Holiday Cactus General Discussion Part #5

Well---

You may have to put the web-address in your URL. Does not open here on DG.
PLEASE! Do it!!!!

I tried it and it works!!!!

andiesisle.com will also get you there.....

This message was edited Feb 29, 2012 8:58 PM

Hi Jackie, did you ever grow Zucchetta rampicante or Trombocchino?

One of the girls on Facebook ask me the above question. She is looking for seeds....any ideas? I told her to check some of the forums on DG. I don't do veggies. Did herbs one year and never sold a one. LOL

Thanks. JB

This message was edited Mar 1, 2012 7:15 PM

My little segments that I 'saved' from certain death into the trash can have little roots on them. I tried the planting method and also the laying on top of the soil method, and both worked! I just potted them up in little pots hoping they will keep going!

JBerger- those seeds can be bought from Pinetree Garden Seeds

Thank you Sally. Now I have to try and remember who it was that ask me. Yikes. JB

I guess you could post the coomment of Facebook. that "Zuchetta-- seeds can be bought at Pinetree Seeds" --I don't use Facebook a lot...

I learned how to go back and read messages today. Worked and I gave her the information. Thanks so much. Hugs. JB

Hi Everyone, I am back. I just need to go back and read the stuff I missed. LOL, I will try to get caught up and jump back in soon.
I will also try to revive the camellia thread.
I just wanted to say hi.
Linda

are these what you were looking for JB?

I have those and they are better than nothing. Thanks.

PLEASE TAKE NOTE IF YOU SHOP ON MARKETPLACE.
The Marketplace will be closing March 15th at noon forever. It is being replaced with Plant Scout and the Classified Ad section. If you have any questions go to the Marketplace Forum and go on the thread about Changes and read all about it.

Gotta go, have a lot to do before they close down. See you all later. JB

At this time of year usually my cactus are resting but for some crazy reason, they are all blooming again.
Here is the Salmon and the Orange stock plants that under normal conditions I would be taking cuttings, but they will not stop blooming. I am enjoying their beauty and just had to share them with you all. Have a great Easter and keep in touch and let me know if your Holiday Cactus are blooming.

Hello everyone,

JB, your cc's are thanking you for the care they get.

I wanted to ask about putting my cc's outside?The temp's are in the high 70's and even into the 80's most days but at night the temp is getting down into the 50's.I'm think my cc's can handle that but some night it's been getting down to 48* is the forecast so it could be going colder.Should i bring my cc's in at night? what's the temperature limits for them.

Can epi's take full sun now & they will need shade when summer gets here and it get's hot and also the cc's what's their temp. tolerance.

Thanks so much

I put my CC outside every summer but not in the full sun. Just morning sun is all mine get. As for the epi, I do not know enough about them. Gita does if she checks this forum I am sure she will answer you. See you later. Hugs and Prayers. JB

LOL--JB! I check all these posts about 5x a day....

Jojoe---

I put my Epis outside along with all the other 50 or 60 plants every year.
When you bring anything out--make sure you give them shade first--then filtered light and then sun--
if that is what the plants call for.

I really think Epis prefer a bit of protection from the hot, afternoon sun.
Mine hand near my huge Silver maple and get sun in the early part of the day,
and then dappled sun as it passes over the tree. They seem to do well in this situation.

IF you harden them off in part shade now--then, I think, the full spring sun may be OK. Just be careful..
When the sun goes higher (gets hotter) find a dappled sun spot for it to hang.

Hope this helps.....

Re the CC.s---same advice. Shade first--then AM sun should be OK.

All my CC babies have been outside for a couple of weeks already--except the last couple of cold days--
but they are on some plant stands right outside my front door, which faces N. No sun on them at all.
Also easy to keep an eye on and to water when needed....
I have others there as well, which ALL are inside the house at this time.
Did put the CC's back out this AM.

Gita

Here:

Thank you both for the advice,

I'm sitting around helping my daughter keep track of contractions now that she's out of the hospital.So i figured I would get some things done.

I have 5 Epi babies and this question even sounds kinda dumb to me but here goes.The leaf that they were started from will it wither away when the babies don't need it?Am i suppose to to something with it?

Thank you and JB your the best
Gita I am so thankful for all your help!!

P.S. I am expecting a granddaughter and my daughter is 20 and lives at home after her fiancee tucked tail & ran at the word baby.But a baby is always a wonderful thing.My daughter is many inches under 5 ft.& weighed 80 lbs.now weighs almost 30 more,they are thinking the baby is is a good 8 & a half pounds or more.

Jojoe---

That is exactly what my two Red Epis looked like when i got them in a trade from CA.
Never heard of an Epi before that.

