Holiday Cactus General Discussion Part #5

Hello everyone,

I bought an ec (easter cactus) the day Lily (the baby) was a week old.The plan is to keep,take care of and have it grow large & beautiful until a time when i can give it to her.I'm sure i will go through many plants between now & then.LOL So to keep that number to a minimum here's a question or two. (i have a peace lily my moma bought when my oldest was born 23yrs. ago)

I know what i have is a Hatiora gaertneri and it is very similar to a cc but i can definitely tell the difference. Is that where the similarities stop their looks or are they also cared for in the same way or close to it.They look like they can be propagated the same way.I will be doing some research on my new little plant,but you all always have some advice that comes from experience and i would like to hear yall's opinion's & advice on this plant.(ok I'm from the south,raised & born in the country & we say yall LOL i have went back & changed "yall" to "you all" so many times)

It's finally nice outside and I'm finishing up trimming my azalea's & hopefully last night was that last late frost we always get.Nothing but sunshine & dirt for me this weekend.I hope everyone has a nice weekend as well.

jojoe---

Are the pictures you posted of an Easter cactus?????
They are a bit out of focus and I could not really tell. Besides--they are pink????

Here is my Easter Cactus, but it has bright red blooms. Yours look pink....

EC cuttings take longer to root than CC cuttings. It was a good 3 years that mine finally
got its act together...I had a little one that I gave to sallyG. That was at least 2+ years old before it
showed some active growth. Still small--in a 4" pot....
The Mama one I have had for ages--maybe 6-7 yrs?

I may prune it back when it its done blooming this year and see if i can root some of the sections...

Here is what mine looks like...last summer....
The other picture is from years ago---2006, and I am sure I had it a few years before it got this big!
So--it is pretty old....Note the leaves. They have NO spiky points--just a slightly scalloped edge.

Gita, that is a beauty....but, they do come in other colors I think I purchased two for my daughter and neither of them were red.

JB----OK! Thanks for putting me straight! Gita

Hi all ...........sorry I haven't checked in for a few days. Been busy getting ready for this months "Family Day" and re-doing my iris beds.

Gita, that would be great if you could send me a salmon CC start! Much appreciated.

JB--that would be great on the starts of Aimee. Much appreciated.

We have been having a lot of rain and some severe weather. Nothing serious so far, but this is just the beginning of the season. I haven't heard from Dave either. Don't know what he is up to.

Pretty cc and ec's. I'm off to either bed or to read some more posts. Don't know what to do with these storms possibly approaching. Night all.

Gita, I did not mean to sound like I was "setting you straight" I was merely saying I think there are other colors of Epi (orchid cactus). In the latest Logee catalog Spring 2012 they have a pink and orange one called 'Just Beautiful', the red of course called 'Unforgettable' a white and orange beauty called Ric Rac
and one with orange and red. I would love to have them all, but where do you put the?
I did not know that the Night Blooming Cereus is also an Epi....I have so much to learn and so little time to learn it.
Just wanted you to know I did not mean to sound snippy and if I did, please forgive me. I have alot on my mind just now.JB

JB!

I NEVER, EVER (shouting...) would accuse you of being snippy! I did not take it that way at all....
Sorry if my comment seemed like it! It was NOT meant to. I just appreciated your input.

I thanked you for "setting me straight" of assuming that Easter cactus only came in red......

Thank you, my Friend that i always trust! Hugs, Gita

Holy Crap Gita, I heard that without my $5000 hearing aids. I hate those suckers, hate having to spend the money only to have them annoy the poop out of me. Oops. Sorry. Bad JB

I thought you were just making a statement. Not like you to be snippy to me of all people. LOL You just email me privately and tell me off. LOL Just kidding.

Have to go.....you gotta see those beauties in that new Logee catalog. Ohhhhhh my are they pretty. I want.

JB---as many know by now--I DO NOT subscribe to the idea that capitalizing anything means i am "shouting".
I use it just for emphasis.

Someone at some time decided that capitalizing means shouting?????????? And then it took off--
like a forward of someone's personal ways of thinking---and now everyone subscribes to that.

