Cactusfilter: How do I bring 200+ cactuses back to full health and keep them alive for the winter?
September 21, 2008 1:05 PM Subscribe
I've inherited a greenhouse and it is full of cactuses and succulents. I would very much like to keep them alive and healthy but I do not know where to begin! How can I become a cactus caretaker?
I am in Victoria, BC, a temperate climate entering a rainy winter in the next couple of months. The previous owner died of a heart attack in June, and the cactuses have seen no care since then. Many of them are wilted, look unhealthy, and the greenhouse is dirty and falling apart. There's some fans and a lamp inside.
I would guess there's about 200 cactuses in the greenhouse.
Some of them are labelled echinocereus, opunita rufida, echniocereus sheerii, euphorbia mammillaris, grassula falcata, lobivia tiegriliana, ... and I could go in but there are 200 of them. Some are quite beautiful, some hideous. Do I leave them in the greenhouse or bring them inside for the winter? If I leave them inside, do I seal the greenhouse? When I inherited it the door was wide open and the ceiling panels are lifted to allow airflow. Such questions prove my inadequacy at dealing with this sort of thing, but I would hate for the cactuses to slowly dry/die out when I feel I have come across such a marvelous collection.
I am in Victoria, BC, a temperate climate entering a rainy winter in the next couple of months. The previous owner died of a heart attack in June, and the cactuses have seen no care since then. Many of them are wilted, look unhealthy, and the greenhouse is dirty and falling apart. There's some fans and a lamp inside.
I would guess there's about 200 cactuses in the greenhouse.
Some of them are labelled echinocereus, opunita rufida, echniocereus sheerii, euphorbia mammillaris, grassula falcata, lobivia tiegriliana, ... and I could go in but there are 200 of them. Some are quite beautiful, some hideous. Do I leave them in the greenhouse or bring them inside for the winter? If I leave them inside, do I seal the greenhouse? When I inherited it the door was wide open and the ceiling panels are lifted to allow airflow. Such questions prove my inadequacy at dealing with this sort of thing, but I would hate for the cactuses to slowly dry/die out when I feel I have come across such a marvelous collection.
Best answer: Overwatering cactuses is the most common way for beginners to kill them. Remember that in the wild cactuses are used to seeing two or three rain storms per year and that they don't grow in places where it rains a lot more often than that.
The second most common way is to not let them get enough sunlight. Remember that in the wild their normal habitat is sunny and dry.
That goes for succulents, too. If their leaves are fat and stiff, they don't need water. If the leaves seem shriveled and a bit limp, water them once. 99% of the time the soil in the pot should be bone-dry, because that's how it is in the wild.
posted by Class Goat at 1:52 PM on September 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
The second most common way is to not let them get enough sunlight. Remember that in the wild their normal habitat is sunny and dry.
That goes for succulents, too. If their leaves are fat and stiff, they don't need water. If the leaves seem shriveled and a bit limp, water them once. 99% of the time the soil in the pot should be bone-dry, because that's how it is in the wild.
posted by Class Goat at 1:52 PM on September 21, 2008 [1 favorite]
There are a lot of good "Here's some general cactus care & feeding" books, most with a healthy dose of "Oh, and by the way, this is what the hell that plant is." Most decent ones are about equally decent, IMO, but an inexpensive and "We know you're not stupid, but here's some basic stuff" one I have is this one, published by Barrons. It's worth getting some reference materials, and do hook up with your local enthusiasts' group(s). I'm very jealous, by the way. Best of luck.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 2:20 PM on September 21, 2008
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 2:20 PM on September 21, 2008
This thread is closed to new comments.
Over winter, they'll go pretty dormant. If the pots are bone dry at any point, give them a little trickle of water (the same goes for if they start to shrivel), but don't overwater them, as this will kill them faster than anything. Also, don't feed them until spring.
It might be worth giving them a drink now, so they can plump up before winter. Put the pot in a saucer of water. Anything left after 30 mins, throw away.
If it's warm where you are, you might extend the growing season a bit. The main concern is light, and keeping them on the dry side. They're designed to handle dryer conditions better than wet, obviously. :)
posted by Solomon at 1:12 PM on September 21, 2008