Finally a spine-less cactus that is cold hardy

[Len B]

I got 2 pads in the fall of 2011 and let them lay on the ground that winter, planted them in the spring of 2012, put them in pots this spring I am convinced they are the one I have been try to find for years. Now if I can get the seeds in the fruit to germinate (without cross pollinating with one with spines) I can really get them going.

 

[Yvonne G]

The close-up of that first picture shows the little squiggly lines we've wondered about in the baby tortoises' shells.

Good luck with your pollination project. Where did you get the cactus from?

 

[wellington]

I tried growing cold hardy cactus this past winter. BIG FLOP, nothing but mush. I'm going to try again this winter but in pots and move them inside. I just don't get enough sun in the winter for them to dry out

 

[yagyujubei]

I just bought some from a guy in Buffalo who grows them there successfully.

I tried growing cold hardy cactus this past winter. BIG FLOP, nothing but mush. I'm going to try again this winter but in pots and move them inside. I just don't get enough sun in the winter for them to dry out

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

From my understanding, the key to growing cactus in colder regions is to keep the roots from being waterlogged. They can handle cold, and do so very well in the deserts of the southwest of the USA. Anyone who has spent the night out in the desert can attest to the truth that the desert doesn't always stay hot. It snows in the winter.

 

[wellington]

From my understanding, the key to growing cactus in colder regions is to keep the roots from being waterlogged. They can handle cold, and do so very well in the deserts of the southwest of the USA. Anyone who has spent the night out in the desert can attest to the truth that the desert doesn't always stay hot. It snows in the winter.

I think that is the problem I had. I have no sun in my yard in the winter months, so the yard stays pretty damp most of the time and the cactus never gets dry. I had cactus before that I got from Michigan, there are lots that row there wild. I didn't have good luck with them either, because of the lack of winter sun.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Here in the Pacific Northwest where we average 48" of rain a year, it I were to try to plant them, even by adding a bunch of gravel to the hole, I'd just be creating a small, gravel filled pond. I've had one growing in my derelict Chevy pickup now for over 3 yrs, and although it doesn't get watered like it needs, it's still growing.

 

[wellington]

You gotta post a pic of this cactus growing in your truck.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

It's in a pot in the cab.

 

[wellington]

It's in a pot in the cab.

LMAO, not what I was thinking

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

It's in a pot in the cab.

LMAO, not what I was thinking

Red neckery at its best!!!

 

[Len B]

The close-up of that first picture shows the little squiggly lines we've wondered about in the baby tortoises' shells.

Good luck with your pollination project. Where did you get the cactus from?

I wish I knew how to pollinate plants myself, The pads came from a friend that went to an Amish plant auction in Southern Maryland and was one of the last items sold so probably not grown by the Amish because they do the outsiders plants last.

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From my understanding, the key to growing cactus in colder regions is to keep the roots from being waterlogged. They can handle cold, and do so very well in the deserts of the southwest of the USA. Anyone who has spent the night out in the desert can attest to the truth that the desert doesn't always stay hot. It snows in the winter.

I nave a lot of cactus that I have to keep dry during winter this is not one of them, here is a pic of some of my keep dry during winter cactus. I have several types that will grow in the PNW, the ground here stays wet during winter and the air temps get into the single digits at times and we get snow.

 

[Itort]

I got 2 pads in the fall of 2011 and let them lay on the ground that winter, planted them in the spring of 2012, put them in pots this spring I am convinced they are the one I have been try to find for years. Now if I can get the seeds in the fruit to germinate (without cross pollinating with one with spines) I can really get them going.

How about planting older pads off your original two plants. That would a faster, easier way to propagate your strain than from seed (I never had much luck with seeds).

 

[lynnedit]

I tried growing cold hardy cactus this past winter. BIG FLOP, nothing but mush. I'm going to try again this winter but in pots and move them inside. I just don't get enough sun in the winter for them to dry out

You'll be able to grow them when you have your greenhouse, Barb. Mine are thriving in there. I only water them when they are completely dry.
I did plant one on top of a gravel mound outside as an experiment but forgot to protect it from a hungry tortoise :O
Cowboy Ken is right about the 'wet feet'. Just causes them to rot.

 

[blueturtle]

i'm curious, but do these spineless cactus pad have the tiny almost invisible hairs on them?

i've been looking and looking for spineless cactus pads to plant in my tort table and cant seem to find any. the closest i've found still have the tiny little hairs on them. are those safe for them to eat? i'm scared because when i went to visit my mother recently she had to go into the ER to have her thumb drained. she was planting some cactus and got pricked with one and it got infected! The last thing i want is for my tort to get an abscess or infection in her mouth due to a cactus prick.

I even tried going into Joshua Tree National Park to the region thats known for seeing big desert torts to try and "borrow" 1 or 2 pads from there to replant. figured those torts must eat them but i changed my mind when i saw there was too many bugs all over them. my mind instantly thought of her getting parasites from eating them!

can anyone give me some insight? and am im over thinking all of this?

 

[Tyrtle]

That sure is beautiful. I'd love to grow some of those too. All the ones I tried outside last year failed. Of the ones I had inside, I think only one is still alive. I need to go see what its doing. I've had it in a window well in the basement all winter.

 

[Len B]

I got 2 pads in the fall of 2011 and let them lay on the ground that winter, planted them in the spring of 2012, put them in pots this spring I am convinced they are the one I have been try to find for years. Now if I can get the seeds in the fruit to germinate (without cross pollinating with one with spines) I can really get them going.

How about planting older pads off your original two plants. That would a faster, easier way to propagate your strain than from seed (I never had much luck with seeds).

I will plant the mature pads,but would also like trying to get the seeds to germinate. I had some luck cutting the fruit off the pad leaving a little of the pad attached and after the raw edges cured I planted them and left them until this spring, the one fruit that did best was one that I muddied the soil in a pot and just stuffed the whole fruit into the mud breaking it as I pushed it down. I know I am not good at explaining things so here are some pics that may help make sense of what I did and the seedlings starting to sprout

 

[lynnedit]

OK,now we are all going to be clamoring at your door!

 

[billskleins]

I'm assuming you're growing this as tortoise food.
Different species of Opuntia cactus greatly vary in their palatability to tortoises. Just because it is spineless doesn't mean your tortoise will enjoy eating it.
Have your tortoises taste tested it?

 

[Len B]

I'm assuming you're growing this as tortoise food.
Different species of Opuntia cactus greatly vary in their palatability to tortoises. Just because it is spineless doesn't mean your tortoise will enjoy eating it.
Have your tortoises taste tested it?

Yes I am growing it for the tortoises to eat, I grow many different types of opuntia and they have never refused eating any of them. No they have not taste tested these as of yet and wont until I have more plants going.