Just think how boring a verbal conversation would be if it is all in a flat monotone.
I think the same way about writing. Some words NEED emphasis--- accentuating....just to make a point...

Well--NOT going to go there again. It rattles up too many people.....Do not want to go through that again.

Good night all! Gita LOVE YA ALL!!!!....there!

No problem with me Sweetie. I am good and so are you, Gita. Want you to know I will not be shipping Aimee until Tuesday. It is to be 80 plus here today and most of the week in the 80s so I want to be sure you are home to get it and it does not lay in the box in the heat. You are off Thurs. so that will be good.
I will let you know when she is on her way. JB

Hello everyone,

Do the easter cactus bloom under the same conditions as our cc.Do they have to have x number of hours in complete darkness to bloom?

My camera finally died and the hubby got me another.I have discover that i don't know how to operate the darn things,maybe i just don't know the correct settings.Anyway here are some more picture i managed to find time to take,download and now post.

ENJOY THE LOVELY WEATHER !!!

JB--I was worried--in case your gardenia was on its way already. With all this heat!!!

I am off both Thursday AND Friday. May give you some leeway.....

I will wait until I get your send so i can get your address and mail you off the Salmon CC's to you.
Crit wanted one too--so i will be sending her a couple of the starts.

Gita

OK we will see what tomorrow is going to be like. It was almost 90 here today. Unreal. I will let you know tomorrow what I decide to do. I just do not want the bud that is already formed to fall off. LOL.

JB---The bud will, more than likely, fall of anyway. being mailed in a box???

Gardenias are very touchy-feely about their environments.....Right?

PLEASE also send me directions how to pot it up as soon as I get it.
Soil? Pot? Compost etc......I know they like acid soil and also Iron.
Please tell me what else??????? Getting nervous here to grow my FIRST gardenia!!!

Thanks, Gita

Gita Honey, do not worry. I am going to try and mail it in the pot so we can let it adjust in its own soil for a few weeks and when it is finished blooming you can repot it in regular Miracle Grow potting soil and do not give it anything special until we see how it adjusts. It will loose some leaves, but it will be fine, I am sure. If you have a warm spot outside with some sun it will be fine. My plants are tough and healthy and take very little extra care except, Mealy Bugs will be your worst enemy. Then just put the hose on the plant, wash it good and spray it with the Soapy mixture, neems oil and dawn or whatever you can buy that is a soapy mixture with neems in it. They will be noticed first on the new buds coming out. I send you information and you should do some research on TopTropicals.com if you want to know more about the Aimee. It has a beautiful story to it. It is named after the deceased daughter of the man who grew them. She was killed in a plane crash. I did extensive research on them when I first got them and found them to be one of my favorites. Will be back with the shipping notice later. JB

JB---

What opinion do you have about using Systemic Granules to combat Mealybugs?

I always treat ALL my plants with these granules about 2 weeks before I bring them in the house for the winter.

That, most likely, is the reason I never have any insect problems with my plants.

HD (at least here) no longer carries this product---going on 6-7 years now, but I found it at valley View Farms,
a HUGE, expensive Nursery, and then also at an el-cheapo store here called "Good Stuff Cheap".
It is hodge podge, out of date, overstocks, this and that buy-outs, etc. One of my favorite stores.

I now have 2 jugs of this stuff. Would you like me to include a small container of this product in the package when
I mail you the CC starts? It is made by Bonide.

Still need your address!!!!!! D-mail it to me, please.....

Gita

I seldom use anything except natural stuff that is not harmful to animals and birds. My birds are in the room with the plants and if it gives off an odor of any kind it can harm them. My dog eats anything he finds on the floor and everyplace else. He loves eating flowers.

I never had MB until I brought home orchids from Home Depot and that was the beginning. I no longer buy plants there. My inspector from the State says there is very little to get rid of them you just have to keep spraying. He never suggested using anything else. Just the soap spray. I had very few this year so far but I did find them in the house on an orchid and a jasmine. They are both outside now, they had a good bath and I do not spray outside when the sun is out. I usually spray in the shade.

