# My cactus garden as of 5/5/12



## Yvonne G (May 5, 2012)

This first shot is just to show you the elevation:







In this shot, the cable TV attachment on the pole is at 20 feet. And even though the perspective is a little off because the plant is about 10' away from the pole and closer to me with the camera, it still shows the flower spike on the agave to be about 18' tall so far. I was kind of bummed when I saw that the agave was going to bloom, as I cut off the pups as they form. Agaves bloom, then the mother plant dies, leaving the pups to carry on. But, no pups on this plant.






And the far end of the garden. The opuntia is blooming nicely.


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## pam (May 5, 2012)

Great pictures


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## Turtulas-Len (May 5, 2012)

Great Plants


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## Jacob (May 5, 2012)

Very nice.


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## ada caro (May 5, 2012)

Nice.


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## kimber_lee_314 (May 5, 2012)

Very nice! I've been thinking about starting a cactus garden myself (or at least succulents.) Of course on a smaller scale!


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## Zamric (May 5, 2012)

Impressive!


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## pugsandkids (May 5, 2012)

That looks great! Nicely done.


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## ALDABRAMAN (May 5, 2012)

Great!


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## acrantophis (May 5, 2012)

Great pics! I have a succulent garden as well. That agave of yours looks like its going to throw up a dramatic flower!


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## Weldd (May 6, 2012)

Incredible!!!


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## ascott (May 6, 2012)

Beautiful....Yvonne my cousin just brought over about three big pieces covered in pads that her work was tearing down for new construction....so I have them laying out front and am going to cut the pads off to smaller sections and then want to plant them....they have likely been drying for a week...should I soak them first then plant them or should I simply plant them???? I have not had opportunity to plant pads here before...so wanna see if I can gain your insight...


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## Yvonne G (May 6, 2012)

Just plant them. And don't water very much.

I'll never forget...one time a long time ago I went to the Jr. Museum for a visit. In the gravel driveway was a shriveled up old dried up pad from an opuntia...just laying flat (all curled up because it was dry) on the driveway. I picked it up to move it out of the way so a kid with bare feet wouldn't step on it, and it had roots coming out the bottom (actually the side, but it was laying on its side). They are very easy to grow.


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## ascott (May 6, 2012)

Ok...will do...I feel so bad for them because they are laying out in the sun and they bloomed sometime between last night and this afternoon.....so in the ground they will go ...all tomorrow ....and thank you


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## Peaches bts (May 6, 2012)

Wow. Lucky tortoises!


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## Jacqui (May 7, 2012)

I am sorry to say, those pictures just do not do those cactus justice. I remember being so awed by your cactus, when I saw them in person. Question, why do you remove the pups?


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## Yvonne G (May 7, 2012)

I was trying to grow a beautiful specimen plant. When you leave the pups it looks messy and the mother plant doesn't get as big.


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## Jacqui (May 7, 2012)

gotcha. So do you have any of her pups growing elsewhere?


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## Yvonne G (May 7, 2012)

Yeah, I have a couple more in behind that big mess on the front of the first picture.


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## Yvonne G (May 7, 2012)

The agave hasn't started to bloom yet, but its forming a bud (I think):


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## Neal (May 7, 2012)

Nicely done Yvonne.

I need some help trying to get a succulent garden going. I propagated a lot of stuff a few months ago, and it doesn't seem to be doing too well. The cuttings still look alive, but they are very shriveled and don't grow well. 

I usually cut and leave it alone for a few days to let it callous over then put it in the ground or in some potting soil. I water it once a week. Maybe it just needs more time? We're very dry and warm this time of year...maybe more water?


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## Yvonne G (May 7, 2012)

The best time here in the Calif. Central Valley to propagate cactus cuttings is in July and August. So if its hot and dry there now, I would think this is a good time. You can try keeping the soil around the base of the cutting a bit more moist, but not wet. What I mean is, wet it a bit when you see it has dried. Once the roots start and the shriveled look goes away, then wait a while before watering again.


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## dmarcus (May 7, 2012)

Yvonne, do you know what species of agave that is in your photo?


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## Yvonne G (May 7, 2012)

Agave palmeri


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## Turtulas-Len (May 7, 2012)

emysemys said:


> Just plant them. And don't water very much.
> 
> I'll never forget...one time a long time ago I went to the Jr. Museum for a visit. In the gravel driveway was a shriveled up old dried up pad from an opuntia...just laying flat (all curled up because it was dry) on the driveway. I picked it up to move it out of the way so a kid with bare feet wouldn't step on it, and it had roots coming out the bottom (actually the side, but it was laying on its side). They are very easy to grow.


Sometimes they refuse to give up.I found this piece today, it is from some that I cut last Oct, no roots but new growth.


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## Zamric (May 7, 2012)

Can you sprout the ones you buy at the Market? if their that easy, I just might have to plant my own and I have about 3lbs of them in the 'fridge....and quite a few plantpots with soil and old dry plants!


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## Yvonne G (May 7, 2012)

Yes you can. They start easier when its quite hot and dry out.


