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Cultivation:
These plants are summer growers that offer no
cultivation difficulties. Grow them in rich, airy, porous, growing
medium which mainly consists of non organic material such us clay,
pumice, lava grit, and only a little peat or leaf-mould. If potted,
repot preferably in the spring, if their roots become cramped.
Generally, they should be repotted every other year in order to provide
fresh soil. However, this doesn't necessarily mean they'll need larger
containers. Fill about a quarter of the pot with broken crocks, gravel,
etc. to promote good drainage. After repotting, do not water for a week
or more. Water regularly in summer (but do not overwater), and let their
soil dry out between waterings, keep rather dry in winter. No water
should ever be allowed to stand around the roots. Feed with a high
potassium fertilizer in summer.
Exposure: Outside they need a bright exposure, full sun
or half shade in summer if the location is exceedingly hot or bright,
inside needs bright light, and some direct sun.
It can tolerate moderate shade, and a plant that has been growing
in shade should be slowly hardened off before placing it in full sun as
the plant will be severely scorched if moved too suddenly from shade
into sun.
Frost Tolerance: Light frost protection required for safe
cultivation, but many
of the hybrids very frost resistant if kept dry (The hardiness varies
from -5°C to -12° C depending on clone).
This plants need a period of cool rest in winter to
produce flowers abundantly. They flower freely indoors if conditions
suit them.
Watch for infestations of
mealybug, scale insects and spider mite.
Propagation: Easy to
propagate from cuttings. The cuttings will take root in a minimum
temperature of 20° C. Cuttings of healthy shoots can be taken in the
spring and summer, Cut them with a sharp, sterile knife, leave the
cutting in a warm, dry place for a week or weeks (depending on how thick
the cutting is) until a callus forms over the wound. Once the callus
forms, the cutting may be inserted in a container filled with firmed
cactus potting mix topped with a surface layer of coarse grit. They
should be placed in the coarse grit only; this prevents the cut end from
becoming too wet and allows the roots to penetrate the rich compost
underneath. The cuttings should root in 2 to 6 weeks.
How to Grow new hybrid from
seeds: The reproduction by seed is also possible but the offspring
will not be identical to the mother plant. The Chamaecereus-Lobivia will
produce several fruit with hundreds of seeds each season. After the
flower dies off and the pods are ripen it is possible to collect them
from under the dried flower. Then place the seeds in some water to
soak overnight. Fill germination trays with a well blended mixture
of 60%
peat moss 40%
vermiculite and one to one part of coarse
sand or
pumice. Use a horse syringe to suck the small seeds and some of the
water into the syringe. With the syringe, distribute the seeds evenly in
the
germination tray, shaking the syringe so the seeds don't settle at
the bottom and all come out at once. Place then the trays in
filtered sun, cover with a glass sheet and keep the soil moist until
the seeds
germinate in approximately 2 to 6 weeks. They will look like small
green spheres, somehow red in bright light. Then gradually remove the
glass cover. When the small cacti start to sprout tiny spines, use a
pair of tweezers to transfer them from the propagation trays into 5 cm
pots filled with the same soil mix used in the germination trays. Allow
the small cacti to grow for about one/two year and then move the cacti
to 10 cm pots and allow them to grow further.
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Cultivation
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