Tough Flood in Thailand and Cactus Farm

 Now, Thailand has the worst flood in the decade. These floods started in June really and started to move south and have really caused huge damage the whole way down.

“They've affected hundreds and hundreds of villages and towns, they've wiped out 2.5 million acres of farmland. This is a very, very serious disaster." said Matthew Cochrane, spokesperson for the International Red Cross in Bangkok.

Over half a million square kilometers -- an area the size of Spain -- are affected by the floods in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos, according to CNN meteorologist Jenny Harrison.

Beyond many of houses, hospital, factories and farmland affected by these huge water, the cactus & succulent farms nears Bangkok were flooded already.  Unfortunately, the valuable cactus & succulent were gone with water without any help as the flood came very quickly and strongly.

The water was higher than 2-3 meters on the next day.  Here are the sample of some cactus farms.  To every people affected by this disaster, don't give up !

If you'd like to donate online : http://english.redcross.or.th/home

credit: pictures from http://cactusstation.pantown.com/

Graptoveria Succulent

 Genus: X Graptoveria (grap-toh-VER-ree-uh)  
 

The name Graptoveria is a combination of Echeveria and Graptopetalum.  The 'x' before the name signifies this hybridization.  Due to this mixed parentage they form a diverse genus, but most are low growing, cultivated for their beautiful shapes and colors.

Graptoveria Debbie

X Graptoverias, are beautiful and easy to grow of all the Echeveria-like succulents in cultivation. Generally, they are hardier than Echeverias and certainly fast growing and easy to start from cuttings (leaf or stem)

The common species of Graptoveria which can be found and sold normally are

- Graptoveria Fred Ives

- Graptoveria Debbie (thick and pink purple leaves) 

- Graptoveria Opalina, a large, fat-leaved plant with pale colored leaves that vary in colors

- Graptoveria Silver Star. You can get it the succulent nursery normally and it’s not simple to grow it because it can rot easily and doesn't tolerate a lot of direct sunlight

- Graptoveria amethorum, with short, fat leaves

Sun Exposure:

Caring for Graptoverias is similar to that of Echeveria and Graptopetalum.  Bright light or shaded areas are best.  Take care when placing outside as scarring can develop quickly even in partial sunlight.  Most plants can be brought into the sun if done very gradually

Propagation Methods:

By dividing rhizomes, tubers, corms or bulbs (including offsets)  With leaf cuttings, you can cut a leaf and leave it on top of pot.  Water it every 2-3 weeks and later the new plant will grow up.

Bloom Time: Late Spring/Early Summer

Watering:

Graptoveria Silver Star

Once a week for small port and twice for bigger pot. The Graptoveria are drought-tolerant but like water when it's warm Only for some types of Graptoveria (like Superbum, Hakuhou 3) you may use the watering can with small tip and pour water at the soil.  That can avoid water being or holding on its leaves.  

Or if there is water between the leaves, they will use syringe to suck water out of.  Then Graptoveria will have perfect and healthy leaves.

Fertilizer:

Once a month.  You can apply the orchid fertilizer with the succulent.

Pest:

If you find the bit leaves, there should be a worm around there.  You may use the pesticide when you find aphid on succulent.  Meanwhile, you should collect and throw the dry or dead leaves as they will be place of pest and bad fungus.

Source: www. http://davesgarden.com, http://sites.google.com/site/succulentcity/home

Lithop & Silver Torch Cactus as one of 12 bizarre real plants that look like sci-fi alien monsters

I've read the website about the weird plants that look like monsters. Lithop and Silver Torch Cactus are one of them even though I think Lithop is really a cute succulent (which is not easy to grow.)
 
In the article, you will find more plants which really look horrible and like monsters or alien.

