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imachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw


Registered: 06/06/07
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peruvian torch cactus
#7023113 - 06/08/07 02:40 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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anyone have any tips to help them grow faster? I once saw something on the internet say they got a cactus to grow a foot in a year, mine have grown maybe an inch and a half in 3 months. Not bad, but I'm wondering if there's something I can do to up productivity. More water, less water, better planned watering period. Also, I've heard fertilizer helps, as long as there's low nitrogen, correct? Danel
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plainswalker
Plant Shepherd

Registered: 03/29/07
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Re: peruvian torch cactus [Re: imachavel]
#7023163 - 06/08/07 02:59 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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Put them in a big pot. Larger pot = larger cactus. They need a good root system to grow fast. Lots of light and heat.
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Williamsii
Explorer


Registered: 05/27/07
Posts: 349
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http://www.erowid.org/plants/cacti/cacti_guide/cacti_guide4.shtml
Read this man.
They can tolerate quite a bit of watering, around every four days to a week. This completely depends on two factors however. They are heat and wind/ventilation. Check the weather forecast, don't water them when its going to be cool and dull.
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They need a good root system to grow fast. Lots of light and heat.
This is true but..
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Put them in a big pot. Larger pot = larger cactus
This isn't necessarily correct. Cactus root systems grow laterally so you nide a wide pot. If your pot is too narrow and deep it will actually stunt growth. Also, the bigger the pot the more soil and the more moisture it can hold which cacti don't like. This causes root rot if you water too much. The pot size should be proportional to the cactus size, you can re-pot every spring for evry new season of growth. You want a porous soil that will dry out quickly.
Could you give some measurements of your cacti please?
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Also, I've heard fertilizer helps, as long as there's low nitrogen, correct?
Yes, preferably with trace minerals as well. You can fertilize evry other watering or every two weeks
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Williamsii
Explorer


Registered: 05/27/07
Posts: 349
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Re: peruvian torch cactus [Re: Williamsii]
#7023425 - 06/08/07 04:33 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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Oh yeah, where do you grow your cacti?
If it is on a windowsill the optimum conditions are a south facing window (providing you are north hemisphere) with a matt white screen behind it to reflect and concentrate the light. It's what I do and it works great. I have also just started leaving the windows closed during the day to increase the temperature and open at night when Quote:
the the somata of cacti, through which CO2 is absorbed & O2 released, only open at night to prevent loss of moisture.
Check out
http://www.shroomery.org/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/6999855/an/0/page/0
This is thanks to BlueDruid and kadakuda
enjoy
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plainswalker
Plant Shepherd

Registered: 03/29/07
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Re: peruvian torch cactus [Re: Williamsii]
#7023591 - 06/08/07 05:31 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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If your soil drains well, I don't think you'll be risking root rot, regardless of the size of the pot.
I was just trying to get an important point across that most people ignore. Trichs want to stretch their roots out. If you want them to grow large quickly, then you don't want them in a little flower pot. The fastest growing and largest cactus would be the one planted in the ground, where the roots can spread out as far as they like.
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imachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw


Registered: 06/06/07
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All good points, thanks for the advice. I take it, if you fertilize, water regularly but no too often, with good drainage, and wide space for the roots, the cactus will grow, but patience must be the real technique for cactus growth. I've heard calcium helps also? I mean, doesn't that regulate water and line the inner cell wall? Don't know where to find that, also
I'm guessing wide but shallower pots would help a lot correct? Anyway thanks
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I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!
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Taharka
The Root of the Problem


Registered: 09/29/05
Posts: 686
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Re: peruvian torch cactus [Re: imachavel]
#7023975 - 06/08/07 07:37 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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Look here, about 1/4 the way down. Good soil is important for Trichs. They'll be sickly and yellow instead of bluish-green if the soil is too acidic.
Next to the proper soil mixture, light is vital. My Trichocereus never did nearly as well under artificial lighting ( four 4' long banks of fluoros ) as they did outside. They actually did grow a foot last summer, after I repotted them and set them outside.
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imachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw


Registered: 06/06/07
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Re: peruvian torch cactus [Re: Taharka]
#7027404 - 06/09/07 06:45 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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about a foot in the summer, huh? You used a lot of fertilizer? Big pots? Will they grow without wide pots? I thought that cactus could grow relatively large in small pots? considering they get enough water? Or not really? thanks
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I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!
I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk
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plainswalker
Plant Shepherd

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Re: peruvian torch cactus [Re: imachavel]
#7028104 - 06/09/07 10:16 PM (16 years, 8 months ago) |
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Don't use lots of regular fertilizer, I did that and almost killed mine. Either use fertilizer made specifically for cactus or use normal fertilizer infrequently. The size of the cactus affects rate of growth. They gotta get some size before they really start going. A 6 inch trich won't grow as fast as a three foot one, the three foot one has better roots and more area for photosynthesis so will grow faster. Different specimens and different growing conditions are going to make for different growth rates. Some people might get 6 inch a year, some people might get 2 foot a year. Yes, a foot is probably average.
I really don't recommend little pots. Yes you can do it but it's not the best way. Trichs are trees of the cacti world. You know how bonsai works?
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imachavel
I loved and lost but I loved-ftw


Registered: 06/06/07
Posts: 31,408
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yeah, that helps a lot. One of them grew like 3 inches already, another one has grown like a 3rd of an inch, I don't understand it really, that's good advice. So the wider the pot, the better, I take it, huh? And once they get bigger they have inertia or something? That's cool. Shit, I wish they could talk to me so I could know what they want, lol. I've heard with growth, too much water will stunt growth, too little water will stunt growth, so it's key to give them fertilizer with low nitrogen, and JUST ENOUGH water, and lots of surface root space. And I've know that cutting them in certain places will make certain pieces grow extremely fast, don't know why. Oh well, I wish I knew what made those pieces grow so fast. Peace
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I did not say to edit my signature soulidarity! Now forever I will never remember what I said about understanding the secrets of the universe by paying attention to subtleties!
I'm never giving you the password again. Jerk
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