I will not guarantee you will not have MB on these gardenias. I know however at this time they are clean because they were just inspected a few days ago. Of course, that does not mean they will not get it. They get them outside in the summer at times so it is hard to say but just keep an eye open for them. Use whatever you want to use that works for you if it is not harmful to the plants.

I will do some research on your granules and see what they contain, etc. Thanks for the offer but I will pass on them until I read up on them. I did what you told me and put my address on DG list but I will give it to you here....
Jacquie Berger
305 Wrightstown Sykesville Rd
Wrightstown NJ 08562

Later. JB

JB---
Yes! The granules have a really bad odor and are pretty nasty stuff.
Maybe that is why HD took it off the market years ago .

I have also found that plants I have purchased from HD eventually get scale or MB's.
They are grown in such massive amounts somewhere in FL--that I am sure they have
all kinds of problems with bugs.

I could tell you horror stories from the days (my first 5 years at HD) when I was in charge
of the WHOLE G-House of plants. back then the GH was totally full! Wall to wall.

It was an endless, ongoing battle with the MB's. And--the store was not too actively involved....
It was disgusting!!!! Scale--MB's and all kinds of stuff--and just me trying to get a grip on all this...

It is so much better now--with bell being in charge of the plants---but even they get the Tropicals from FL.

A couple years I bought a 10" pot of Shefflera Amati (the one with the big leaves) and, yep! It got scale on it...
I gave each leaf a soapy bath and a good rinse and put it back by my window. Hope it is better....

OK! Must get off the computer. Gorgeous day outside...why sit here....

Will mail your CC's out tomorrow.
Gita

I had a beautiful gardenia (don't know the name of it) that I had for about 5 years. I kept it trimmed so it never got larger than 4'. It would start blooming in the house usually in mid April. The house smelled sooooooooooo good. Then, year before last, it just up and died on me! I cut it back hoping the roots were still alive and it would resprout, but it never did. I was sick. One of my DG friends sent me a frost proof gardenia. It set outside all winter (if you can call what we had winter) and is doing great. I'm just wondering when it will bloom, or if it isn't old enough. It is only about a foot tall.

OK, here is the stupid question for the day. I need to know when people talk about their Epi and their Oxys what are they talking about. Epi is Orchid Cactus but I looked up oxypotallum and DG did not have a result. It must be some sort of cactus but what does it look like? JB

JB I've found out more than once that finding things on Daves Garden is dependent on how accurately the name of item is spelled.

I believe you are looking for Epiphyllum oxypetalum a form of night blooming cactus.

I applaud you selling plants through ebay. Last week was my first time as a buyer and both experiences have been way less than satifactory as both orders arrived smashed and one seller sent diseased plants!

Hope you and Gita enjoy your new arrivals this week. You were both so cute with your "new plant mama" jitters!

Later, Judy

Judy, I have a question for you. I winter sowed some coleus, but it hasn't come up. We had a real mild winter and I wonder if they need to have some cold flucuation to germinate? I wish I had gotten some more starts from you last fall. Some of the momma plants are going to be OK, but I lost my favorite which was the purple frilly one! Maybe I can find some seed I saved from it, but I don't think I did.

Judy, I thought they were two different things. When they talk about Epis they are talking about Orchid Cactus
When they talk about Oxy maybe they are talking about the Night Blooming cactus. It is all well and good for people to talk about the plants using the botanical names or whatever name it is, but for those of us who are used to the common names it is very frustrating. I guess if I were a Master Gardner instead of a plain old plant lover who just happens to have a nursery I would know all that stuff. Oh well, I am happy being just me. I will just keep on looking things up.

I have 100% positive feedback on eBay as well as DG for shipping and plant conditions. You really need to be careful where you buy plants online.; Not every state is as strict as NJ and you can get crappy stuff and it costs much more in the end. Check out the feedback on sellers before you buy from them if you think about it. It pays in the end. If someone gets a plant that is in poor condition when it arrives, and I know it is not my fault, I will still replace it if the person is honest with me. I can almost tell if someone is just trying to get another free plant.
I have only had one person tell me the plants were out of the pots and some leaves were off. I knew when I mailed that particular package I may not have put enough paper on the sides and there was too much bouncing and throwing boxes around so I really felt it could have been my fault. You must be sure NOTHING rattles or moves before you take them to the PO or UPS because they could care less what is in that package. Anyhow, I sent him another complete order at no charge and because of that, he is still an active buyer. If the seller does not stand up for his plants, he is not reliable. I do say that if there is a problem I will replace everything but I want proof of the damage first. That way if they send me a picture that is a mess I would replace it. If they do not send a picture, I would know they were not telling the truth. I hope you sent negative feedback for those sellers so others do not get ripped off too.

