CoronaCactus Nursery - Cultivation Articles Home

Welcome to our brand new feature, Cultivation Articles. We hope this section will guide you through some of the lesser known aspects of C&S cultivation and help you to learn more about these great plants.

This section will showcase different articles about our hobby. Step-by-step instructions on how to graft, pollinate flowers, info on soil mixes, pot culture and other helpful cultivation tips.

Please be aware that we are a So. California nursery, so some of our techniques are suited to our climate here in Zone 10. Some adjustments may be required to get the desired results in your particular climate zone.

We aren�t professional botanists, and the info provided here *works for us*.� We, CoronaCactus Nursery, do not assume any responsibility for any errors on your part. Some of these techniques may require some practice before getting the desired results. If you have any additional info please feel free to contact us. We aren�t afraid of a little constructive criticism, after all, we are all continuously learning.

Please use the links in the above menu bar to navigate through the articles.

Tools of the Trade

Here you will find info on the tools needed for potting up plants with the least amount of blood loss from getting poked.

Lots of great ideas for custom made tools to make your garden life easier.

Got a tool you made and want to share?

Tell us all about it we�d be happy to include it!

[email protected]

Pachypodiums

Grafting

A step by step guide to grafting Pachypodiums. In particular;

P. brevicaule to P. lamerei.

Pollinating

A step by step guide to pollinating Pachypodiums. In particular, P. brevicaule and P. brevicaule x densiflorum

Pollinating Cactus Flowers

Part 1: Pollination This article will explain how to pollinate cactus flowers for seed production.

Almost all cactus flowers have a similar form, in where the stigmas and stamens are easily accessible and visible.

Part 2: Collecting Seeds This article explains how to extract and collect the seeds from the fruit.

New Plant Care

So you�ve just received your package of new plants from CoronaCactus or you�ve just gotten home with new potted plants�what now?

In-Ground Planting

This article will explain what needs to be done in order to grow your plants in the ground and/or raised bed.

Some preliminary steps must be taken in order for the plants to thrive. This is especially true for those who wish to grow cold hardy plants in the colder climate zones.

Cold Hardy Plants

This is a list compiled of the plants that can be grown in the ground or outside in pots in the colder climate zones.

You may be quite surprised how many plants can grow in the snow and frost!

*Why are some cacti blue?

Special Article

A special article written by Marlon Machado about why some cacti are blue.

Marlon is an expert on Brazilian cacti and has written many articles for various journals. You can visit his website here:

The Brazilian Cacti Project

Propagators

This article will discuss how to build a propagator for growing from seed or to use as an *over winter* area.

These can be very simple with a single light fixture and some white poster board or they can get fancy with multi levels, lots of lights, timers, fans, etc.

*Cephalium Cacti

Special Article

A special article written by Marlon Machado about how cephalia are developed.

Marlon is an expert on Brazilian cacti and has written many articles for various journals. You can visit his website here:

The Brazilian Cacti Project

Cactus Propagation

This article will explain how to multiply your cacti by means of vegetative propagation.

Rooting cuttings, re-rooting plants that have lost their roots, etc.

Coming soon

Growing Cactus from Seed

Here you will find info on the techniques we use to grow our plants from seed.

As with soil mixes, there are many variations on seed raising. Although some of the basics will always remain the same.

This article will discuss germination and care during the first few critical months.

Pests

This article will discuss the common pests and disease (that we�ve encountered) that cacti can be succumbed to.

Scale, Mealy bugs, Spider mites, etc.

Coming soon

Soil mixes and why they are important

This article will explain what a C&S mix is and why the ingredients are used.

There are as many different ways to mix your soil, as there are growers. We hope to give you enough information to help you make your own decisions for your particular growing conditions.

Repotting and Pot Culture

This article will discuss different tricks for repotting those really spiny plants. It will also discuss pot style, size and material.

This article is somewhat a sequel to the Soil Mix article and how it relates to pot culture (i.e. Growing your plants in pots, as opposed to in the ground)

Watering and Fertilizing

This article will discuss watering and fertilizing techniques used for both pot culture and in-ground gardens.

When to water, when to fertilize and when not to.

When in doubt, do not water!

Coming soon

Cactus or Succulent?

All cacti are succulents, but not all succulents are cacti.

So how do you tell them apart?

Coming soon

Contact

Jen and Darryl

Email: [email protected]

Mammillaria guelzowiana cactus flower

Mammillaria guelzowiana

Echinocereus davisii

All article photos and text are property of CoronaCactus Nursery LLC.

Any reproduction, in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.