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 runrun
Cactiholic
Registered: 08/12/08
Posts: 91
Loc: RI, US
Last seen: 13 years, 11 months
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 Stenocereus hystrix 
#10525323 - 06/17/09 06:00 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Does anyone have this cactus? I've had this guy for 9 months, and I don't think he's grown at all. I've had pedros grow 30-45 cm (12-18 in) in the same time period!
I've had the lights on 16 hrs a day, but I recently dropped back to 12. I water every other week, sometimes more frequently, depending on the weather. I've got it potted in commercial cactus soil and perlite in a 50-50 ratio. Temperatures range from 16-27c.
Am I doing anything wrong, or should I just chalk it up to S. hystrix being a slow grower? Is it possible that the cactus is dormant? If so, how do I bring it out of dormancy?
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Dr. uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
Posts: 16,545
Loc: Uk / Philippines
Last seen: 10 years, 8 months
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Re: Stenocereus hystrix [Re: runrun]
#10525678 - 06/17/09 06:39 PM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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it's dormant, that is for sure.
maybe a more frequent watering schedule is what it needs...
once every two weeks under lights doesn't really sound like enough to me.
i know that i was watering weekly when i used to grow using artificial lighting.
maybe some real sunshine is what it needs...
but 
sometimes cacti just don't want to grow, i have some that have done nothing for much longer than that.
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Prof. Astro
acirebma
Registered: 04/15/08
Posts: 4,084
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
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I don't like to use artificial light with larger specimens as this one is. You'll defiantly be better off leaving it outside, lights are no match for the sun.
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runrun
Cactiholic
Registered: 08/12/08
Posts: 91
Loc: RI, US
Last seen: 13 years, 11 months
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Unfortunately, putting them outside isn't an option.. I live in a condo, and our balcony is shaded by a huge pine tree. Plus its already loaded up with tomatoes and basil 
I'm going to try watering weekly. I've got another light coming this week, and I'm adding another tier to my rack.. I'll be able to get most of my plants within 6" or so of the floros. Hopefully that will wake the Stenocereus up.
Thanks for the help!
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Dr. uarewotueat
Peyote Farmer
Registered: 09/02/06
Posts: 16,545
Loc: Uk / Philippines
Last seen: 10 years, 8 months
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Re: Stenocereus hystrix [Re: runrun]
#10529122 - 06/18/09 08:56 AM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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flouros don't make the grade with larger cacti, that's probably your problem.
even hps lighting is not sufficient when they get to a certain size.
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Prof. Astro
acirebma
Registered: 04/15/08
Posts: 4,084
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
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Flouro and hps are best left to globular species and seedlings up to a year or two old, if you wan't to keep them you'll need that other light, I'm not seeing the type though if you are using.
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runrun
Cactiholic
Registered: 08/12/08
Posts: 91
Loc: RI, US
Last seen: 13 years, 11 months
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Quote:
Dr. uarewotueat said:
flouros don't make the grade with larger cacti, that's probably your problem.
even hps lighting is not sufficient when they get to a certain size.
You're probably right, although HPS would be much better. They seem like they put out to much heat for my situation.
I think you're right, the hystrix is dormant, but I'm not convinced lack of light is keeping it in dormancy.. I'm going to try watering a little more frequently. Maybe it's a good thing that it hasn't been growing, because with the amount of light its been getting, new growth would have been thin.
Quote:
Amberica said:
Flouro and hps are best left to globular species and seedlings up to a year or two old, if you wan't to keep them you'll need that other light, I'm not seeing the type though if you are using.
I have (2) 4 lamp T5 HO's that I removed from a building my company remodeled. They put out a good amount of light, but they don't penetrate like hps. The larger columnar cacti tend to etoliate unless the growing tip is close to the lamps. The lights are 48" long, which is the same width as the rack I have my plants on. This makes it easy to adjust the height of the lights as the plants grow.
Also, there are a wide variety of color temperature lamps available. Lamps range from 3000k, which is a warm yellowish light, up to like 12000k which is a very white light (used in aquariums). The new fixture I bought comes with 2 12000k, and 2 lamps that put out blue light at 460nm.
I'm going to try experimenting with different combinations.. In one of the fixtures, I'm going to use (2) 4100k, (1) 12000k, and 1 of the blue lamps. I figure I can use some clones off the same tomato plant, and a some pedro cuttings to see if the wider spectrum has any benefit.
Ah well, I'm rambling. We're going to be trying to sell this place soon.. I already told my girl that one of the prerequisites for our new place is a nice sunny backyard for a greenhouse.
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Prof. Astro
acirebma
Registered: 04/15/08
Posts: 4,084
Last seen: 5 months, 22 days
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Re: Stenocereus hystrix [Re: runrun]
#10529584 - 06/18/09 10:44 AM (14 years, 9 months ago) |
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Remember those color ranges can also cause early flowering and trigger other reactions in plants, other than that it sounds like you know know what you're doing, so it should be fine.
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