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## Yvonne G (May 9, 2012)

Here's the agave this a.m. Buds are forming:


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## ascott (May 9, 2012)

Well...I put the soaker hose out last night in a long line to soften and wet the ground...here in awhile I am going yo go and dig a hole for each...I figure I put about 1/3 of the cactus into the ground and place the dirt back around it right? I figure I will be sunburned by the time I do...oh about thirty pads.....I am hot and tired already just at the thought...lol...


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## Akronic (May 9, 2012)

acrantophis said:


> Great pics! I have a succulent garden as well. That agave of yours looks like its going to throw up a dramatic flower!



are those San Pedro i see?


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## Yvonne G (May 9, 2012)

I DO have a couple of San Pedros, but they don't show up in any of the pictures in this thread. What you are probably seeing are the Cereus peruvianus and the Cereus peruvianus monstrose.


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## terryo (May 9, 2012)

That is a very impressive garden. Please post a picture when that big Agave palmeri 
(?) flowers. I have never seen anything like it...ever. To me it looks like a really big asparagus.


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## chase thorn (May 9, 2012)

I have always been into the hobby of growing succulents and cacti!


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## Yvonne G (May 10, 2012)

chase thorn said:


> I have always been into the hobby of growing succulents and cacti!



Cactus and succulents were my passion before I got into turtles and tortoises. So I had quite an extensive collection and knew the latin names of all of them. But little-by-little I've exchanged one passion for another, and have forgotten most of the names of my plants. I still have quite a nice selection of Euphorbias, crassulas and sanseverias, but I'm afraid the turtles and tortoises have taken me over.


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## Akronic (May 10, 2012)

so Peruvian.....would that be the cousin of the San Pedro known and the Peruvian Torch? 

ive have a couple "trips" w/ both of those species of cacti. now if i can just get my Lophophora to sprout and wait 25-30yrs maybe i'll have few buttons.

I own all three vaireties San Pedro, P. Torch and Bridgessi (*sp)


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## Yvonne G (May 10, 2012)

No, I believe the Peruvian torch is in the echinopsis family. The peruvianus is a Cereus...totally different family.

I have a Lophophora jourdaniana. It blooms but has never set pups.


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## Akronic (May 10, 2012)

I have lophophora williamsii.......just the seeds, but ive got a few diff regions. all are for spiritual ceremonial spirit quests


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## Yvonne G (Jun 13, 2012)

I took several more pictures of the bloom on the agave. The oldest pictures are first, with the last two pictures having been taken this a.m. The lower blooms are fully opened now, and there's not much of a "flower" but the bees love it:





















And a few more odds and ends of flowers:


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## terryo (Jun 13, 2012)

I have no idea what you all are talking about, but they are beautiful!


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## Saloli (Jun 14, 2012)

I was wondering which opuntia is the big one in the picture? I have an eastern prickly pear, a Cerus castus of some sort I've had since I was about four or so, I also have yucca filamentosa. My Tia Dora has an Indian fig cactus and one of their neighbors has a huge Engelmann's cactus or Texas prickly pear. I also have a variegated Agave americana, snake plant, zz plant, climbing aloe and a purple form African milk tree. My wife says my plants are weird, but I guess that goes with being married to me (I'm a bit eclectic or possibly excentric).


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## Yvonne G (Jun 15, 2012)

I don't know the name of the opuntia, but it is one of the spineless varieties.


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## Jacqui (Jun 15, 2012)

I am sorry, but every time I see a cactus with a bloom I just think somebody placed the bloom onto the plant. For some reason I can just not wrap my mind around them being real. 

Okay now that the big one has bloomed, you said it will die correct? Is this a long time death or does it happen rather quickly from this point on?


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## Yvonne G (Jun 15, 2012)

It just stops growing, shrivels up and dies. Probably would take about a month for a plant this big.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 18, 2012)

My beautiful agave. The top fronds are already turning crisp, and the lower fronds are yellowing.


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## wellington (Jul 18, 2012)

It dies, like never coming back dies or dies out for the year and will come back next year? You have beautiful cactus. I, like Jacqui, also think that some of the cactus flowers look fake. They feel dry and I always thought the flowers were glued on.


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## Yvonne G (Jul 18, 2012)

Nope, dead and gone! First they make pups (small off-shoot plantlets coming up from the roots around the base of the plant), then they send up a flower stalk, then they die, letting the pups take over the spot. Trouble is, in order to make a nice specimen plant, I cut off all the pups as they appear. This particular plant is about 15 years old.


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## wellington (Jul 18, 2012)

Wow, so it took 15 years for it to flower, then that's it, dead. That doesn't seem right. Kinda sad

No, not kinda sad, that is really sad


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## Melly-n-shorty (Jul 18, 2012)

Great cactus Yvonne!!! Looks great. We have tons of giant blue agave here if you ever want me to send you some youngsters... We had one that stood 7 foot (without a flower spike) before it had to be taken out. I'm always pulling out pups as you call them


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## Nixxy (Jul 19, 2012)

Absolutely beautiful.

Unfortunately, up in the North East, having such is quite impossible.

And Agave is absolutely delicious!


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