Monday, October 30. 2006
Saguaro National Park
Saguaro National Park loop road to reopen:
It's about time, I always say.
Cactus Forest Drive open, but some work ongoing.
Saguaro National Park's Cactus Forest Drive was to reopen Wednesday, but visitors should watch for last-minute road work, park officials said.
The $1.9-million project to rebuild and improve the popular 8-mile scenic loop, which closed in mid-May, is nearly complete, according to a news release from Saguaro National Park.
It also included improvements to the parking area and entryway to the park's Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, which is to reopen Saturday.
Free entry into the park's east district will be offered Oct. 28-29 during a celebration of the reopening of Cactus Forest Drive, officials said. The loop can be accessed from South Old Spanish Trail, about three miles east of Houghton Road.
For more information, contact the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center at 733-5153.
Saguaro National Park's Cactus Forest Drive was to reopen Wednesday, but visitors should watch for last-minute road work, park officials said.
The $1.9-million project to rebuild and improve the popular 8-mile scenic loop, which closed in mid-May, is nearly complete, according to a news release from Saguaro National Park.
It also included improvements to the parking area and entryway to the park's Rincon Mountain Visitor Center, which is to reopen Saturday.
Free entry into the park's east district will be offered Oct. 28-29 during a celebration of the reopening of Cactus Forest Drive, officials said. The loop can be accessed from South Old Spanish Trail, about three miles east of Houghton Road.
For more information, contact the Rincon Mountain Visitor Center at 733-5153.
It's about time, I always say.
Sunday, October 29. 2006
Tillandsia
Borrowed from Kingsnake.com a photo of a Tillandsia insitu, bloom stalk and all:
Tillandsia polystachia.
Camuy Caverns Park, Camuy, north-western Puerto Rico.
Tillandsia polystachia.
Camuy Caverns Park, Camuy, north-western Puerto Rico.
Saturday, October 28. 2006
Store Photo
Oriol once again comes through with an overall shot of the nursery.
Saving Sonoran Desert Cactus from Development...
...one town at a time:
Slow work.
Apache Junction Vice Mayor R.E. Eck said he expects the City Council to vote next month on an ordinance that would require developers to move the cactuses, rather than destroy them.
“Most developers want to save cacti,” he said. “But if it can’t be done and they have to blade it and move on, they’ll do it.”
Eck said he presented his plan to the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society, an organization that works to transplant native plants to a safe location. Eck said the allvolunteer group would remove cactuses at no charge.
“We don’t want to put an extreme burden on developers — we want to make it realistic,” Eck said. “But we want to preserve cacti.”
“Most developers want to save cacti,” he said. “But if it can’t be done and they have to blade it and move on, they’ll do it.”
Eck said he presented his plan to the Tucson Cactus and Succulent Society, an organization that works to transplant native plants to a safe location. Eck said the allvolunteer group would remove cactuses at no charge.
“We don’t want to put an extreme burden on developers — we want to make it realistic,” Eck said. “But we want to preserve cacti.”
Slow work.
Friday, October 27. 2006
Friday Whippet Blogging
Special Silken Windhound Edition.
Silkens were bred from whippets only recently. Long hair, short body, skinny dogs, and they're fast.
Apache, from ALLAGANTE SILKENS
Silkens were bred from whippets only recently. Long hair, short body, skinny dogs, and they're fast.
Apache, from ALLAGANTE SILKENS
Thursday, October 26. 2006
Australia Cactus
Keith from Australia has cactus, so the newspaper tells us:
Good grief. That's not a news story. Why is the newspaper wasting space on Keith's garden>? It's ridiculous, I tell you. They must be insane.
Local News
KEITH Brook has watered his garden only once this year ... and it’s thriving.
During the past two years, Keith has replaced his water-loving plants with almost 300 varieties of cactus and succulents, creating the ultimate drought-proof garden.
“I’ve given them a bit of a sprinkling of water once this year,” he said.
“I don’t even put mulch on them, I find pebbles draw the moisture out of the soil at night and deliver it to the plants. That’s why they survive in the desert.”
