I was outside today and looked over at my neighbors property, at first I thought he put up a sculpture, then I realized it was a flower stalk from a "Century Plant". It's about 12" in diameter at the base and about 12-15 feet tall, and still growing. (for scale, the cactus leaves are about 6 ft. tall, and the in the background those are 16" diameter pilings.
Beccabud's Cactus Garden of Spiny Delight: Peruvian Torch aka Trichocereus Peruvianus
- Thread starter BeccaBuds
- Start date
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- #62
@Phytoplankton That's a big stalk. Looks like it is just getting ready to flower?
Yeah, it’ll probably grow a little taller, I’ll try and get photos of the flowers when it happens. This particular century plant flowers after 25 years, bummer is they die after flowering, but normally there are a couple pups to replace the morher.
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- #64
Yesterday each Peruvian Torch pot (except #5 & #11) got their first 1/2 tsp dose of Geoflora Veg. Almost all of them were dry enough to blend a half teaspoon of the fertilizer into the top spoil and soak it in with 100mL of water. 5 & 11 will each get theirs as soon as the soil dries some more.
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- #65
Here's a shot from a different angle taken this evening. You can see some have 5 ribs, some have 6 and one (#12 Poly) has 7. Gave each 80mL of water except 5 and 11 which are still moist from last watering.
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- #66
Yesterday I potted 4 of the San Pedro cuttings I took when I planted them all in the 10 gallon fabric pot. These were the pups which root more readily than branch cuttings. I have 4 branches but they haven't shown roots yet. These were in the dark for weeks and weeks so there's no chlorophyll in their growing tips. The transplants in the 10 gal pot are showing more pups already. Om.
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- #67
The 10 gallon San Pedro farm is thriving. Raised the lamp 6" and added 2L pure water adjusted to pH 6.3.
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- #68
Just gave 6 pots of Collana Pichu to a gardener who will plant them outdoors where they can reach full size without being eaten and maybe even flower in a few years.
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- #69
OMG, discovered springtails and/or possibly root aphids in a couple of the Collana Pichu pots so I drenched them all with SNS 203 mixed 4oz/gallon water. No sign of any wildlife today.
I now have two Sharxx Blu OP & four Collana Pichu and have four more San Pedro pups rooting.
I now have two Sharxx Blu OP & four Collana Pichu and have four more San Pedro pups rooting.
The smaller 5 went in here.
Here's a couple pics of the babies in their new (temporary) homes. Plan n keeping them in pots through the summer, will plant in the ground in the Fall.
They all have a nice view of the river.
They all have a nice view of the river.
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- #71
Awesome, @Phytoplankton. I think they are going to love it there. Can't wait to see how they react to real sunshine.
They really seem to like the natural sunlight!
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- #73
I know I would if somebody covered me with plastic and buried me in perlite for several days, lol! 
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- #74
Moved the cacti into the pvc/mylar 2x2 tent with a single Bestva Pro-2000W (test results here). Same lamp model so they won't know the difference except for the light schedule is now 13 hours a day (was 18 in the other area).
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- #75
Bumped the light up to 14hrs/day running 50% power, 9" from the plants. Gave each seedling pot 70mL purified water and the 10 gallon Pedro got a gallon from the garden sprayer. The Pedro cuttings are in FFOF so I can see how they do compared to the cactus mix. The last San Pedro cuttings potted in cactus mix developed this incredibly healthy looking emerald green in the growing tips that was just beautiful.
Here's an update on the plants you sent me (thanks so much!). They were planted in a good cactus mix and seem to really be liking natural sunlight. Unfortunately, I had a tragedy with the smallest ones. While I was gone the neighbors cat got into the pot and buried the smallest ones, when I got home and dug them up it was too late. The others, however, are rocking.
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- #77
So the cat got the 5 stragglers in the cloth pot? Bummer- had they gotten bigger their spines would probably have deterred the critter. I'm glad the rest of them are healthy. I just watered all my cacti for the first time in a couple weeks, and they've all grown a good bit since last time.
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- #78
Almost 4 weeks since last watering and they are all looking thirsty. Each of the plants in the black plastic tray got 1/2 teaspoon of Geoflora Veg and 100mL of aqua. The 10 gallon San Pedro pot got a cup of Geoflora Veg and 3/4 gallon of aqua.
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- #79
Aug. 25th will be 10 months since planting the Peruvian Torches (PT). Tallest PT is 4 1/4" (middle rear plant, top photo), Poly in the front row of the 1st picture is about 3 1/2". New San Pedro (SP) cuttings are pretty much ready to transplant into the 10 gallon colony pot. The SP colony is around 13" tall now.
I'm thinking it's just about time to put all the PT into their own 10 gallon pot and into the Tiny Closet now that the Triple Header grow is winding down.
I haven't watered these in a month but it's barely noticeable. Gave them all a good soaking.
I'm thinking it's just about time to put all the PT into their own 10 gallon pot and into the Tiny Closet now that the Triple Header grow is winding down.
I haven't watered these in a month but it's barely noticeable. Gave them all a good soaking.
They are so lovely.
I had a San Pedro a few years back.
Someone stole it off of my porch.
I have some Saguaro, purple prickly pear and a few barrel cactus seeds. I'll be sprouting them after we move this fall. I have to get my plant cabinet painted and install lights and fans before I do.
Should be around Oct/November.
Thanks for sharing your Torches.
I had a San Pedro a few years back.
Someone stole it off of my porch.
I have some Saguaro, purple prickly pear and a few barrel cactus seeds. I'll be sprouting them after we move this fall. I have to get my plant cabinet painted and install lights and fans before I do.
Should be around Oct/November.
Thanks for sharing your Torches.