Garden chat & photos for torts and people ♫ ♫

[Len B]

On February 25 while cutting cactus pads for Walker i saved a small one to try getting it to root in water. I put it in a small glass with a little bit of water. Today it has roots, This summer I going to try another pad that isn't dormant due to cold winter temps and see what happens.

 

[Yvonne G]

On February 25 while cutting cactus pads for Walker i saved a small one to try getting it to root in water. I put it in a small glass with a little bit of water.View attachment 235093 Today it has roots,View attachment 235094 This summer I going to try another pad that isn't dormant due to cold winter temps and see what happens.

Darn! I meant to get pictures of the cacti you sent me and now it's dark out. I'll try to remember tomorrow.

 

[no one]

I put a cactus pad in coco soil hoping for the same result. But when my next pads come in I will try putting some in water. Thanks for sharing!!

 

[Len B]

Darn! I meant to get pictures of the cacti you sent me and now it's dark out. I'll try to remember tomorrow.

All my cactus plants are still in winter mode, but the mulberry trees are slowly showing signs of life.

 

[Yvonne G]

All my cactus plants are still in winter mode, but the mulberry trees are slowly showing signs of life. View attachment 235136

I have three white mulberry trees that I'm training to grow sideways. They're planted along the yard that used to house the Aldabran tortoises.



The bad thing about them is they have fruit. I really am not a fan of all that purple fruit stuck to the bottom of my shoes or getting pooped out on the side of the house as the birds fly by.

Here are the cacti you sent me. You sent me two pads of this one, but one never rooted and eventually just turned crisp. The other is doing nicely, with half the pad dead, but the other half sprouting new growth:



You gave me two of this one. They both have flower buds, but the second picture is COVERED with buds!!!

 

[Bambam1989]

All this talk about cactuses has gotten me wanting more varieties. Two types that sound really neat to me are the "pinecone cactus" and the "Opuntia geometrica"
Anyone familiar with these kinds?

 

[Len B]

I have three white mulberry trees that I'm training to grow sideways. They're planted along the yard that used to house the Aldabran tortoises.

View attachment 235138 View attachment 235139

The bad thing about them is they have fruit. I really am not a fan of all that purple fruit stuck to the bottom of my shoes or getting pooped out on the side of the house as the birds fly by.

Here are the cacti you sent me. You sent me two pads of this one, but one never rooted and eventually just turned crisp. The other is doing nicely, with half the pad dead, but the other half sprouting new growth:

View attachment 235140

You gave me two of this one. They both have flower buds, but the second picture is COVERED with buds!!!View attachment 235141 View attachment 235143

You wont hurt the mulberry trees buy cutting the top limbs off. you will get new limbs sprout out around where you cut them, and the new limbs wont produce fruit and their leaves will be larger than the leaves on the uncut limbs. The new limbs will produce other limbs that grow horizontal so you can cut the first new limb off just above the new horizontal limb to make the tree grow out instead of up. The cactus in the first pic is one of the spin less that have spines on the new growth to protect the tender pads from some kind of cactus eating predator, I guess. They loose the spines as the pads mature. The ones in the next pics will probably take that area over pretty quick, They grow fast here and your weather is more suited for them. The pads will get bigger also.

 

[Len B]

All this talk about cactuses has gotten me wanting more varieties. Two types that sound really neat to me are the "pinecone cactus" and the "Opuntia geometrica"
Anyone familiar with these kinds?

What I understand about the geometrica is it can take cold temps (below freezing) but has to be very very dry when cold.

 

[Bambam1989]

What I understand about the geometrica is it can take cold temps (below freezing) but has to be very very dry when cold.

I've also heard that. I can't hardly find any available though. Found some pinecone cactus on Etsy that I have been eyeballing though... Ought to message them and see if they use any chemicals on them.

 

[Oxalis]

I've also heard that. I can't hardly find any available though. Found some pinecone cactus on Etsy that I have been eyeballing though... Ought to message them and see if they use any chemicals on them.

I like the pine cone cactus! I might get one if I had any space left for more plants.

 

[Yvonne G]

Spring has ALMOST sprung here in the Central Valley, California. I thought I'd share pictures of the early blooming going on here. This is a malva, tortoise edible, it actually blooms continuously, even through the winter. It's in the leopard yard, but no one eats it:



I wish you could smell this one. It's a young orange tree, also in the leopard yard:



M-m-m-m, lilacs. Who doesn't love lilacs?



I should have gone to the other side to take this picture so the sky wasn't the background. This is some sort of aloe, I think:



If you look closely you can see 50 million little peaches starting to form:



I have several different types of this cactus. This pure white one is so pretty:



And, Charlie, just because he's so pretty. He follows me wherever I go in the yard:

 

[Yvonne G]

Spring has ALMOST sprung here in the Central Valley, California. I thought I'd share pictures of the early blooming going on here. This is a malva, tortoise edible, it actually blooms continuously, even through the winter. It's in the leopard yard, but no one eats it:







I wish you could smell this one. It's a young orange tree, also in the leopard yard:



M-m-m-m, lilacs. Who doesn't love lilacs?





I should have gone to the other side to take this picture so the sky wasn't the background. This is some sort of aloe, I think:



This is a climbing rose. The flowers are miniature, but the bush itself isn't:





I have several different types of this cactus. This pure white one is so pretty:




And, Charlie, just because he's so pretty. He follows me wherever I go in the yard:

 

[MrMarg&me]

Thank you for sharing Yvonne! I love how your property is not overly pruned and manicured. I bet you have a little haven for bees, lizards, birds, butterflies and all sorts of beneficial creatures.

 

[Yvonne G]

Thank you for sharing Yvonne! I love how your property is not overly pruned and manicured. I bet you have a little haven for bees, lizards, birds, butterflies and all sorts of beneficial creatures.

No, too many cats. I DO have "offerings" left at my doorstep occasionally (half a mouse).

 

[Oxalis]

This is a climbing rose. The flowers are miniature, but the bush itself isn't:

Same here. My "miniature" rose grows like a weed!!

 

[Jacqui]

I have found the secret way to huge blooms.

 

[Yvonne G]

I have found the secret way to huge blooms.

well, don't keep us in suspense! What's the secret????

 

[Bambam1989]

I have found the secret way to huge blooms.

RABBIT POOP!!

 

[Oxalis]

RABBIT POOP!!

Tort poop works well too!

 

[Bambam1989]

Tort poop works well too!

That one for me is still in the testing phase[emoji1]