JB ... what do you go by on e-bay? 100% is a terrific report! Congrats on that.

JB---

Orchid Cactus is a HUGE family of plants. If my "pea brain" is correct--then it covers most of the plants
that are Epiphytes (Epis for short). Plants that live in the tops of the trees in the rain forests.
It includes all the Epis, N.B.C. being just one of them. Also known as Epiphyllum Oxypetalum (the Night Blooming Cereus).
the Ric-Rac Cactus, Most orchids, and zillions more--i am sure.
Not sure the CC's and X-mas cactus and Easter cactus fit in this category ???? Anyone?

Please Google "Epiphyllums" and see all that comes up. If you then click on "Images" in the left top tool bar--
this is what you get:

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=qSM&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&q=Epiphyllums&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=830&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=XWePT6fAI8Oe6AHTjo2vBA

Have fun! it will be like a magical picture show.......

Gita

Jberger1946 is what eBay calls me.

Gita, will look at that when I have time. No, I do not think CC and HC fit into that catagory. Will look it up when I have time. Sorry to be so short but I have so much to do before it rains. Later. JB

I was in my neighbors house yesterday (NO, I didn't break in. She was home and invited me! ^_^) and she had a cactus that was at least 3-4' tall. I commented on it and she said it is a "Good Luck Plant". Anyone ever heard of one with that name? She gave me a start of one, just as big, that she had in her garage. It was not quite as perky from being in the garage, but quite strong. I have not potted it yet as I was letting the spot she broke it from heal over. I am going to do that today. When I do, I will post a pic.

JB et al, here is an article by Trish, Dave's wife that illustrates some great plant packing for mailing.

http://allthingsplants.com/articles/view/Trish/349/Camellia-Forest-Nursery-A-Review/

May start some threads on buying plants on line and what to watch for new disease wise when buying coleus, basil or impatiens this year. Just like food it is good to know and have a trusted source like your neighbor Crit or JB and Gita!

Crit, here is a link to a comprehensive "Growing Coleus" info. Coleus are tropical plants so their seeds need heat and light to germinate (not candidates for winter sowing).
http://s14.zetaboards.com/TGTA/topic/6599693/1/

edited to correct link to article on Camillia Forest Farms

This message was edited Apr 20, 2012 6:04 PM

Judy. the link to the article by Trish brings me to Stokes Tropicals. Is that where the article is?

Thanks coleup. I guess we were warm enough during the week we were in the 80's and one 90* to get them going because they have sprouted and put on their 2nd leaf. I just got lucky there! There were some that I started in the house in the Jiffy pellet greenhouse that I put some heat under. Don't remember for sure what it was that I had the heat on though. duh!

Does anyone know much about grown marigolds and 4 o'clocks from seed? Do they need cold before they will germinate? I have some in a peat pots but have only had 1 4 o'clock start. May have to stick them in the 'fridge?

I love you guys. A plethica of information!!!!!

Here is a pic of the cactus I got from my neighbor. Anyone recognize it? (first pic) The others are just some pics of some of my other cactus.

(Sorry for getting off topic, but you guys are so smart!)

Crit--

4O'Clocks come up all by themselves in droves! More than you would ever need.
They are just like MG's.
I do believe they like to spend the winter on the soils where they fell, and will come up
in due time.
I think I have grown the 4's just from seed inside as well. Soaking the seed may help.
They are very hard. Do the moist paper towels in a baggie thing.

I have LOTS of seed from 4's "Broken Colors" as well as from a smaller, lime green one.
I think I also have some seed for other 4's from past Swaps.

I'll bow to someone else's knowleadge on the Marigolds. Seems they are so simple....
I have a few seeds that came up from French MG's.

