Thanks for the Burbank link?
Texas A+M is doing research on cold hardy opuntia for fruit.
I will report back if I find anything good for us up north
What did you order Kelby?
A friend installed a cactus garden that is mostly opuntia this past year, he is on very sandy soil and put it on a south facing slope in his z5b location. I have resigned myself to the fact that my property just isn’t suited to these, northern exposure in Maine has its drawbacks. I have always liked cacti, so maybe someday I will try to buck the odds and give it a go.
For fruit I ordered Mesa Sky, Barr’s Dwarf, Inermis, and Oklahoma Pancake. I’m not totally sure where I will put them, but I’ll be adding a lot of sand and compost to raise up the soil. Might situate some rocks to block wind, as well.
For this winter I’ll put them in the greenhouse to root, I ordered 2 pads of most, one I’ll root whole and the others I’ll cut 3-5 ways to root.
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Jesse, check out this article. I know Maine is colder than Connecticut, but should be a bit inspirational!
I dont think it is advisable to cut the pads up. There needs to be good callus formation so the pad does not rot. Root development is primarily from the Needle Buds.
If anyone finds a purple spines variety of oputuna with tasty fruit, then I’m sold…
The purples do seem to photograph pretty well… (Never seen one IRL…anyone here seen one IRL?
Scott
Here’s a picture from someone on a facebook fruit group, should work as long as i let the pieces callus. I have a few I’m trying with non-important pads.
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Looking good Kelby !
I too ,got my order, l have mine in a " warm room" 85 + ,for a week or so to calus, befor potting up.
I intend to collect aditional varietys soon, so in a year or two , we should compare notes.
Not sure what we have got ourselves in to here, these things are thorny.!!!( duh)
A tip : when moving large cacti , I wrap with old foam rubber.and a piece of old carpet, or cardboard , first
Also : read that wood glue , put on those glochidis in your skin,let partially dry, and pull out, ( you may need to try this allready ?)
discoverlife.org. Has an opuntia key
Only got 1 glochid today! I used kitchen tongs for everything. Duct tape pulled it out, I’ll remember the wood glue tip though.
I bet they are wondering what’s with all the orders all of the sudden!
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I’m going to link this thread from 2015 Prickly Pear Cactus for everyone who lives in zone 6a or colder like me who wants to grow cactus. The pedals are delicious and remind of okra when they are fried. The fruit are small but can be juiced with no problem.
Took some varieties 8 months to do anything, but at least 1 of each type I ordered from coldhardycactus made it.
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I cant wait for the tasting report.
Looking good! Will you plant these in ground or continue growing them in containers?
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I’m going to overwinter them in a greenhouse with low heat with some other stuff, then plant in spring. That’ll give me time to figure out how to plant the thorny ones.!
I think I have like ten varieties from coldhardycactus. I left all of them outside in pots for the first winter and all but one survived – I don’t remember which one. Some went in the ground after that and some stayed in containers. I think the container ones are doing better because, even though I made a raised bed full of small stones for better drainage, the in-ground ones stayed too wet during the winter.
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How did your cactus from http://coldhardycactus.com/ turn out? Any time i give out that link it makes me wonder how @milehighgirl is doing. She gave me that link so many years ago she may not even remember.