(Part 2) Top products from r/cactus

I know its not exactly what your looking for but I might suggest picking up some reference texts on cold hardy cacti.

This and This

might be good places to find information. I have limited experience with cold climates, 90% of my plants are tropical or sub tropical, but I have read the second book in the past when borrowing it from a local library and it is quite informative on caring for cacti in wet climates. The first reference is older and I have not personally read it but it has good reviews and I have seen it cited several times in the past when researching plants for my own area, cooler winter with heavy rain, so it may be worth a read if you can find them.


Also, from what I find online it looks like you are located in Zone 8 - 9 depending on your location and distance from water. This is pretty close to my own climate area with the exception of rain fall. I can recommend you try growing Echinocereus spachianus, Echnopsis pachanoi, and as /u/GregTJ suggested Echinopsis terscheckii provided that your growing bed is sufficiently drained (maybe even a layer of grit or lava rock 12 or so inches down). If you looking for more barrel or clumping plants you might try Thelocactus tulensis, Gymnocalycium baldianum, and Echinocactus texensis which I have grown outside unprotected during the winter, however all of my plants are potted and drain freely when it rains here so I cannot comment on their habits when planted in the ground.

I tried this before. I had an Echeveria Solstice that ended up pretty etiolated. They're highly dependent on sunshine, so this was no surprise. It wouldn't even keep over winter.

However, I found that some of my cactuses were OK, only over the winter, if I supplemented a window with about three of these, two of which were closer to 6400 K (color temperature).

Again, that was 3 really high powered lights all shining on the same area, and this was just to keep them happy while relatively dormant over winter. Definitely no permanent substitute for natural light, sorry.

I bought it 6 yrs ago...only have given it water sparingly. It's gone from time-to-time w/o sunlight, and has sat mainly on a windowsill in a coldish climate (Wash., DC). It's a resilient little fucker!

I've read that I should cut it with a sterile knife above the rot line (needles are soft but not brittle down there), let the wound heal (shouldn't take more than a few days, given how small it is), then set it on top of the new soil and let it take root for a week or two before spinkling water. I just bought some of this soil for it -- http://www.amazon.com/dp/B002Y0CFNY

Does that sound like a solid plan? Or maybe I should delicately remove it from the current soil and see if it's really rot/mold, or just lack of nutrients/water? I really rarely give it any water (it's gone months and months, and then only a little bit). I'd like to start taking better care of it though...

We had an infestation in our house recently (turned out it was under the trash can in the garage) and we had a bunch of flies about a week after we found the white guys. Might wanna check under the sink, and hose out the trash cans, if you find any more. Also you could get sticky paper and put it in the top corners of your windows to see what you catch. Could be house flies, could be gnats.

Excellent idea to let it callus and start over. My friend overwaters everything, I can't convince him to let the top of the soil dry out. Good luck!

Thank you! That bulb looks great, although i don't think i can handle the purple. I'll see what COB i can find in white. Is this similar? seems too cheap but....

https://www.amazon.com/MFXMF-Daylight-Vegetables-Greenhouse-Hydroponic/dp/B07RKTQ355/ref=sr_1_5?keywords=cob+led+grow+bulb&qid=1561993233&s=gateway&sr=8-5

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For the lights i got, they are all 4 heads facing the 1 small Serissa about 4" away. Glad to hear that's not too close! I can still return them though cuz i just got them, so if that bulb is better then i'll get it if a similar one comes in white/yellow. Purple would make me crazy.

http://www.amazon.com/EnviroGro-FLT24-4-Tube-Fixture-Included/dp/B002JQBQZQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1421399161&sr=8-7&keywords=grow+light

I have this and it is excellent! Very very bright, full spectrum light the sun, and I am growing cactses and trees under it and they are thriving!

I use bleach and H202 as well depending on the use case. I use copper for when I'm spraying soils and keep the others for hydroponic use normally. No specific reason except that the copper stuff is just amazing. I've tried using bleach and water mixed on soil to manage fungus and its okay but a shot with the copper spray and most things just dissolve immediately.

This is what I use but the price on amazon is kinda... ouch, lol.

If you decide to try some it is probably more economical if buying online to shop elsewhere or get the concentrate and mix yourself.

I would highly recommend getting some light for them. I currently use this one http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003DRBOJ8/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1463862366&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=desk+grow+lamp&dpPl=1&dpID=31ENzt9EP7L&ref=plSrch

If you just do a search it looks like there are a lot more on the market now than when I bought mine. Go to Amazon and search for desk grow lamp. They'll range from $30-50. I can't recommend it enough though.

Wouldn't this be overkill?

My problem plants are just two that are in 4" pots, and three in 2.5" pots. That seems like it's for a larger lot, and it's more expensive than the one that I was only going to buy because I could also use it for something else.

What would you think about something more like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-JSV2-2-Foot-Start-System/dp/B0006856EQ/

Or even this?

http://www.amazon.com/Hydrofarm-LKIT60-Dayspot-60-Watt/dp/B000053F9J/

mats

temp controller

These things are a must for proper seedling germination also, for many species, not only cacti. Well, they are here in zone 4 anyhow, lol.

I use grow lights now because my non-cactus succulents are in front of an east facing window. I got this T5 fluorescent somebody recommended in r/succulents for my succulents. I bought the reflector later but they have a model with reflector included. I think it's generally recommended that the light temperature be daylight, 5,000K-6,500K, and as high lumens as you can get, but most lights don't usually specify lumens. I just got into cactus a few weeks ago, and so I just bought this T5 for my expanding cactus collection.

Thank you :). After a fair bit of research and struggling to find any options I went with this.

2 Gal. Coarse Sand For Succulent, Bonsai Tree & Carnivorous Plant Soil Mix https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CEQW254/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_2I9IDbQWTAD3A

A little goes a long way, it's very uniform, and the packaging it arrived in was very well sealed to prevent any loss.

Saw this in Glasshouse Greenhouse - so cool! I really want to go someday.

I just invested in this one myself, haven't had any issues yet. But I've only had it a week or so thus far.

Sunblaster 904296 NanoTech T5 High Output Fixture Reflector Combo, 2-Feet https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AKKUBDQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GE6UBbV4EQJD2

Right here: https://www.amazon.com/Plant-Start-72cell-Dome-Tray/dp/B004NSD3CC

I actually have one of those. I'm using it for vegetable fruit and seeds at the minute but will most likely use it for this after, now that you mention it.

Edit - it is this one, so not controllable.

https://www.amazon.com/Pilea-peperomioides-Chinese-money-Pancake/dp/B0719QHBHC