly from autumn through to early summer. Christmas Cacti can be placed in a sunny position in the garden for the summer, but Easter Cacti require more shade.
4. WATERING : - Cacti should be watered thoroughly once a week from the beginning of April to the end of September. During the remaining winter months NO water should be given if frost free conditions are maintained. Plants kept in a centrally heated room continue to grow in winter and should be watered sparingly about once a month or so.
Most other succulents : water once a week in summer, once a month in winter
Aeoniums : These are winter-growing succulents, and should be watered about once a week all year round.
Lithops (Living Stones) ; From October to April absolutely NO water should be given. They also need to be kept in the sunniest position possible; otherwise the culture is the same as for cacti.
Christmas and Easter Cacti : These are winter-growing jungle cacti. Water weekly from autumn through to early summer. Christmas Cacti can be placed in a sunny position in the garden for the summer, but Easter Cacti require more shade.
Cactus Bowl Arrangement
5. FEEDING : - During the growing season apply a low nitrogen, high potash feed once every two weeks, such as CHEMPAC CACTUS FERTILIZE.
6. PESTS AND DISEASES : The main pests are Mealy Bugs - these are small insects looking like miniature white woodlice which suck the sap and weaken and disfigure the plants. The first signs of attack are usually bits of "cotton wool" which cover the eggs. They will attack cacti and succulents and also other plants such as Saintpaulias which are nearby. They can be treated either by spraying with an insecticide which kills aphids, or with a biological control predator.
Red spider mite is often a pest in hot, poorly ventilated greenhouses. Infested plants have a brown crusty appearance, and sometimes cobwebs are seen, although the mites themselves are microscopic. Use either a proprietary insecticide or a biological control predator.
There are no major disease problems with cacti or succulents - Botrytis may appear if succulents are given too much water in the winter. Avoid this by watering on sunny days only and try to keep drops of water off the leaves.
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CACTUS IS HEALTHY
Healthy plants are usually deep green in colour, under their spines, and are firm to the touch.
Dead cacti are completely brown and shrunken in appearance (rather like a dead hedgehog!). They are often soft, hollow or slimy and have no roots.
6. PESTS AND DISEASES : The main pests are Mealy Bugs - these are small insects looking like miniature white woodlice which suck the sap and weaken and disfigure the plants. The first signs of attack are usually bits of "cotton wool" which cover the eggs. They will attack cacti and succulents and also other plants such as Saintpaulias which are nearby. They can be treated either by spraying with an insecticide which kills aphids, or with a biological control predator.
Red spider mite is often a pest in hot, poorly ventilated greenhouses. Infested plants have a brown crusty appearance, and sometimes cobwebs are seen, although the mites themselves are microscopic. Use either a proprietary insecticide or a biological control predator.
There are no major disease problems with cacti or succulents - Botrytis may appear if succulents are given too much water in the winter. Avoid this by watering on sunny days only and try to keep drops of water off the leaves.
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CACTUS IS HEALTHY
Healthy plants are usually deep green in colour, under their spines, and are firm to the touch.
Dead cacti are completely brown and shrunken in appearance (rather like a dead hedgehog!). They are often soft, hollow or slimy and have no roots.
seeds
To be successful you must try to imitate the conditions in which the plants grow naturally.
Cacti are nearly always found under scrub or small bushes, on rocky slopes or on level ground where the soil is porous. This is because :
(1) The slope and porous soil provides adequate drainage.
(2) The scrub provides shade for the seedlings and young plants.
(3) The rocks radiate warmth at night and the crevices between them trap pockets of humid air.
1. WHEN TO SOW : If you do not have a heated propagator, the best time to sow is in Spring, i.e. from March until the end of May. Do not sow later than this as the seedlings will not be large enough to withstand the following winter. If you have a heated propagator or warm window-sill (Do not use the airing cupboard) you can sow at any time of the year, but January and February are the best months.
2. COMPOST : We can recommend the following composts.
Either :
(1) Equal parts of Fisons Levington potting compost and coarse lime-free sand.
or (2) One part John Innes No. 1 or 2 and 1/4 part coarse lime-free sand.
3. SOWING : Fill the seed trays or shallow pots to within 1/4 of the top and level the surface, removing any lumps. Water with a watering can fitted with a fine rose. Scatter the seed thinly on the surface of the damp compost. Large seeds can be spaced out and lightly pressed level with the surface using a pencil. Cactus seed need light before they will germinate, so do not cover the seeds with compost and do not put the container in a dark cupboard.
