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Lovely cactus, the hover fly certainly liked it too.

Oh wow, that is very nice when flowering. Do you keep it outside during the summer months? Just wondering if it can cope with all that water?

We had a barrel cactus and it just died, rotted away. I had put it outside during high summer and when it came back in again when it began to be slightly colder it just rotted away. Very sad. :roll:

mines looking pretty dog-eared and redneck however the neighbours looks worse today!

bobbob wrote:Lovely cactus, the hover fly certainly liked it too.

Cheers bobbob. It seems that it's only the hover flys that come to it (rather than bees :-P ) - there's some cool looking black and white ones too, but I couldn't get a decent shot of them.

christel wrote:Oh wow, that is very nice when flowering. Do you keep it outside during the summer months? Just wondering if it can cope with all that water?

We had a barrel cactus and it just died, rotted away. I had put it outside during high summer and when it came back in again when it began to be slightly colder it just rotted away. Very sad. :roll:

I do keep it outside during summer, and in the greenhouse during winter. But I don't think they like too much water, so I always empty excess water out of the drip tray on the bottom, and when it rains for a few days on the trot (like we had recently), I put it back in the greenhouse.

I had a larger single one in a pot - It went yellow (did yours?) and died...I don't know if I'd left it out for too long, or if they actually have a 'lifespan'?... wonder if there are any gardeners on the forum who know...?

Dougan wrote:

christel wrote:Oh wow, that is very nice when flowering. Do you keep it outside during the summer months? Just wondering if it can cope with all that water?

We had a barrel cactus and it just died, rotted away. I had put it outside during high summer and when it came back in again when it began to be slightly colder it just rotted away. Very sad. :roll:

I do keep it outside during summer, and in the greenhouse during winter. But I don't think they like too much water, so I always empty excess water out of the drip tray on the bottom, and when it rains for a few days on the trot (like we had recently), I put it back in the greenhouse.

I had a larger single one in a pot - It went yellow (did yours?) and died...I don't know if I'd left it out for too long, or if they actually have a 'lifespan'?... wonder if there are any gardeners on the forum who know...?

I think they have a life span but ours was certainly not there yet when it died. Ours went yellow and tilted. Later I had a look at the roots and they were all jelly. I think too much water, despite rain in the desert I reckon barrel cacti are not ready for being outside during British summers.
It was huge and just lovely and so not fit for our little cottage, no matter where we put it we always managed to get pricked. :lol:

christel wrote: no matter where we put it we always managed to get pricked. :lol:

Yes they're vicious. I didn't really think about it when I put so many in one pot - getting the weeds out is tricky - I should use tweezers, but think "i can reach that one with my fingers"....and get 'nailed' every time :lol: .

So your's did the 'soggy yellow thing' aswell - I think you're right...they don't like too much sustained rain.

My mother used to grow many different cacti...the fine spiked ones were the worse to dig out of one's skin...ouch.

We have the Christmas Cacti now...red flowers...I'll post some pics when it flowers next.

:)

Thought I'd take a snap B4 weather gives them a panning...not quite ripe and a wee bit scabby but started scoffing them already...Cox's Orange Pippins.

Polchraine...just discovered exposure bracketing ... oh joy! wouldn't swap my Pentax K20D for the new fluffy ones!

You still have apples on your tree? Wow, here they are long since gone.