Link : http://blastr.com/2011/08/12-bizarre-real-life-plan.php

Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus - living rocks

Scientific name: Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus

Origin: Mexico (Coahuila to Queretaro)

Habitat and Ecology:  Commonly called "living rocks," they are widely distributed as a large number of small, isolated populations, generally on limestone derived gypsum silt plains and on hills. The area where they grow must be quite wet during the rainy season (Summer). These plants are extremely hidden as they blend in well with the terrain around them resembling dried mud.

When they are found, it is usually due to their pinkish flowers. In times of severe drought the whole above-ground portion of these plants can shrink and be covered by mould, but the taproot remains alive.

Although they can form clumps, often only a small disc of tubercles can be seen flat at the soil surface, however these plants grow a large tap root below the surface of the compost.

Root:  Each plant has a large turnip-like taproot, which lies below the soil surface and serves for water storage.

Cultivation:  The plants need deep pots with loose mineral soil with a well-drained stuff. They need a good amount of light, a place near the roof of the greenhouse helps drying the pot after watering.

Watering and adding fertilizer can be done weekly during summertime, if the weather is sunny enough. Kept this way, plants will show a healthy, although slow growth. They are frost hardy to -10°C.

Propagation: By seeds, remembering that seedlings dislike strong light and dry conditions.  It will be great if the seeding pot can be repotted frequently.

Eventually, when they become mature, they attain a maximum size of 5 to 9 cm. But plants are often grafted to accelerate growth as they would generally slowly grow, but the grafted plants are typical rather tall growing or become multi-heads plant, compared with plants on their own roots that are usually very flat to the ground.

Flowers: A. kotschoubeyanus have a woolly crown, from which emerge bright pink-violet flowers up to 2.5-5 cm, 2 times wider than long when fully expanded. Flowers last for 3 to 4 days.  

Blooming time: from mid-August onwards, and is easy to set seed on, it produces some interesting hybrids with other Ariocarpus species

Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus is a variable species:

· Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus forma mostruosa

· Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus forma prolifera

· Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus var. albiflorus

· Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus var. elephantidens (which are larger, highly textured, triangulate tubercles, and a deep purple flower with little or no white content)

· Ariocarpus kotschoueyanus var. macdowellii

· Ariocarpus kotschoubeyanus var. sladovski differs from the other red flowering A. kotschoubeyanus (for having a smoother and shiny epidermis)

  

Source: http://www.cactus-art.biz

Care to Adenium – Desert Rose

A native of East Africa, the desert rose will grow from 6 ½ to 10 feet in the wild. It has fleshy leaves and beautiful 2-inch open-trumpet shaped flowers in shades from red to light pink. 

Desert Rose is excellent in pots especially for people who "kill everything" because Adenium lives with little care and can take a good deal of neglect.  Besides, the coolest Desert Rose plants are hybrids (many dozens of them) produced in China, Taiwan and Thailand, and some in India.

Watering:  Needs little water during winter, especially when kept cool. Increase water during growing and blooming periods.  If left without added water and no rain for a long time or after a cold night, your desert rose can lose most or all of its leaves.  Never fear, they will re-grow after watering or after warm weather returns. 

Soils: Good drainage is essential in any soil mix, yet the soil mix also must have moisture retention properties, along with adequate nutrients. Use a mixture of half potting soil and half perlite, which will hold some moisture but still drain nicely. If you live in a warmer climate where you can plant outdoors, you can use gravel instead of Perlite. 

Repotting: Root prune and repot ever year or two, after the winter rest period, using a good draining soil mix such as described above. Peat can also be added to the mixture. Plant can tolerate being root-bound (tight in the pot.)  

Pruning: Usually pruning is done to reduce overall plant size, or to selectively remove branches to 'sculpt' a more-perfect plant.  

Adenium flower

Do heavy pruning around March to shape the plant. Any new shoots can be pruned off at any time if you don't want them. Wear gloves and don't touch your face if you get any sap on you while pruning, as the sap is toxic. Don't let children or animals play with or around these plants either. Wash sap off with soap immediately.