Gita

JB I fixed the Trish article link

http://allthingsplants.com/articles/view/Trish/349/Camellia-Forest-Nursery-A-Review/

For only having one eye, you are mighty good at spotting things! lol

Gita, thanks! I meant Morning Glory and 4 o'clocks. Sheesh. I did soak them all and have 2 4's coming up and that is it. Been in there over a week (the little Jiffy greenhouse). I would expect they
would be starting to do SOMEthing! I keep spraying with water and peroxide to keep the danger of damping off at bay.

Gita, the little babies you sent me yesterday are still here in the house in their cups you sent them in. I have not had time to repot them since I left them rest and relax from their trip. The weather they are predicting is to be very windy and stormy and I had quite a few things to move into the greenhouse since they are being shipped Monday. I was afraid they would be ruined and they are all paid for. LOL. See you all later if we do not blow away. JB

JB---

I brought the gardenia inside last night as well. It was so cold and windy.
Will keep her in today as well...still cool and raining away--all day.

I know Gardenias like a cool, bright spot--but how cold can they tolerate outside w/o any damage???
Besides--you probably had "her" in the G-House before you mailed her. Yes? No?

You do your thing re the CC's. I don't mean to rush you asking how they are doing.
They are in YOUR expert hands!!!! There will NOT be any problems!!!! So I shall believe......:o)

I would like to know just how you DO re-pot these little starts to have them grow bigger fast
so you can sell them. I still have oodles left to grow out. Mine seldom look great.

I need to know about pruning and pinching and feeding and how to hurry them up to grow into nice plants.
Should I pot them up in slightly bigger pots than 2"?
Cam Mushroom soil be added to "houseplant" soil mixtures--or is it a bit too manured???

Bugging you again--"She NEVER stops!!!!"....:o) Gita

Here is a novelty picture for you from 2010. This cutting decided to be a real trooper!!!!

I'm so proud of myself!

Was in a small garden center when I noticed a white flowering plant on the clearance table as an Easter Cactus! Even more impressive was that I was able to describe the difference between Easter and Thanksgiving cactus so that the clerk actually understood it.

A little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing as for $3.99 I brought it home!

Jojo, how's that Grandchild doing?

Crit, you can 'google' good luck cactus and come up with all sorts of pics and info.

One of the attendees at the May plant swap (Buttoneer) has 3 kinds of Rhipsalis she will bring to share. Near relatives of Schlums. So, my hands on education will continue.

Wouldn't it be fun if we could all in real life get together for a cutting /propagation bee?

Thanks coleup. I tried to do a search on plant files and got everything 'but' cactus!

Judy, if you have a white Easter Cactus it could be a Sirius. They are extremely popular , hard to find except at Logees. LOL., and are patented. It is a Rhipsalidopsis hybrid 'Sirius' p.p. Just saw it in the new Logee catalog and I bought one for my daughter last hear but it has not bloomed yet.

So, JB I can be doubly proud cause I may have a "rare" easter cactus to boot??!! I like the name sirius.

One thing I did notice that I didn't retain in my book knowledge of easter cacti is that these flowers close at night.

Here is a reference piece I found on easter cacti and I will add it to our reference list.

http://cactus-epiphytes.eu/z_page_les_cactus_de_paques_1.htm


Sure wish you were coming to the plant swap next month as you and Gita and I (and Ruby, Jill, Sallyg, Holly and others!} could have so much fun taking cutting from my mother plants that need rehoming! Maybe you could bring the "puppy" along!

Hello all,

Crit thanks for asking about the baby! She is more adorable and growing by the day!

I was wondering about the easter cactus, does anyone else have one.Do they like to be pot bound to bloom etc...

I agree about the epi/orchid cactus,I have a hard time figuring out what most people are talking about.
Not a lot of time lately.Everyone have a wonderful weekend our day's are in the 80's with night in the 50-60's
After cutting down all those tree's the shade isn't where it use to be so i'm doing a lot of plant shuffling outside trying to keep some in a little shade.

One more question should baby epi's leaf cutting's with about 1 new leaf and other's just coming out how much sun can they take?
Really going this time.