Does anyone know of a good supplier where one can buy prickly pear cactus pads and fruit?
Also, do they save well in the fridge or do they expire quickly?
(I ask this because if I'd prefer to buy them in bulk if the save well).

Best not in frig. Source, Tortoise supply. Also, plant some. They are very cold hardy and easy to grow.

wellington Wrote:Best not in frig. Source, Tortoise supply. Also, plant some. They are very cold hardy and easy to grow.

Can they be grown in pots?

Yes.

how do you grow them??

(09-08-2012 04:04 PM)wellington Wrote:  Yes.

I mix some topsoil with playground sand, 50-50. Grab a couple pads and bury them about halfway into the substrate. Water them once a month at the most. If it rains, don't bother. Just stick them in the sand-soil mix and leave them alone, they'll grow like weeds.

Redstrike Wrote:I mix some topsoil with playground sand, 50-50. Grab a couple pads and bury them about halfway into the substrate. Water them once a month at the most. If it rains, don't bother. Just stick them in the sand-soil mix and leave them alone, they'll grow like weeds.

Do they grow well in doors? I live in SW PA and our weather gets cold in the winter.

I've bought the pads a few times from carolinapetsupply.

I tried buying the fruits online one time and by the time they arrived, they were horribly spoiled. In fact, the box was oozing. So that was the first and last time I bought the fruits.

I stick with the pads now. I just bought 2lbs from an ebay seller and I'm planning to plant several of them. Maybe I will grow my own fruits.

So you can just cut off a pad and plant it? I just bought one that is potted but if I can cut off a few of its pads to grow more that would be SUPER! I love how my new tortoise hobby has also give me a gardening hobby!

(09-09-2012 07:59 PM)LuckysGirl007 Wrote:  So you can just cut off a pad and plant it? I just bought one that is potted but if I can cut off a few of its pads to grow more that would be SUPER! I love how my new tortoise hobby has also give me a gardening hobby!

Yes. In fact any pads that fall off larger plants usually start rooting right away.

(09-09-2012 02:25 PM)crussellii Wrote:  

Redstrike Wrote:I mix some topsoil with playground sand, 50-50. Grab a couple pads and bury them about halfway into the substrate. Water them once a month at the most. If it rains, don't bother. Just stick them in the sand-soil mix and leave them alone, they'll grow like weeds.

Do they grow well in doors? I live in SW PA and our weather gets cold in the winter.

Opuntia humifisa's range encompasses much of the east coast, including Penn. Just leave them out for the winter and they'll be fine. Most can tolerate temperatures down to -20. The desert gets cold at night.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=ophu