The leaves you got will stay there. They will not die off. They will grow endless side "leaves" and those "leaves" will grow more.
An Epi can get quite ungainly. The leaves are semi-succulent and heavy.
Leave them grow in those 4" pots until you would swear they will split the sides. Then you can pot them up to a sturdy, 6" HB.
Do not hurry to pot them up in bigger pots. They only bloom when pot-bound. You cannot believe how pot bound
they can get and just love it! And then--they will gift you with amazing blooms.

In season--feed them and water them like anything else. Come late fall--they like to have a slight dormant period--at least here.
(I am in z-7a). We have winters--well...NOT this year!....:o) but--usually.
I stop watering them in October--and let them be until early Spring.

If you have any specific questions. please go to the "Orchid cactus" Forum. They know all about Epis there....
I don't think too many people in MD grow these things.

Just to WOW you--here is one of the Epis I got in 2005. Last year--it bloomed for the first time. talk about patience!
The other one had bloomed once before.

Here is the WOW factor.....it blew me away!!!!!!
And a picture of both of them in my LR for the winter. Notice their gangly shapes? Such is their way.....

Gita

Forgot the over-wintering of the Epis in mt LR. Here you can really see their shapes.
They are both, by now, in 10"HB's.

Since indoor plants need shade when they first go out, I try (real hard) to wait until the trees have enough leaves to make enough shady places for me. Thats something that seems a natural and handy reminder for me on putting them out.

p. s. good luck jojoe for your daughter and baby

Does anyone have a pink Easter cactus that they would be willing to part with???

I have a Red Epi that I got from Gita probably 1 1/2 years ago. It lived in a tall styrofoam cup with a stake until a couple of weeks ago I put it into a pot. In doing so, I accidentally broke off a piece of it and now have it in dirt, hoping to get another start. It lived in my game room where I overwinter all of my plants. After I moved everything out, I forgot about it, and when I noticed it again it was still going great guns.

Bluepoppy--

I have a red Easter cactus--but only the one plant. It is a good size--but I have nothing to share.

Maybe, after it blooms, I will cut it back a bit. Risky! This has been growing for several years,
and still is only a decent-sized plant in a 6" pot.

I did not know there was a pink one! Could you post a picture of it in bloom?

Thanks, Gita
Here is mine....Pic. #1 is from 2006
Pic. #2 is from last year

Hirts has a pink and a fushia...very pretty....
I don't have a pic but they do...

Not to change the subject, but here are two more beginning to bloom again. Christen is the pink, Thor Carmen is the Red.

yes I have several of the christmas cactus blooming now also

I do not remember this happening last year. Hmmmmm.

I almost never get a second bloom.....what would cause this???

Maybe I just do not have enough light for that??? At best--my CC's live at a bright dusk during the winter.
I have no space for plants under good light conditions--NONE!

My light set-up is very small (3') and I use it for nurturing any cuttings i am growing. Then they get too big--and then
I have to keep moving things around to even give the plants some kind of light....wherever I can find it.

It is a yearly battle......How I wish I had deep window sills at all my windows! My sills are 1 1/2" deep.
That tells you just how frustrating it is. Old house! NO high ceilings or wide windowsills.

Somehow---we all manage to come through it all it OK shape. Gita

don't have time but look what we brought home today

Oh WOW Jojoe! How precious.

That's a keeper JoJo! Congratulations.

I haven't had time to read here for months but felt that I needed to check in with a progress report. Last week I had two holiday blooms. Upon inspection and remembering the pictures I took closer to Christmas, I realized that the two that bloomed last week also were the only two I had bloom at Christmas too. I found that very interesting.

Hope that some others are having some lovely blooms to brighten their days too.

Ruby

Congrats jojoe. beaiutiful!

Hello all,

I'm finally starting to get a routine going even if it involves waking up every 2 & a half to 3 hours all night.At least i don't have to get up,her moma has only needed me a few times.I am loving it.

Question I have a cc that is dropping stems.I think the soil it's potted in stays to wet to long.My husband watered for me while i was in hospital with our daughter.Some of the stems are breaking off at the soil,rotting under the soil.

I was think about potting it and any other cc that needs repotting in a mix i pick up,it's labeled orchid mix and it is soil-less.If i add a little good potting soil to this mix it will drain great & it will get the nutrients from the potting soil i add.

ADVICE & OPINION'S PLEASE

jojoe----

One of my older, potted CC's also dropped a whole stem today.
This seems to happen when I water too much all of a sudden. I tend to water everything when I am watering--shame on me!
Also--the older CC's have woody stems and seem to like being drier.

What i will do is check out the dropped stem for rot or any other problems, and then
Put it in fresh potting MIX (not soil!) and let it be. Keeping it just moist....

Potting SOIL has soil in it--making it heavier and also more water-retentive.
Potting MIX has no soil in it--just peat moss and Perlite (or Vermiculite). Very fluffy and well draining.
Good for things that need to root. I have no particular suggestions as to brands---
just look for "Potting MIX". However--i am partial to all soils and mixes bu Miracle Gro.
Lately--the "Organic Choice" mixes have also gotten my attention.

