It's Been A Good Year For Cactus Fruit

[Len B]

And New Growth Pads.Even the cactus that is grown just for fun,not tortoise food has bloomed very well this year.I took a few pics of some of the tortoise's this morning. Len

 

[webskipper]

And New Growth Pads.Even the cactus that is grown just for fun,not tortoise food has bloomed very well this year.I took a few pics of some of the tortoise's this morning. Len

Is that a scarecrow in the 4th picture?

 

[dmarcus]

Very nice.. I hope to get fruit next year..

 

[jdub]

i was about to say... that thing is huge!

 

[ascott]

hmmm....someone is showing off.... LOL

 

[ALDABRAMAN]

Very nice.

 

[River14]

Wow you cant keep that stuff down if the climate is right. Most people spend time clearing it away. Wish I was one of them but they just dont like the wet tropics at all, though Im trying

Have to get mine from the pet shop must go gets some tody in fact, so thnks for the reminder.

 

[Len B]

Wow you cant keep that stuff down if the climate is right. Most people spend time clearing it away. Wish I was one of them but they just dont like the wet tropics at all, though Im trying

Have to get mine from the pet shop must go gets some tody in fact, so thnks for the reminder.

The plants in the first 3 pics have been in moist soil since mid April, I have found that it will produce new growth longer under wet conditions during summer. I will stop watering it sometime in Sept. I'm not sure where you are located but there is a opuntia that will grow in your area.I have several different types that will take moist to wet conditions year round,even with sub-freezing temps in winter. Len

 

[webskipper]

Opuntia is pretty tasty.

Actually ordered it as a salad to see what I'm feeding my children. It's sweet like Agave nectar.

 

[River14]

[
The plants in the first 3 pics have been in moist soil since mid April, I have found that it will produce new growth longer under wet conditions during summer. I will stop watering it sometime in Sept. I'm not sure where you are located but there is a opuntia that will grow in your area.I have several different types that will take moist to wet conditions year round,even with sub-freezing temps in winter. Len

Len I live in Honk Kong, we have 60-99% humidity the lower end in our dry winter, temps from 10-26 and the upper end all summer with heavy monsoon rains temps 27-37%C (this is when they rot).

I cant get away with any normal dry/wet sub tropical plants they cant withstand the summer heat rain rain rain lack of light and humidity its like living in the Amazon under the tree canopy. Both pretty much extreme seasons though winter is nicer sun sun sun cool and dry.

For example agapanthus, Strelizia nicholai, knifophia all die first summer from root rot even if I grow them in pure gravel, all subtropical bulbs rot too, tropical ones though thrive. I can hang cuttings in the air on the washing line and they grow roots in abundance in summer. I cand dig up a sapling shake off the soil and leave it lying about in the open and it will be fine until early winter in fact it will have grown.

I would be over the moon if there was an Optunia that grew here Any suggestions would be very welcom. Im thinking a green house might be the only answer and large pots so I could water correctly, just a small green house with a lamp maybe.

 

[DesertGrandma]

Nice little patch of cactus. Great looking tortoise. I thought it was a statue, haha. Does your tortoise just eat it off the plant, spines and all?

 

[River14]

Couldnt even find any Optunia leaves at the market had to do with some aloe vera ones. Thinking to scrap out most of the jelly and feed the green outer layer chopped up as Im worried about runny stool.

 

[HLogic]

River, the pads you get from the store for human consumption are usually too young to plant (which is why they rot). Try to get last year's or earlier pads from a nursery or plant store. You could also try/substitute Pitaya (a.k.a Dragon Fruit) for the fruit not the plant, which should grow easily in that area.

 

[DesertGrandma]

There are several sources on eBay that sell opuntia (prickly pear) pads. Just make sure they are the spineless ones. There are lots of different varieties. You can just stick one end into the soil and it will make roots and sprout up new growth. Just water it once a week until it starts new growth and then cut it back to once a month. They needs lots of sun. They will die if they get too much water.

River, the pads you get from the store for human consumption are usually too young to plant (which is why they rot). Try to get last year's or earlier pads from a nursery or plant store. You could also try/substitute Pitaya (a.k.a Dragon Fruit) for the fruit not the plant, which should grow easily in that area.

 

[Len B]

There are over 180 different types of opuntia, And all of them are not created equal.The several different ones I raise for tortoise food are different as well.Spines of different lengths and amounts on each pad, some are spin-less(these are the new ones),some have spines on new growth and some don't.But so far they all have survived the winters here which are usually wet and cold.I also have some other cactus plants that I am able to leave outside during winter as long as I keep them completely dry.(I think a couple would die if they could just see the river), cactus care depends on the type of cactus, some tolerate moisture better than others year round.Usually cold and wet mean death to a cactus plant, but not always. Len