 Fertilizer: Feed Adenium obesum with a general houseplant fertilizer half-strength about once or twice a month during the warm months. Blooming fertilizer may help encourage blooming during the growing season.   Along with reducing watering to increase cold tolerance, fertilization should be ended in late August or early September. Availability of nutrients (especially nitrogen) encourages the plants to remain active and produce new growth.

Light: Adenium needs lots of light and fresh air. Keep in a bright location in winter. In summer plant can be moved outside and can tolerate full sun but partial or filtered sun is fine. Plant will bloom better if getting more full sun and regular water.

Temperature: Never below 40 degrees; however, in the winter, keeping it cool (between 40 and 61 degrees) gives the plant a needed rest. 

Pest and Diseases:  The common enemies of Desert Rose are aphids, caterpillars, sometimes scale insects and fungus.  Bugs are pretty easy to handle if you observe and inspect your Desert Rose often ...you'll see the pests and can take action.  Sometimes, the leaves are eaten by small worm.  If the trouble is not serious, just remove the worm out of the plant.

Source: www.spicewoodspines.com, http://mgonline.com, www.ehow.com, www.tucsoncactus.org

What to do when cactus is rotting???

The before picture. 
when my mammillaria was still healthy in the big pot

Thailand is in the rain season now and some cacti in my garden were also rotten.  At this time, it happened with my favorite mammillaria which became rotten and I just noted it recently.  So I think it’s important to fight with rotting seriously although before that, I led the plant rot without do anything. Here is the way to do that and hope it’ll be helpful when you have same trouble like me.

• How do we know or notice that the cactus is rotting?

The brown base of can mean that the plant is aging (become woody) or rotting. To tell the difference, touch the base and see if it is hard or flabby/soft. Hard means everything is OK. But, it’s soft, it means that plant is rotting and it must be treated with care.  

Here is after picture.  It was so soft and I had to cut some rotten part out and dried the rest for 3-4 days together with the rotting aloe

• Can I still save the rotting cactus? 

The second way to save a rotting cactus is to simply cut of its top.  Using a sharp knife cut off the top of the plant.  After that, let’s it dry for a 2-7 days. Once dry, set about 1/2 the plant into potting mix/perlite or cactus mix/perlite.

Do not water too much. Just enough to make the soil to become a little humid. Over watering at this point could cause rot again. With luck and the right conditions it will start to root. Once it develops its own roots, the watering can be increased.  Establishing the new roots may take several days or weeks depending on the condition of plant and care.

I put them on top of pot with 100% perlite

After several days with humid from rain, the new root came out finally! 

Another option is to take a cutting or two for grafting which need skill & experience to do that.

• What if my cactus is rotting from the top? What shall I do?

If a cactus is rotting from the top you need to act immediately before more of the cactus rots. Just like as if it is rotting from the base, carefully cut off the top of the cactus that is rotting. Dispose of the cactus top.

As for the bottom, clean it with a spray to make sure it does not catch the top's disease. Change the soil unless it looks as if the cactus can't take a repot. The remaining cactus should now be healthy. After a few weeks of extra care, start caring for it as for a normal cactus. It will not grow a new top or increase in height but it will grow branches which will grow.

Source: http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca,  http://www.alexandgregory.com/

Free seeds of Gymnocalycium cacti to get

Recently, my Gymnocalycium cacti flowered and gave me some seeds. I want to give them for free because they are too many for me and it'll be a good practice to grow normal cactus from seed.  Then you'll know to do it with another cactus which may need more advance experience.

In the past, my friend ever gave the free seeds, then I learnt how to plant cactus from seed and now I want to do it to other people, too. Here is the picture of mother Gymnocalycium.

But you may need to pay $2 for shipping.  (Please don't forget that I live in Thailand.  If you stay here, I'll send you for free!) So if you'd like to get those seeds, please send money $2 via Paypal.  Here is my account : thai_create@hotmail.com.  There are limited amount: 3 sets (about 20-30 seeds/set)