Faucaria Tigrina

I  bought this plant ( in a 4" pot) a year ago and transplanted it to a bigger pot.

Also called Tiger Jaws, these little plants have rows of sharp teeth similar to the Venus fly trap. They are very easy to grow in pots but should be watered sparingly. They survive best in a hot, dry, and sunny environment. In the fall, yellow daisy-like flower appear on plants that are a few years old. They need 3-4 hours of direct sun in the summer. They can grow up to 6" tall. Offsets will grow at the base of the plant. Cut them away with a sharp knife. Allow  the cut surface to dry for a day to prevent new plant from rotting. Keep new plant in a warm bright place out of direct sun for the first month. Best time to propagate is in late Spring to early summer. 

Feed  every 2 weeks in Spring to fall with a balanced liquid  fertilizer diluted in half. Do not feed in the winter.

Organ Pipe Cactus  Lemaireocereus thuberi - this cactus is a native of Arizona and parts of Mexico. It is a ribbed, columnar cats, sometimes branches from the base and reaches the height of 15-20 feet. It blooms throughout May and June , followed by the edible red fruit. I have 3 plants on big pots. They don't require too much water but dies well with a good watering twice a week. The white flowers only last one day and it usually blooms at night .

Care of Cacti and Succulents

From time to time, I will talk about a certain aspect of what I do to take care of my plants. I have read many books, attended lectures and have gone to many shows in the Los Angeles area. Today I will discuss  containers.

Pots: Pot plants in a clean container or pot with a drain hole.  When selecting a container, consider the size of the plant in relation to its prospective home. For round plants- ball or barrel cacti, or clustering succulents, use a pot 1-2 inches wider than the diameter of the plant. For vertical plants- use a pot half as wide as the plant is tall. Remember that small pots under 4 inches wide are hard to care for. They dry out rapidly and the plants always seem to need water.   Clay, plastic, or ceramic pots,wooden boxes, rocks, can be suitable containers for  growing cacti and succulents. You can actually be creative and use whatever container you have. The only prerequisite is that they provide good drainage so that the soil is kept loose and well aerated.

The familiar terra cotta ( red clay pot) is the most popular choice.It is relatively inexpensive and comes in many sizes, but because it is made from porous material, plants dry out faster. If you use the glazed pots, they must be watered with more caution because moisture cannot escape as fast. Plastic pots are often used because they are neat, inexpensive,colorful, and lightweight. The only disadvantage is that they tip over very easily.

Potting Soil: Most cacti and succulents do well in a mixture of 1 part soil, 1 part sand (Coarse builder's sand- Not beach sand), 1 part porous inorganic material ( like perlite or agricultural pumice stone). Agricultural pumice is most ideal because it does not break down, prevents soil from compacting and it does not float like perlite or wash down like sand. Sometimes I also add a small amount of compost , worm casting and bonemeal.

Top dressing: I use a top dressing to give the plants a neat, finished appearance and to prevent the soil surface from crusting. It improves water penetration and retention, helps prevent stem rot and algae growth. It also keeps lighter particles like perlite from floating over the top of the pot. You can get creative by using different colors to accent the plant.  Materials can be bought from any garden center, pet store, and building material supply store.

Fertilizer: Plants growing in small pots soon exhaust the nutrient in their soil. When I repot, I use a generous pinch of bonemeal in the soil. This is slow acting and gives the plant a continuous supply of nutrient. During flowering season, I feed my plants with a liquid fertilizer, using one with a high potassium and low nitrogen content. I feed them at the same time I feed my tomatoes, using the same strength solution.

Easter Cactus

 My Easter Cactus

               Hatiora gaertneri - this plant  is an epiphyte with flat stems that are segmented. The bell shaped flowers are regular, with a  short basal tube, and have short stamens that are inside the petals. This grows well in bright indirect sunlight. Spring through autumn, it does best with night temperatures 0f 65- 70 degrees and day temperatures of 75- 85 degrees. In the winter, it requires night temperatures of 45-55 degrees and day temperature of around 65 degrees. Water thoroughly even in the winter , when top of soil feels dry to the touch. I planted 2 varieties in this pot for color. I also use worm compost juice for fertilizer, diluted 1 to 10.

My Easter Lily Cactus

EASTER LILY CACTUS


Echinopsis oxygona, also known as  Sea Urchin cactus. The plant belonging to this species, have rounded, distinctly ribbed stems that grows into clusters. The large and showy flowers are various shades of pink, depending on the cultivars. This cactus grows rapidly, and when they have reached  about 3 inches high, produce  beautiful  pink funnel shaped flowers on long tubes. These plant grows best with 4 to 6 hours of direct sunlight. Keep the soil slightly dry to the touch between thorough waterings from spring through fall  and should be kept dry in the winter.

Peanut Cactus ( Echinopsis Chamaecereus)

My Peanut Cactus

This is is well known as the peanut cactus because of its short stubby stems that resembles unopened peanut pods. It is very easy to grow. The showy flowers, which blooms in the Spring, comes in red, orange,purple and pink and last for a week or so. It  grows well in sun or partial shade, with hardiness up to 25 degrees.

EPIPHYLLUM

Epiphyllums are often referred to as night blooming cactus. They have rounded stems that become flat and two-ribbed in mature plants. The flowers are nocturnal, large and usually white,red, hot pink  or cream colored. The more common epiphyllums, also known as orchid cacti are now included in the genus Disocactus. The majority of the  plants with their red, hot pink or two toned flowers belong to one species called Disocactus Xhybridus.

My Epiphyllum

My epiphyllums started blooming in April this year, much earlier than last year. Even though the flowers last only for a week or so, it is well worth waiting for.

Succulent Crazy

I love growing and collecting succulents. I started about 15 years ago and have been propagating them  as a hobby and also selling them from my home. I have many varieties of echeveria, epiphyllum  and different cactus.  In the past 2 weeks, I have sold more than 140 pots at a garage sale. I also make succulent dish gardens and gift baskets.