A year of growing Barrel Cactus — detailed seasonal notes

Here are my notes from twelve months of growing Barrel Cactus:

Spring: offsetting and pup production in spring. This was the moment that confirmed the whole venture. I focused on using pure mineral grit for drainage in the soil mix during this period which set up the rest of the year.

extremely long-lived with minimal intervention developed steadily through the warmer months. slow growth frustration for impatient growers appeared in summer and required prompt treatment. The plant in a south-facing windowsill in full sun performed better than I'd expected for the position. Overall: a rewarding year. The investment of attention is paid back generously.