Outdoors/indoors

Discussion in 'Cacti and Succulents' started by soccerdad, Mar 31, 2020.

  1. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    My epiphyllum cacti, despite being abused quite horribly over the winter - I have just now watered them for the second time since November - are about to flower. Some of them, anyway. As in, they will flower this week. Since no one but me is interested in spending any time in my crowded greenhouse, only I will see them. This makes me want to move them outside.

    But I believe that they are supposed to stay indoors until night time temperatures hit 10C and they are predicted to be only 2C or 3C this week - although it will be at least 2C warmer in my yard. Does anyone know if they would be OK if moved outside now despite the low temperatures?
     
  2. Tom Hulse

    Tom Hulse Active Member 10 Years

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    I left mine out all summer until the last day of October when we had our first frost one year and the plant loved it, had many blooms that winter. It was barely covered from above by high deck, but open to 0 deg C temps on all sides. However it was slowly acclimated over the length of the year.

    If it was mine, I would go ahead and try it. How warm is your greenhouse, is it a big temperature shock difference?

    Btw, low water abuse in early winter is what makes these bloom. Combine that with very cool (not freezing) temps back in November and you'll get your best blooms ever, especially if you fertilized and took good care of it outdoors in autumn.
     
  3. soccerdad

    soccerdad Active Member 10 Years

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    Thanks.

    My greenhouse has a small heater that only kicks in to avoid freezing; just the same, last week it got above 60F even with the window open a bit and of course with no heater operating. I don't really know what happens at night: I haven't used a min-max thermometer for years.

    My worry is that this week is expected to have nighttime temps of 1, 2 and 3C although it probably won't go below about 4 - say, 40F - where I would put them.

    I might put out one as an experiment. Wish me luck.
     
  4. Eppiessam

    Eppiessam New Member

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    So Soccerdad, how did your eppies do with weather last spring? I’ve been growing eppies in Tofino for some years now but do not put them outside for fear of drowning in my rainy location. We had 5” /13cm of rain last week and it’s August. I let my heated by the house when the door is open greenhouse get pretty cool over winter. I’ll try and keep better records but I try and keep my space well above freezing by leaving the door open but I don’t like cooling off my wood heated living space too much. I’m always checking in the mornings to see just how close to freezing I have been getting. There is always the thermal mass of the soil and as the plants are closer to the double wall plastic ceiling the air is slightly warmer than my temperature readings. This winter with my laser thermometer I could check better if I remember to use it.

    But cold and dryness is a factor for sure. More so the dryness. I had flowers for about 3 months this last spring.

    You went through a lot of effort growing from seed and congratulate you. I’ve found I can get flowers years earlier by using regular 1 gallon pots 6x7” that by drilling holes in the sides can turn into hanging baskets. Being smaller gets them root bound sooner and once full of roots there’s little soil to hold water. I’ve had close to 50 blooms on a three year old Ackermanni red plant. The bonus this year is a second blooming that is happening right now, August 26 with 24 plus blooms either open, faded or still growing. I regularly use diluted, light blue when mixed 10-52-10 when watering. Occasionally they will get plain water.
    I have an Eden in a larger pot that still has not shown a single bloom much like your waiting experience. The soil mass being bigger does not allow the necessary drying out too occur. I probably should take cuttings and start over on some of my large hanging basket plants now that I know what smaller pots can do for flower production.
     
    Tom Hulse likes this.

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