Hallson Gardens

Yep, its me... asking more questions

I have lots of cactus that grow throughout the woods on my property. They are almost always in shady area's which are overgrown with underbrush. I have an area alongside my driveway that has a western exposure and is very sandy and very dry. I have thought for a long time about putting cactus and succulents there because no way do I want to haul water 200 feet even if it is only minimal times.

So, the cactus are the usual type you see, green flat "petals" usually two or three to a plant. Can I dig these up and plant them in the driveway area? Would I need to harden them off by letting them get more sun each day or so since they are used to the shade?

Although I grew up in desert CA and NV I really don't like cactus.... throw back from when I was a child and was forever sticking my hands on them! I would like to put some out there, just beacuse it needs something and cactus would be the most self sufficient plant I cant think of.

What do ya'll think?


Ginger

I don't know if it's needed, but I can't see what harm conditioning them slowly to more sun would do.


But the reason why I had to respond is this: BE CAREFUL!

My brother dug a few peices of his cactus for me last fall. He got pricked by one, and ended up with a fungal infection that turned his finger all black and gross and looked like it would fall off. And that's after it started getting better! It took a full 6 months for it to look normal, and he still has a little sore he is treating.

Heavy leather gloves, long tongs, anything just don't touch them!

Sounds like the common Prickly Pear cactus. Just break off the ears, let them callous over for a day or so and stick it in the ground. It will root on it's own. Even cut into a number of pieces, they all should root easily. Be sure to let them callus over though. They have a beautiful, yellow flower with a red center that reminds me of a single paeonie. Each flower only lasts one day. The big spines that you see aren't the nasty ones. It's the little ones that are very hard to see. If you get any on you, put some Elmers glue on the area, let it dry and peel it off. The tiny spines should come with the dried glue. I've heard silver duct tape works also. When you handle the cactus, wrap it with a number of layers of news paper first.

Thanks Janet! Good advise! I planned to wear gloves because from my childhood days, I cannot seem to get near them without getting spines somewhere But I did not think about fungus etc. I sure don't need that!


OED, that is good to know! I can get many more cactus out of just one that way. I will try it out and let you know how it turns out!

Ginger

Yuppers, just good old-fasioned Prickley Pear. It can grow in shade or sun. You don't have to harden it off. The worst that might happen is that the pads die back and it puts out new ones. They grow very quickly and root where they fall. Once they get established, they'll get covered by big yellow flowers each spring.
Here's how I handle mine: OED is right on it with the newspaper. I roll up a sheet and bend it like a "U" to wrap around the plant. I have also used tongs as Janet mentioned. Sometimes I'll even use a big pair of pliers. I'm gentle with them, but if the PP gets damaged it will just scab over as long as you don't keep it wet.
I love these things and even go on hiking trips to collect them. May the force be with you!
Tim

Plan to move some next week. I am off work the tuesday and wednesday after the 4th so off to the woods I will go to collect cactus. I appreciate all the advise. If it looks half way decent when I am done I will post a pic.

G

Awesome! Good luck, and hope to see those pics!
Tim

Ginger, all good advice here! We moved one from behind the fence that got shade to a hot area and made sure we took a lot of soil when we moved her. Sad to say she went into shock being in the sun for a year and some of her got sunburnt as we moved her in mid July when we had 90 degree weather.

Karma sunburn in mid July? Well I will have to watch out for that since I am planning to move them in July.
The area I am moving them to gets a lot of sun in the afternoon. I might have to rig up something to give them some filtered shade.

G

Got a spare unbrellllllleeeeeeeeeeeee?

Wouldn't that be funny? I could stick a big ole umbrella over them, and the neighbors would sure wonder if I had lost my mind or not

Ginger

Not unless you put a tiny table with a little drink and straw under there with it.
I'm not sure about the umbrella thing. I was thinking more along the lines of putting tiny straw hats and Ray Bans on them. (ducks for cover )
Tim

Thanks Tim, why didn't I think of that? I needed a laugh this am!

TIM! And maybe a little cabana? Beach Boys or some Reggie playing in the background?

Ginger

Oh no, you've set the scene. I'm getting a hankerin' for my old sailboat again!
Tim

I'll take a couple of those Cabana Boys!!

I wish I still had PhotoShop. There'd be a picture of a prickley pear with a hat and sunglasses singing 'Sloop John B' and sipping a margarita while sailing a sailboat in about two seconds on here!
Tim

Well I did it! Battery on camera was dead last night when I went to take pic's so I will get some tonight. My friend from Indiana and I went out to the woods and found several good size cactus, some with fading blooms on them! We planted them all in the front of my driveway area. And... I managed to do it without getting any cactus spines lodged in any body parts

It does not look real great right now, but once I get some edging and some rock in it will look more put together. I am trying to decide if I want to use just the plain white rock, or if I want to try some of the black volcanic (there is red volcanic also, but with our red OK sand it would disapear!).

Thanks again for the great advise everyone!

Ginger

Looking forward to the pics!

Same here, and personally, I think just about any kind of rock looks great with cacti.
Tim