Keith discovered the beauty of these plants through his sister, whose Campbell’s Creek property is flourishing with cacti. He is encouraging other gardeners to toughen their green thumbs with the plants, warning some of them can be “pretty nasty”.
“If you touch some of them, they will bite,” he said of the three-inch spikes on one plant....
“The beauty is you don’t have to buy many plants, you just cut a bit off and grow more from that,” he said.
KEITH Brook has watered his garden only once this year ... and it’s thriving.
During the past two years, Keith has replaced his water-loving plants with almost 300 varieties of cactus and succulents, creating the ultimate drought-proof garden.
“I’ve given them a bit of a sprinkling of water once this year,” he said.
“I don’t even put mulch on them, I find pebbles draw the moisture out of the soil at night and deliver it to the plants. That’s why they survive in the desert.”
Keith discovered the beauty of these plants through his sister, whose Campbell’s Creek property is flourishing with cacti. He is encouraging other gardeners to toughen their green thumbs with the plants, warning some of them can be “pretty nasty”.
“If you touch some of them, they will bite,” he said of the three-inch spikes on one plant....
“The beauty is you don’t have to buy many plants, you just cut a bit off and grow more from that,” he said.
Good grief. That's not a news story. Why is the newspaper wasting space on Keith's garden>? It's ridiculous, I tell you. They must be insane.
Wednesday, October 25. 2006
Sedum
Non-Cactus-Related Election News
Tuesday, October 24. 2006
We Get, ummm, Questions?
Q: this is not a cactus question though i like your site........
is there a street in brandenton fl. that is called 14 th street please let me know we are trying to find our daugher and her 2 kids we have not heard from them for 6 days please respond as soon as possible, we were told from the mother of the other girl she is with that's where they were
thank you for your time
use subject: asap TY
email: rib823@*****.***
A: Well, ummm, Google Maps seems to think there is. There appears to be a bookstore there too, called 14th St. Books. I hope that helps.
is there a street in brandenton fl. that is called 14 th street please let me know we are trying to find our daugher and her 2 kids we have not heard from them for 6 days please respond as soon as possible, we were told from the mother of the other girl she is with that's where they were
thank you for your time
use subject: asap TY
email: rib823@*****.***
A: Well, ummm, Google Maps seems to think there is. There appears to be a bookstore there too, called 14th St. Books. I hope that helps.
Seattle Cactus
More people are growing cactus in the Northwest, so Washington's biggest paper says:
Good to know.
An increasing number of Northwest gardeners are growing cactuses out in the garden year-round. One of the reasons is that many kinds of hardy cactus have extraordinarily beautiful flowers in spring. Because they come from high deserts where temperatures are freezing at night, they must experience winter cold in order to flower the following spring and summer.
At the same time, it rarely rains in the high desert during winter, so the soil where the cactuses are grown must be extremely well-drained and remain relatively dry to prevent potentially fatal root rot. If your soil is sandy enough, you might be able to get away with planting cactuses in a sunny location out in the open.
An easier option is to locate your cactus garden in a sunny spot under the eaves of the house. Wind can still blow the rain in, so be sure to provide a deep bed of extremely well-drained soil. Warning: Not all succulents are hardy, and you could lose a valued gem if you guess wrong and plant a tender one outside.
At the same time, it rarely rains in the high desert during winter, so the soil where the cactuses are grown must be extremely well-drained and remain relatively dry to prevent potentially fatal root rot. If your soil is sandy enough, you might be able to get away with planting cactuses in a sunny location out in the open.
An easier option is to locate your cactus garden in a sunny spot under the eaves of the house. Wind can still blow the rain in, so be sure to provide a deep bed of extremely well-drained soil. Warning: Not all succulents are hardy, and you could lose a valued gem if you guess wrong and plant a tender one outside.
Good to know.
Sunday, October 22. 2006
We Get Questions
Q: Hi, I've just got myself a few cacti and I love them. Can you suggest one that will grow large and possibly flower. I live in London England and have a window shelf with plenty of sunlight. you can view some pictures I took of some of my new cacti at petehallphoto.blogspot.com/
thanks
lambretta
A: hello,
For big bloomers I would suggest any of the Echinocereus grandiflora hybrids. They can get nice and large in a pot and have amazing blooms in a rainbow of colors. They will also bloom fairly young and will bloom nicely on windowsills where some other cacti are more fussy.
