HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1969-11-27, Page 22aER 7* 1969
t cactuses
spectacu
showy Mowers.
Collecting ' and growing
cactuses for their odd forms and
exquisite blooms has been a
hobby in Europe for more than
a century, but in North America,
particularly here in Canada, it
has been in strong vogue for
only about 20 years.
Desert cactuses require a drier
atmosphere than most plants
and they like -periods of
complete drought, conditions
most house plants are expected
to endure when we go' on
vacation. Many species will
actually go all winter without
watering, although they will
shrivel slightly and look grayish
in color. When they are watered
in early spring they become dark
green and in no tithe -produce, in
the oddest places, buds that very
quickly grow into luxurious
flowers.
No gardener can truthfully
say he dislikes all cactuses for
-there are so many diverse types
that one is sure to please, If he
dislikes those with spines he can
get the sand dollar cactus
(Astrophytum asterias) that has
a flattened spineless body, an
inch high and three inches wide,
divided by ribs into pie like
sections. This species produces
jewel-like yellow flowers an inch
long. The other extremes for
those whofind beauty in spines
are the • hedgehog cactuses
(Echinocactus spp.) and the
prickly pears (Opuntia . spp.).
Enthusiasts will often rave about
the velvety beauty of the gold
plush prickly, pear (Opuntia
microdasys), which, at the
slightest touch, will unload a
quiver of microscopic spines into
your hands. These will irritate
for 'a long time until the last of
the, spines gradually works out
of your skin..,
Among the small cactuses
most suitable for growing in 'the
home are the peanut cactus
(Chamaecereus. silvestris) that
forms clumps, made from a
number df -peanut -like joints, the
toubYe
because
y why not
t thrive under
th Since in
uses have
l Valley,
--i
g and at
ti p lar and
�A.(FLBU KI -EY
If you > having
browing window plants
out hou e is too dry,
plants that lil
is condition?
wintertime so many hou
less humidity than Death
California, you should consider
growing plants that are at home
n-thtsvery tegion:''hese plants
are extremely fascinatin
nes produce
very popular old -man cactus
(Cephalocereus senilis),
cylindrical type `covered . with
shaggy white hairs, and its
counterpart the old -lady cactus
(Mammillaria hahniana) that
produces a globular stem, which
too, is covered with snow white
hairs when it is a few years old.
4r
r�•
%3.
Others are ,..the powder puff
cactus (Mammillaria bocasana),
which forms globes one and a
half inches across with slender
green tubercules set on a pink
body and topped with tufts of
silky hairs, and the bird's nest
cactus (Mammillaria
campotricha), which has a shape
rather like a bird's nest. There
are many more, some noted for
their shapes and some for their
stupendous floweis; Such ' as- the
night -blooming cereus
(Hylocereus undatus) that
produces in, summer large
14 -inch white flowers with
'golden sepals that emit a scent
strong enough to attract (as it
does in the desert) large winged
night -flying moths for its
fertilization.
Growing these desert plants
takes Y so little effort and
attention that 'amateurs usually
kill them with too much
pampering. Through thousands
of years the true cactuses have
gradually become accustomed to.
long periods of drought and they
are able to store sufficient
moisture in their tissue for use id
dry periods. Unless they are
allowed to use some of this
stored up moisture they will
eventually decay. The barrel
types and prickly -pear types
must not be watered too often.
Preferably, allow them to remain
dry from December to March
and remove them to a cooler
place in the home, such as near a
Librarian to leave. post.
Miss Carolyn Croke, who has
been librarian for the Huron
County- Public ' Library, ' will
• become head of the humanities
department in the main branch
of the London Public Library.
She will assume her duties
Dec. 8.
She will replace Mrs. Arlene
Riches, who resigned Sept. 15.
The department has 'nine staff
members.
It contains 50,000' bgoks,
180 periodicals, a picture
collection, a local history
collection, newspaper clippiifgs
and government documents.
Miss Croke is a 1957 graduate
of the University of Western
Ontario. She attended Rutgers
University library . school. She
held positions with the "Enoch
Pratt Library in. Baltimore and
the North' York Public Library
in Metro Toronto, then became
chief librarian at Pointe Claire,
Que., before coming to Huron
County. • -
She wasp''f1tirtYi ounty's first
GODERICH'S OWN ..
'WELCOME
SERVICE
would like to Call on you with
Ohticfsewarr big gifts"nd
Inforrhation' about your hew
totatlon,: The Hostess will be
glad to arrange your
aubSEcrlption to 'the
SIONAL STAR ,..,
her at 04.9525
county "librarian and came
Goderich in 1968.
basement window.
When you begin to water
again soak the plants,thoroughly
and, then wait until they are dry
before the next watering. At this
time they will gradually change
their gray -green appearance to
dark green and start to produce
buds.
This period when strong signs
of growth appear .is -a good time
to re -pot plants. Re -potting
should be dame every two years.
to ensure good growth.
Plants left too long in the
same soil tend to go into a
period of dormancy that might-
iest
ightlast for seyeral___years, causing
them, not to die, but to shrivel
in size. and .become too weak to
flower. It is not necessary to
re -pot into "a larger size pot
unless the plant is young and the
pots are very small.
A good soil mixture for
desert cactuses - is four parts of
good garden soil, a little on the
heavy side, one part leaf mold,
one-half part sand, one-half part
crushed limestone and one-half
part crushed brick.
In June the cactuses may be
planted outside on the patio
where they can be kept watered,
or they may be plunged in a
.specially prepared place in the
garden. They can be placed so as
to form a rock garden with a few
well-placed rocks ror can be . part
of the garden itself.
Irk any event, the soil where
the 'plants are to be placed
should be dug out to a depth of
the largest pot and two inches of
sand placed at the bottom. Then
fill the excavation up with sand
or sandy soil and plunge thepots
to the rim of this or ,stand them
on the base and fill in around
them with sand.
For about a week after they o
are planted outside they will
need shading during the hottest
part of the day. A sunny
position in the garden' is
absolutely necessary.
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