Barrel Cactus

My first attempt at Barrel Cactus failed — scarring from cold water splash on the skin got hold of it and I didn't know what I was looking at until it was too late. I left it alone for a year before trying again. The second attempt, with proper attention to using pure mineral grit for drainage in t…

I brought Barrel Cactus home six months ago with high hopes and almost no knowledge. The first challenge was understanding providing the sunniest window or outdoor position available — something I hadn't expected to matter so much. Once I got that right, the whole thing settled down. I grow it in a…

I want to be honest: I'm not getting great results with Barrel Cactus and I'm not entirely sure why. scarring from cold water splash on the skin has been a recurring problem despite my attempts to address it. I've been focusing on providing the sunniest window or outdoor position available based on …

I don't have a garden so an outdoor container brought in for winter is my only option for Barrel Cactus. It absolutely works — with the right attention to using pure mineral grit for drainage in the soil mix you can get excellent results in containers. extremely long-lived with minimal intervention…

I'd had Barrel Cactus for about eight months with acceptable but unremarkable results. Then I started really paying attention to protecting from frost below -5°C even for hardy varieties and the difference over the next two months was dramatic. architectural sculptural form that needs no flowers to…

I planted Barrel Cactus primarily for ornamental reasons. What I didn't anticipate was the wildlife it would attract. spectacular but brief blooms that can appear overnight seems to be particularly appealing to bees and butterflies during the main growing period. I grow it in a dry garden rockery o…

I planted Barrel Cactus without expecting much and it's become one of the most satisfying things in my garden. remarkable drought tolerance once established is something I couldn't have predicted from looking at it in a nursery. You only understand it once the plant is established and performing. I…

After growing Barrel Cactus for over a year here is what I'd tell a beginner. First: using pure mineral grit for drainage in the soil mix is not optional — it's the foundation everything else depends on. Second: root rot from any waterlogging in winter will happen and you should know how to handle …

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 lo…