Orchid soil has a lot of chunky materials in it. bark--chunks of Perlite, etc....NO soil at all!
Since Orchids never grow in soil--just up in the crotches of trees in the tropical forests--
the Orchid Soils try to duplicate the natural conditions. Orchids anchor to whatever spaces they can--
and then grow heavy roots that hold them in place in the tree tops. They are Epiphytes.
Most Orchid cactus--like Epis and Ric-Racs and Night Blooming Cereus are also in this category.

Holiday cactus needs lose soil for drainage, but also sturdy enough soil to hold the weight of the branching fronds.
SO! In my opinion, they need soil they can root in and anchor in. A good Potting MIX.

JB--where are you?????? She is our expert here! Please chime in and tell me if i am correct or not...
If not--please tell Jojoe what they should do!

By the way--Congratulations on your new baby. How sweet and how beautiful!!!!

Gita

Hey, Hi, I am sorry to be so absent, but I have had so much going here lately and the baby Christmas Trees are beginning to arrive, they need to be planted, stakes and watered and since they say I am too old to help in the field, I do the paperwork and the cooking. PITA. I would rather be out in the field. I also have been cutting daffodils for several weeks for the roadside stand and just closed that on Sat. AM. I did very well this week and then yesterday, I gave all the women big bunhes of the last hybrid daffys for Easter.
Gita, you are really on the same track that I am.on when it comes to potting soil. I too think they need some soil. I use the Miracle Grow also and if mine ever stop blooming I must repot some of the older ones, yet I keep hesitating because they seem so happy. The very old ones dropped some leaves becasue I fertilized and watered them and they do that each year. They did perk up and seem really happy now. This is a good time to fertilize between blooming and resting time. But, mine are not resting. I am going crazy since I can not take any cuttings until I am sure they are done blooming. I enjoy their blooms too much to mess up this second bloom.
Gita, did I ever send you an Aimee Gardenia? I sent someone one and I can not remember who and I was wonderring how it was doing.
I have drops in my eyes just now and can not see what I am typing so I will talk tomorrow. Hugs. JB

JB--

No. You never sent me that Gardenia. Must have been someone else...

I have a beautiful Gardenia--called "Bob Hope". Had to cut it back to the nubs a couple of years ago.
It had had some leaf fungus for 3 years. My "Gardenia Guru"--Mike in GA-- advised me to cut it back.

It is now re-growing into a nice, tall shrub. No blooms this year--I know that.....

I am patient and waiting. gita

Gita, would you like to have a 3 y.o. Aimee Gardenia plant? I have two I want to move and I thought I had sent you one earlier. I apologize. I remember speaking about your Bob Hope but I could not remember if you had said you did or did not want one. They are not pretty plants but the blooms are wonderful for cutting and putting in a bud vase. They also root in water after the flower dies. If you want one please let me know so I can get it shipped to you. These are about to get buds and I do not like to ship when they are in bud. Thanks. JB

JB--

Such a lovely offer! I looked it up in PF. Such a pure white! Very classic.

I have never grown a Gardenia. Never! Seen many of them in the stores i have worked in.

I am scared to try it--as I know that Gardenias need special care.
Where would I keep it for the winter?
Where do YOU keep it for the winter? In your Greenhouse?

If you send me directions and how to care/fertilize/what kind of soil, etc--I will accept your offer.
I know they need acid and iron. Right? What kind of pests does it attract? As a rule--I have NO pests.

To refuse your kind offer would be most inconsiderate....
OK! Lets do it!

Would you like some Salmon CC's in return? You like that one!
They are all still one or two segment starts--so easy to mail (minus the clay pots).
Or--have you propagated the ones I sent you earlier and have enough?
I have about 10 little clay pots of this one--plus the Mama. Have some red ones too.
Be glad to send you some. Let me know....

By the Way--My "Bob Hope" is a Camellia--NOT a gardenia. My error!!!

Hugs--Gita

--One of my bigger Clivias in bloom.
--How the bloom emerges from the tight rosette of the base stems. Amazing!

JB and Gita, if I may be so bold to ask, could I possibly get a start of the gardenia and the salmon cc? I would be most appreciative.

Crit--I could send you a small, rooted start of the salmon CC.

I have your address from previous sends....will let you know when i send it out to you.

JB said she only had 2 of the gardenias to share. i am getting one of them....
You would have to ask her.....

Gita

Crit, if you remind me at a later date I will send you a rooted cutting of the Aimee.; I just have nothing at this time to send. I can not cut the ones I have at this time because they are all in bud and this is not the time to cut. When they bloom is when I cut. Then I have to make sure they root, and then, is when I can share the cuttings. So, Sweetie, please remind me at a later date like June. OK?????
How is your weather in Tulsa. I was worried about Dave since we had not heard from him for awhile.