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What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth?
    #13222825 -

I know light plays a big part in the flower, growth, and all sorts of various things when it comes to growing plants. It is obvious with Opuntia and others in the spring to mid summer.

I am wondering what light cycle is wanted to induce the fastest growth of cacti?

what light cycle is used to induce flowering?

I want to know because I intend to turn my 3 large pereskiopsis plants into lots and lots for trading, and grafting.  So the faster I can get them to grow the better. Also the grafts will want a good light cycle as well which will also aid in making them bigger.

Any info?

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Burbles]
    #13222830 -

Oh Danny Boy:grin:

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Burbles]
    #13222883 -

Cacti are CAM plants which means they need periods of darkness to grow and prosper.

I always say natural sunlight is the best light for cacti.

Pereskiopsis are best propagated from cutting.

I have only ever seen drawings of Pereskiopsis flowers, so it isn't a very common occurrence.

Another thing is that most cacti tend to start flowering depending on age and environmental conditions including heat and rainfall.

Therefore, it is a bit difficult to accurately replicate the flowering environment of different cacti without taking over every aspect of the environment.

Hope this helps and good luck!


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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Cactusdan]
    #13223175 -

Dan, what do you mean by CAM plants?

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: turtle_hermit]
    #13223212 -

http://www.biology-online.org/dictionary/CAM_plant

Quote:
A plant that utilizes the Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) as an adaptation for arid conditions. CO2 entering the stomata during the night is converted into organic acids, which release CO2 for the Calvin Cycle during the day, when the stomata are closed.




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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Cactusdan]
    #13223283 -

How about just for the most active growth?
Obviously it will vary from plant to plant.. but in general I think it would be late spring/early summer.
what is the light cycle for that?

Or perhaps maybe 20 hours on with 4 off? 4 ought to allow for enough CO2 to go into it, than 20 to use it all up? or maybe 5 on 5 off, all day long?
I don't know... I can't find any studies on it :frown:

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Burbles]
    #13223416 -

I personally wouldn't push 12/12, but that's just me.

However for the absolute best growth, grow outdoors.

I've never seen healthier and more beautiful cacti than those grown under the sun.


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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Cactusdan]
    #13223448 -

Always full of good information, thanks Dan

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: turtle_hermit]
    #13223467 -

You're very welcome :smile:


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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Cactusdan]
    #13223529 -

Outside is not always an option.... since it is close to being winter right now and it is way to cold at night anyways.. plus pereskiopsis grow pretty well under light -- given not the best, but having a good light schedule or not having one probably makes a huge difference...

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Cactusdan]
    #13223577 -

I have had some do great under 12/12

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: cpw1971]
    #13223780 -

I've seen your Trichocereus CPW, and although they are quite beautiful they also have very immature features.

Tight areoles and smaller spines.

Having put some of yours in full sun they have almost doubled in girth and doubled in spine length.

And I hope you know I mean no offense by this, you are a remarkable EG member and grower.

Burbles

Out of all the cacti, Pereskiopsis certainly does the best under artificial lighting.

The biggest problem I have faced is pests, which plants are significantly more susceptible to under indoor conditions.

If you must grow indoors and chose not to let them go dormant, 12/12 would be my recommendation :thumbup:


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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Cactusdan]
    #13224427 -

Thank you very much for the help.
I intend to take them outside in the summer, but there is no reason to let several feet of snow stop me from growing plants inside :smile:

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Cactusdan]
    #13224504 -

What I was referring to was indoor light cycles  not outdoor vs indoor.

    Oh and  I am in NY btw. Not a very good place for outdoor cacti.  If I were in Georgia my cacti would do better of course  :wink:

Edited by cpw1971 (09/20/10 10:26 PM)

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: cpw1971]
    #13224590 -

Indeed, I was just making the case that for the best possible growth (which was what I gathered the OP was after) that outdoor lighting is preferred, by trying to use indoor grown plants as an example as I know you used to grow under HPS.

12/12 is definitely the most effective and safe indoor cycle I'd say.


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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Burbles]
    #13227309 -

really depends on species, so cant say for cacti...but pereskiopsis grow fastest with partial shade.  a great plant to experiment with light cycles caus ethey have succulent leaves and grow fricken fast.

full sun, lots of it, gets you slower growth with much shorter internodes and smaller leaves that are fatter....honestly i have found this not as good for grafting, though the stems are uber fat. and NASTY fucking spines!!!

dark gets you super stretch internodes and paper thin fat leaves...crappy as well. 

i found that the 70% shade cloth (blocks 30% light) works best for getting good short internodes (=compact leaf growth) and also good wide leaves for more sunlight hittage.

with other cacti that are slower, you can use the CAM aspect to your advantage.  with these plants, they dont really NEED a dark period, they need a cool period to open their stoma....when its in full sun and hot, they close up to save water....open at night when it cools down and things are more mellow.  you can grow things like peyote in cooler temps in less light 24/7 and get crazy fast growth.  this comes at the expense of bloated super weak cacti prone to infection...but fast...

play a little, its fun to muck around, even if ya fail.


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The seeds you won't sow are the plants you dont grow.

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: kadakuda]
    #13229652 -

I would agree with Cactusdan on this question of light schedule.

pereskiopsis are considered a tropical cactus, that is their natural habitat lies within the tropic of capricorn and the tropic of cancer, therefore their light cycle doesn't change much from season to season, being near the equator means that they get damn near 12/12 light schedule year round. Just thought I would offer a supporting detail.

Also on the topic of longer light periods and cooler temps, just remember that pereskiopsis cannot stand going below about 55oF

Peace, and good luck
agmotes165 :cool::thumbup:


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The universe is under no obligation to make sense to you - NDT

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Jean-Luc Picard]
    #13229887 -

hehe, guess "cooler temps" is a relative term.  by cool i mean 15-20C.  things close up when it gets hotter.


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The seeds you won't sow are the plants you dont grow.

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: Burbles]
    #13229892 -

Most cacti with true leaves employ the C3 pathway in the leaves and CAM in their stems, you will notice that if you put a leafed cacti in bright sun they will drop the leaves in a matter of days and rely solely on CAM which is employed in the stem - put it in shade and it will grow leaves again and reemploy the C3 pathway.

C3 is far more efficient at generating energy than CAM is, CAM just has the advantage in hot, dry environments by using nocturnal carbon fixation (stomata closed during the day, preserves water).

So, to grow your leafy cacti in optimal conditions would be to replicate its natural central-American environment; hot, shady and humid with a 12/12 cycle. But if I remember right, Pereskia spp. tend to have a corky epidermis and thus they would rely little on CAM, so you probably treat them like any other C3 plant.

Do some experiments :shrug:


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This is the strangest life I've ever known.

Edited by scruffymafia (09/22/10 01:49 AM)

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Re: What Light Cycle for Cacti Induces Fastest Growth? [Re: scruffymafia]
    #13231180 -

I think he was talking about Pereskiopsis, I didn't see anything about Pereskia.


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