4. TEMPERATURE : Temperatures of between 60-70F are best for germination. Once the seedlings are 2-3 weeks old normal growing temperatures are adequate.
5. GERMINATION : The percentage of seeds that germinate depends on the species, age of the seed and temperature, but there should be signs of germination within 2-3 weeks. A few seeds may be slow to germinate, and seedlings may not appear until 2-3 months after sowing.
6. WATERING : If possible, water with a fine mist spray, or place the container in a saucer and water from below. Never let the compost dry out, particularly before germination has taken place, or the germinating seeds will be killed. Conversely, do not allow the compost to become waterlogged either, else the seeds will rot. After germination keep the soil moist - not too wet, not too dry. During the first winter the seedlings can be kept completely dry in a minimum temperature of 45F.
7. CARE OF THE YOUNG SEEDLINGS : Keep the container in an airy place to prevent damping off. Shade the seedlings with a single thickness of tissue or newspaper for the first two months, then avoid direct sunlight for a further 6 months. After that time treat as adult plants. Try to ensure the seedlings remain a healthy deep green (or occasionally brownish) colour - a bright red colour indicates that too much light has been given, thin, spindly pale green seedlings results from too little light.
8. TRANSPLANTING : Do not transplant seedlings until they begin to touch one another in the container - this will depend on the rate of growth of individual species. If in doubt, leave the seedlings in the same container for 1 year, and do not transplant until the spring of the second year. They will not come to any harm even if they look overcrowded.
Cacti are nearly always found under scrub or small bushes, on rocky slopes or on level ground where the soil is porous. This is because :
(1) The slope and porous soil provides adequate drainage.
(2) The scrub provides shade for the seedlings and young plants.
(3) The rocks radiate warmth at night and the crevices between them trap pockets of humid air.
1. WHEN TO SOW : If you do not have a heated propagator, the best time to sow is in Spring, i.e. from March until the end of May. Do not sow later than this as the seedlings will not be large enough to withstand the following winter. If you have a heated propagator or warm window-sill (Do not use the airing cupboard) you can sow at any time of the year, but January and February are the best months.
2. COMPOST : We can recommend the following composts.
Either :
(1) Equal parts of Fisons Levington potting compost and coarse lime-free sand.
or (2) One part John Innes No. 1 or 2 and 1/4 part coarse lime-free sand.
3. SOWING : Fill the seed trays or shallow pots to within 1/4 of the top and level the surface, removing any lumps. Water with a watering can fitted with a fine rose. Scatter the seed thinly on the surface of the damp compost. Large seeds can be spaced out and lightly pressed level with the surface using a pencil. Cactus seed need light before they will germinate, so do not cover the seeds with compost and do not put the container in a dark cupboard.
4. TEMPERATURE : Temperatures of between 60-70F are best for germination. Once the seedlings are 2-3 weeks old normal growing temperatures are adequate.
5. GERMINATION : The percentage of seeds that germinate depends on the species, age of the seed and temperature, but there should be signs of germination within 2-3 weeks. A few seeds may be slow to germinate, and seedlings may not appear until 2-3 months after sowing.
6. WATERING : If possible, water with a fine mist spray, or place the container in a saucer and water from below. Never let the compost dry out, particularly before germination has taken place, or the germinating seeds will be killed. Conversely, do not allow the compost to become waterlogged either, else the seeds will rot. After germination keep the soil moist - not too wet, not too dry. During the first winter the seedlings can be kept completely dry in a minimum temperature of 45F.
7. CARE OF THE YOUNG SEEDLINGS : Keep the container in an airy place to prevent damping off. Shade the seedlings with a single thickness of tissue or newspaper for the first two months, then avoid direct sunlight for a further 6 months. After that time treat as adult plants. Try to ensure the seedlings remain a healthy deep green (or occasionally brownish) colour - a bright red colour indicates that too much light has been given, thin, spindly pale green seedlings results from too little light.
8. TRANSPLANTING : Do not transplant seedlings until they begin to touch one another in the container - this will depend on the rate of growth of individual species. If in doubt, leave the seedlings in the same container for 1 year, and do not transplant until the spring of the second year. They will not come to any harm even if they look overcrowded.