You could also try any of the Epiphyllum as they make nice indoor plants and can flower well in bright shade and some of there flowers are amazing. They are interesting jungle cacti and will put up with much lower light than other cacti genus.
Your photos of your cacti are very nice! Love the lighting effects.
Take care,
Hap
thanks
lambretta
A: hello,
For big bloomers I would suggest any of the Echinocereus grandiflora hybrids. They can get nice and large in a pot and have amazing blooms in a rainbow of colors. They will also bloom fairly young and will bloom nicely on windowsills where some other cacti are more fussy.
You could also try any of the Epiphyllum as they make nice indoor plants and can flower well in bright shade and some of there flowers are amazing. They are interesting jungle cacti and will put up with much lower light than other cacti genus.
Your photos of your cacti are very nice! Love the lighting effects.
Take care,
Hap
Saturday, October 21. 2006
We Get Questions
Q: Hi Hap!
I'm hoping you could give me some advise:
I'm propagating some epiphyllum cuttings, and there are roots (?) growing out of the top (e.g. not the end in the soil). The roots are thin & white. Is this ok? Should I do anything about this?
Also, I have a stapelia bloom right now, and it is so out-of-this-world lovely that I am considering trying to dry it--could I cut off the flower and press it like any other flower? Any reason not to do this?
Thanks,
Suzanne in Castro Valley
A: Hello Suzanne,
Epiphyllum are prone to growing aerial roots all along their stems. It the jungles where they naturally grow, these would help anchor them to the bark of the tree branches that they are growing on. Letting them scramble through the tree tops for light and sending feeder roots in to the leaf litter accumulating in the crooks of the branches for nutrients. Don't worry about the ariel roots, if you don't like the looks of them you can cut them off, though eventually they will just grow more...
I see no reason Stapelia blooms would not be able to be dried like other flowers. You might want to try using silica or borax instead of pressing so the hairs stay "fluffy". Though on second thought they both would be difficult to brush out of the hair after they were dry.
Let me know how it works,
Hap
I'm hoping you could give me some advise:
I'm propagating some epiphyllum cuttings, and there are roots (?) growing out of the top (e.g. not the end in the soil). The roots are thin & white. Is this ok? Should I do anything about this?
Also, I have a stapelia bloom right now, and it is so out-of-this-world lovely that I am considering trying to dry it--could I cut off the flower and press it like any other flower? Any reason not to do this?
Thanks,
Suzanne in Castro Valley
A: Hello Suzanne,
Epiphyllum are prone to growing aerial roots all along their stems. It the jungles where they naturally grow, these would help anchor them to the bark of the tree branches that they are growing on. Letting them scramble through the tree tops for light and sending feeder roots in to the leaf litter accumulating in the crooks of the branches for nutrients. Don't worry about the ariel roots, if you don't like the looks of them you can cut them off, though eventually they will just grow more...
I see no reason Stapelia blooms would not be able to be dried like other flowers. You might want to try using silica or borax instead of pressing so the hairs stay "fluffy". Though on second thought they both would be difficult to brush out of the hair after they were dry.
Let me know how it works,
Hap
Friday, October 20. 2006
English Agave, Revisited
Yesterday I printed an excerpt from an article about an Agave blooming in Gloucestershire. little did I realize how big a story this was for the English. Here's an article in the London Evening Standard about this very same Agave. I think this is a little silly. But they do have a better picture.
I'm not quoting from the article, but you can go to the link if you want, or read yesterday's quoted article. I mean, who needs to read more about this? It boggles the mind.
Alright, one small quote from the article, after the break...
[update: the link above doesn't work. I don't know why. Sorry for the problem.]
I'm not quoting from the article, but you can go to the link if you want, or read yesterday's quoted article. I mean, who needs to read more about this? It boggles the mind.
Alright, one small quote from the article, after the break...
[update: the link above doesn't work. I don't know why. Sorry for the problem.]
Continue reading "English Agave, Revisited"
October Whippet Blogging
It's Benjamin's October Surprise.
Good boy.
Good boy.
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