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RiverRat427
Something funny happened...



Registered: 02/09/10
Posts: 1,110
Loc: ..on the road to Damascus
Last seen: 10 years, 3 months
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Trichocereus spp. Questions From A Cactus Newb
#12424266 - 04/20/10 12:04 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Hi all.
Gardening has been a hobby of mine for a few years now, mostly experienced in growing vegetables & medicinal/psychoactive herbaceous plants grown mostly in plots in my back yard.
I'm moving soon and the thought of not having a garden for a while is driving me a little nuts because I love watching my little buddies grow and having them around (you guys get it) so I'm doing a few plants in containers so I can take them with me; but the thing is that it's somewhat cumbersome growing herbals in containers as house plants in the fashion I'm used too (growing and harvesting during my season for my year's stock of whatever plant). There are some plants that I will try keeping as house plants (A. Belladonna, Holy Basil [Krishna], calamus, Brugmansia spp.) in addition to the few houseplants I already keep year-round (regular basil cultivars, aloe, mandrakes, African violets).
I've never grown many cacti/succulents before, other than aloe, but sine joining here I see how many of you folks are cuckoo for cacti and I figure they'd be pretty much  to add to my growing indoor container collection.
My regular seed people carry the seeds to the three big-time Trichocereus spp. I see discussed in literature & on here (T. Pachanoi, T. Peruvianus, & T. Bridgesii) and I have a few of questions for y'all if you don't mind.
1. Is it to late in my season (SE New England) to sow seeds to get some Trich. spp. going strong? We're just now starting to get consistent days of warmer weather.
2. How fast do these species grow on average, like inches/cms per year or whatever?
3. I've read it mentioned that one can occasionally find already growing & hearty San Pedros for sale at Lowe's or Home Depot, how common are they and do they ever on rare occasions have the other two species mentioned?
4. Which species would you say are better for a beginner to grow? Which ones are most worthwhile to grow for entheogenic uses?
I'd really appreciate ANY advice anyone has to offer.
Thanks alot!

EDIT-Just one more question. My seed dealer (as well as other cacti lit I've read) say to inoculate the seedling soil with soil from an already established cactus for the beneficial microbes to establish themselves in the new soil while the seeds are germinating. If I don't have a cactus could I get away with skipping that step or should I pick an established one one to take a little bit from? If I can't skip that step could I get away with using soil from an herbaceous plant or does it have to be a cactus?
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Don't tase me, bro!
Edited by RiverRat427 (04/20/10 01:28 AM)
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karode13
Tāne Mahuta




Registered: 05/19/05
Posts: 15,290
Loc: LV-426
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Re: Trichocereus spp. Questions From A Cactus Newb [Re: RiverRat427]
#12424346 - 04/20/10 12:32 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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You better watch out if you're thinking of getting into cacti. They are the most addictive plants I have encountered yet.
YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!! 
I will do my best to answer your questions, others with local knowledge should be able to answer them more precisely though.
Quote:
1. Is it to late in my season (SE New England) to sow seeds to get some Trich. spp. going strong? We're just now starting to get consistent days of warmer weather.
I'm not familiar with your weather patterns up where you are but if you're coming into Spring it is the ideal time to get some seed down. They like it when temps are at and above 75F.
Quote:
How fast do these species grow on average, like inches/cms per year or whatever?
From seed they are slow for the first 3-5 years until they become adolescent plants. At this stage they can grow a good 12 or so inches per year and once adults upto 18 inches +. If you get trichs to an inch or more in the first year from seed you are doing well.
Quote:
3. I've read it mentioned that one can occasionally find already growing & hearty San Pedros for sale at Lowe's or Home Depot, how common are they and do they ever on rare occasions have the other two species mentioned?
They seem to be posted on here often so I suspect they are fairly common. Go out and do the rounds of all the stores in your area and see what you can find. I'm not sure if the other species are stocked at those places. Others should know more.
Quote:
4. Which species would you say are better for a beginner to grow? Which ones are most worthwhile to grow for entheogenic uses?
Any one that you can get your hands on but if you are mainly concerned with alkaloid content get a bridgesii, they seem to be a consistent species.
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RiverRat427
Something funny happened...



Registered: 02/09/10
Posts: 1,110
Loc: ..on the road to Damascus
Last seen: 10 years, 3 months
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Re: Trichocereus spp. Questions From A Cactus Newb [Re: karode13]
#12424471 - 04/20/10 01:07 AM (13 years, 10 months ago) |
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Wow Karode, thanks You sure are one knowledgeable & helpful EGer.

The weather's seems to me to just be getting right for the cacti, I'm just used to starting all of my herbals indoors really early in the season so I wasn't sure.
I'll heed your warning about the cacti. I like collecting my ethno specimens so cactus wise I'm pretty much only looking to get into growing trichs, lophs, and mammillaria (cause I think they're purrdy) but once I get into them who knows how it'll go down as time goes by. I think I'm way too into my leafy stuff to let them take over, but we shall see.
Thanks for the warning and the advice
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Don't tase me, bro!
Edited by RiverRat427 (04/20/10 01:51 AM)
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